Comments on: Some VTech students findin’ it hard to stay mad at Cho

By: Buck Turgidson

Buck Turgidson — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 05:13:41 +0000

But, then, I have anger issues.

Jaibones on April 27, 2007 at 9:39 AM

Try counseling. We wouldn’t want you in the slammer Jai. Heh.

By: Entelechy

Entelechy — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 03:49:53 +0000

No one objects to anything any more. That’s how Cho made it through all his life stages, without being questioned, or without many doing much about his ‘ways’.

Our kindergartens teach Kumbaya. Schools continue the myth. Universities truly propagate it. The media enforce it. The Soroses finance it. The babyboomers tried once, and now again, to realize their ‘idealisms’. The sane old are dying slowly, the young are too young to know better. Who’s left with common sense?

By: Resolute

Resolute — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 23:30:09 +0000

This may sound silly, but I’m reminded of that Star Trek episode where Kirk finds the planet of people that march themselves right into incinerators because this is more “civilized” then having actual confrontations with other people. These real life liberals are about half a step away from that.

By: Jim Treacher

Jim Treacher — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:57:15 +0000

When this Katelynn Johnson creature says she’s received hundreds of supportive messages, I can’t help but think she’s something of an unreliable narrator. And if I was a student there, I wouldn’t want the campus chaplain speaking for me either, frankly. Both should be taken with a grain of salt.

By: CR UVa

CR UVa — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:15:26 +0000

Forgiveness is one thing, but he is certainly not a victim. He could make that argument (even if it progressively got weaker) all the way up until he fired the first shot. And it is a huge mistake for people to be considering him a victim, because it becomes harder and harder for justice to prevail when everyone is a victim.

By: Attila (Pillage Idiot)

Attila (Pillage Idiot) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:06:13 +0000

About the rush to forgiveness, the word “meretricious” comes to mind.

By: James

James — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:31:25 +0000

So…nobody at Tech has a sledgehammer?

By: bmac

bmac — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:14:46 +0000

Has the world gone mad? Just the idea that it would cross their mind to memorialize that monster is appalling. Does anyone get mad at anything anymore? Are we that far gone? Have we become a nation of feel-good zombies that cannot have the basic common sense to be outraged at the right things? These kids are the future of this country, and that is truly scary. Cho’s chance for redemption is long gone, he should be demonized as the evil monster he was.

By: Emilie H.

Emilie H. — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 15:07:58 +0000

Somehow we’ve forgotten the power of righteous anger.

Professor Blather on April 27, 2007 at 10:55 AM

I couldn’t agree more.

And I agree with you that it’s absolutely sick to attempt to “memorialize” this guy.

Why do people think forgiveness is synonymous with acceptance?

By: 4shoes

4shoes — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:55:43 +0000

It’s not really anyones place, except the family and friends of the students killed and injured to forgive Cho. And I don’t get why everyone has this deep need to “forgive”. It’s really ok and part of healing to be angry at the person who deliberately hurt you. All this making of excuses and reasons as to why people do these things does nothing except discredit the victim. Remember when it was accepted that a rape victim “deserved” it in some way, esp. if she dressed or acted a certain way? (That way of thinking hasn’t totally disapeared) People are always trying to explain away (apologize) for horrendous acts. I’m not sure if it’s human nature or this western pc society that can’t see evil for what it is.

I think it’s insulting to the victims families and friends for everyone else to go around “forgiving” the killer.

By: Professor Blather

Professor Blather — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:55:36 +0000

Somehow we’ve forgotten the power of righteous anger.

I’m all for forgiveness, especially with the bastard dead and rotting. Forgiveness isn’t for him. It’s for the one doing the forgiving.

Memorializing Cho is, of course, repugnant; there’s no need to comment. Anyone with a brain knows its repulsive. If it doesn’t immediately disgust you – you’re brainwashed and you’ll never get it, so why try to explain it.

But the anger thing is important. Well-targeted anger has probably accomplished more than any other force in human history. “Remember the Alamo” or “Remember Pearl Harbor” ring a bell?

Anger spurs us to action. Anger prevents the same thing from happening again.

The single thing that has put us most in danger is that we aren’t all still furious, every day, over 9/11.

Anger is important. It has to be managed, and well-aimed … but its important. And this cultural passivity we’ve embraced, this sudden fear of anger … is so wrong. It runs contrary to the entire history of our species.

