We have had many terrible things happen during the age of the Internet, but the Virginia Tech massacre is the first full-on YouTube tragedy. What does that mean? For starters, it means that every trivial bit of video has been preserved. Without their context, they look stupid and even comic. But it also means that every bad idea can now spring to fascinating life. On Wednesday, when Cho's plays were first released (Newsbloggers was one of the first sites), I joked with my editor that we should stage one of those plays, "Richard McBeef," here in New York as a benefit for the victims. He laughed and then we agreed that it wasn't a funny idea, not at all. This proves it.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I am glad to see some laughter about this guy who could be someone's cool hero.
Debbie at 4:00PM on Apr 21st 2007
2. Ben... hmmm... I think the video very nicely portrays the type of attitude that probably greatly contributed to Mr. Cho's poor mental state. If you read reports of his high school tormentors you have captured the spirit very well, particularly the play readers final scoffing at the name. Perhaps you have given your viewers some valuable insights into how those with poor levels of emotional intelligence can get themselves (and unfortunately others) into life threatening situations. Oh... one downer though, its a pity you included the airhead sitting to your right in the production.
Ric (caliibre)
caliibre at 8:04AM on Apr 22nd 2007
3. Exalt education on the campus of Virginia Tech and honor those brilliant your people take from us by reading and understanding: The word of God? The gospel of Jesus Christ revealed by the Holy Spirit to St. John reads,
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”
We have knowledge of God by the word whereby all things were created. Life came from God and was the light. Without light created by God coming to us from the Sun, we would not have life of any kind. The Sun sends the light to the earth with energy to create life. See a flower grow. Read the parable of the Sower in chapter 13, St. Matthew and how the seeds (words of God) grow or perish.
Alan Klaus at 2:23PM on Apr 23rd 2007
4. I might be helpful to recognize that a schizophrenic, paranoid type is often unable to organize his thoughts into coherient statements. Schizophrenia includes behaviors such as severe withdrawal, loosening of associations between one idea and another (which can result in scrambled writing or speech), poor ability to recognize reality and distinguish it from his own ideas. Add paranoia to the mix and you have a severly tortured soul who must be exceptionally vigilent because he knows that everyone is probably trying to harm him, torture him and make his life insufferable, He finds evidence everywhere. Although most schizophrenics are harmless, the parionid types are likely to strike out. The psychiatric community knows just how dangerous these people are and attempts to aviod getting caught up in the false beliefs of perseqution. Cho's rage is a mirror for the unrelenting misery he carried within his consciousness.
molly at 5:24PM on Apr 23rd 2007
5. john, you are totally right! why should we hold our tongue and have remorse for an insane coward? look what he did?!?!?! countless lives have been effected by this tragedy. y is it that someone whose views r wacked like this guy, can use that as an excuse...("o he was teased"...#2...very nicely portrays the type of attitude that probably greatly contributed to Mr. Cho's poor mental state) but someone who is normal, small, tall, skinny, or fat with the same pressures or problems, & has a bully, is told to ignore it or stand up for themselves WITHOUT using violence! maybe if someone BEAT HIS ASS and put him in his place maybe itd be different.i know this is mean to say, forgive this please, but maybe he wouldve killed himself and totally prevented this. he WAS a nut. people need to quit trying to make excuse after excuse for y he did this. it wasnt because he was laughed at, it wasnt because he couldnt get a girl it was because HE WAS MENTAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jennifer at 10:59AM on Apr 24th 2007
6. Caliibre with comment number two, all I can say to your comment is you are an idiot.
Alan Klaus with comment number 3, this isn't a bible class. With what you have to say on this blog about this video you may very well be a religious fanatic that is psycho and needs to be watched before you become the next Cho.
Molly with comment 4. You have some good points for all to think about.
Ben, thanks for the video and proving what a freak Cho was and proving the ridiculousness of Fox news saying how it was so, so, so, disturbing. It wasn't disturbing. Had the same thing been done in a skit on SNL the whole country would be laughing at the comedic stupidity of it all. Too bad it was the real writings of a psycho that I couldn't be happier is now dead.
Finally, I will say I have the utmost sympathy for the families of the victims.
John at 11:57AM on Apr 24th 2007
7. Thanks Jennifer. I agree with you too in that there have been countless people who were made fun of, bullied, picked on, etc.... who are now living full and productive lives and have never killed anyone!
John at 12:01PM on Apr 24th 2007
8. Any one who would want to sit there and make a video and make fun of the sickness or mental illness that someone of another must be pretty darn sick themselves. I dont care how many people have not acted on the bullying of others. The point is this guy was out of his mind and he had no control over it. This in no way excuses him for the horrible act he committed but it doese explain how sometimes some people may not have the means to deal with the constant crap that others bestow upon them. Who knows just how much a person can take before they lose that control. Everyone is different and everyone can handle things in completely different ways. Some let it roll off their backs and some cant. I say the people that will sit and do what this IDIOT did and make a video out of it must have a bit of mental illness in his family, because that is pretty sick in itself.
SHAMEONTHEIDIOTWHODIDTHISVIDEO at 4:36PM on Apr 28th 2007