And it’s going to get us killed.

In case you aren’t paying attention, liberals do get angry – but they choose their targets differently than you or I do. We feel rage for the victimizers, the terrorists, the enemy.

They feel anger ONLY for those who can’t hurt them for voicing their anger. It’s a big difference. Because they’re cowardly anger weakens us; our well-targeted anger strengthens us.

And it’s going out of style quickly. Too many are shuddering at the emotion that gives us strength.

Forgive. But stay angry.

By: profitsbeard

profitsbeard — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:55:36 +0000

I forgive them.

But no memorials, fools.

Erase his name.

Burn his effects.

Lampoon his memory.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:48:46 +0000

Sorry, whom.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:45:01 +0000

Forgiveness? The end point is acceptance and coping, right?

Or, wait, forgiving who? The victim or the killer? Now I don’t know if we’re talking general mourning, or Virginia Tech specifically.

By: Allahpundit

Allahpundit — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:36:31 +0000

I’ll take your word for it but it seems strange to me that anger would follow forgiveness. Forgiveness has to be the end point, doesn’t it?

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:28:51 +0000

I think it goes shock, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, resignation. (Not that I’ve dealt with this often or anything.)

The anger in that link is anger at the victim for dying and leaving you, it says.

By: Allahpundit

Allahpundit — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:22:09 +0000

Cut them a little slack. Guilt is the fourth stage of mourning, and it’s a rotten one to get past. Anger is number five, and obviously a lot of people have made it that far.

Anger is number five? I always thought it was stage two.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:12:04 +0000

Cut them a little slack. Guilt is the fourth stage of mourning, and it’s a rotten one to get past. Anger is number five, and obviously a lot of people have made it that far.

If these folks are still feeling personally responsible for not befriending Cho in six months, they’re idiots. But right now, they’re just dealing.

By: Steve LLamabutcher

Steve LLamabutcher — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:09:20 +0000

“there’s no deciphering madness!”

I’M OUTRAGED!

By: amerpundit

amerpundit — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:07:39 +0000

Cho was looking for attention, and to be remembered for what he did, after he died. I guess he got what he wanted.

By: amerpundit

amerpundit — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:06:45 +0000

Every killer has to be somewhat messed up in order to kill. Why single this kid out for a memorial just because he killed more than any other lone gunman?

I remember after Columbine, the surrounding area included Harris and Klebold in a memorial for the victims. A bunch of angry parents tore it down, but they put it back up.

By: Esthier

Esthier — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:05:31 +0000

They could tape a picture of his fag ass on the outside of the toilet and people could come their to vent their spleens. So to say…

Jaibones on April 27, 2007 at 9:38 AM

Putting up memorials to this guy is exactly the kind of thing that will encourage another messed up kid to go on a shooting spree.

By: CliffHanger

CliffHanger — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:05:27 +0000

Don’t people see the difference between foregiving and memorializing?

No, I guess not.

By: aero

aero — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:05:14 +0000

Regarding the memorial stone, I think it’s just more indication of the sick moral equivalence that has been indoctrinated into the younger generation. Everyone expressed so much admiration for the VTech students when they asked the media to leave the Monday after the shootings so they could hurry up and get back to “normal.” I knew we’d eventually find out that the student body is in fact dominated by mushy-headed liberal-leaning (typical) college students. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would be extraordinarily quick in their “forgiveness” and “understanding” of Cho’s actions and illness. This generation has been brought up to deny personal responsibility, after all. It wasn’t Cho’s fault to them–it was society’s fault, or the gun shop owner’s fault, or his family’s fault, or whatever. I doubt the families of those murdered are quite so forgiving, but I might be wrong.

By: Esthier

Esthier — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:03:43 +0000

We had the debate over when it’s appropriate for religious (and non-religious) people to forgive a killer last year, after the Amish school murders. So I won’t rehash it, but…

I understand forgiveness in this case, and when the killer’s dead, what else is there? Holding onto anger only hurts the angry person, not the dead guy.

However, putting up memorials for him?

Look, unless I hear that his family trained him to be a cold-blooded killer, I would include his family as one of the victims just as I’d include the family members of those who were shot. But Cho himself?

Every killer has to be somewhat messed up in order to kill. Why single this kid out for a memorial just because he killed more than any other lone gunman?