1. No..he should not have been fired...what exactly are they suggesting he meant by this?? I mean...let me get this straight...Virginia Tech failed to notify the shooter's parents of his behaviors...actions...writings...etc....AND his diagnosis after a psychiatric evaluation???!! Did they think they could not do such a thing...they had no right to do so if he had not yet murdered 32 people?? That's what is so twisted about the thinking here....no one said anything to anyone outside the college ...about the shooter...because it was against his rights???? Then this professor makes a gesture meaning absolutely nothing at all...and they throw his rear end out??? Someone needs to tell us why we should live with these kinds of laws...policies...rules...when they are all ass-backwards. Seems to me it is the parents who have the responsibility to see that this young man...(who has been this way since early childhood according to his family in South Korea)...is treated by professionals for his severe disorder...instead of sending him out into the world...as disturbed as he seemed to be. Then...since they didn't fulfill their obligation to his well-being... his high school records don't mention anything about his extreme behaviors...nothing is in the records...he is accepted to this college?? Who went wrong here??? The list is endless....beginning with the family...then his early childhood teachers...doctors...etc. Move on to junior high..high school and no one counsels these parents...who have a child who does not speak????????????? I don't get it! Talk about getting lost in the system!! No child left behind???I guess maybe this kid was a teacher's dream student...never caused a problem...he was basically non-existent. Ultimately...where he acted out most frighteningly... at Virginia Tech..you would have thought by then...these professionals there who feared him....would have taken action of some sort...they all take responsibility for neglecting their duty to the students who attend. Add to that...the numerous kids who...laughed at him...called him names...the viciousness of childhood taunts...and bullying....and this shooter saved it all up to this fateful day. Is anyone going to tell me that this guy should not have been in intense therapy somewhere??? Why does everyone first think of all they could have...or should have done...after innocent people die?? You would think after all the instances of this in our history...someone would use some sense...and take the initiative to care enough to become involved.
Instead...someone fires this professor??? Heaven help us all.............

ellen at 5:14PM on Apr 23rd 2007

2. The professor needed to be fired. I suppose he thought he was making a "funny". Professors are a dime a dozen. Just look at the courses offered by colleges these days. I'll bet there is a course somwhere for a bachelor of sandbox degree. All these courses need professors. Just because one has a title of "professor" doesn't make him or her some kind of diety. There are good professors and bad professors. The solution to whacko killers is for science to develop a whacko detector. That would solve the problem. In the meantime whackos will contiue to ply their killing trade.

Paul at 6:10PM on Apr 23rd 2007

3. More typical P.C. bullcrap. Fired for pointing his
finger and saying 'pow'? What's next? Arresting
children for playing cowboys and Indians (the hell
with your gasp of horror at the lack of P.C.!), or
cops and robbers (anyone offended?)? Hmmm...I see
that Rappers seem to have a pass on the bad language
(sorry, Mr.Imus,but there IS an acceptable double standard,you know).
know).

Maynard G. Krebbs at 7:14PM on Apr 23rd 2007

4. I do not think he should be fired. But what gets me is that I have a professor that rants dayly about women in the work place. He says women should not be in a possition of power, and makes stereotypical and bigoted comments. He belittles his students, says he thinks cats should be ran over (Not to mention he swears and goes on about his personal life in class.) and he is allowed to teach.
The fired teacher talks about current events and makes a gun gesture to prove a point and he's fired? Even a first offense of wrong behavior (which I do not think he did anything wrong) should at least get a warning first depending on the severity.

KRH383 at 9:26PM on Apr 23rd 2007

5. Utterly rediculous to be fired and I believe if two young kids were to play cowboys & Indians they'd be tried in our court system and sentenced to Juvenile.
Our freedom in this country is totally going to hell in a hand basket, and I blame in on the citizens of this country for not fighting back. I recently heard that the Jewish community is up in arms when one rightfully critizes the Israeli government over the treatment of the Palestinians. They call it anti-semetic, while I call it facts. We've survived under the 1st Amendment since it's onset and now it doesn't apply because it's only a piece of paper!! Let's get real.

Adamwestiii at 10:08PM on Apr 23rd 2007

6. I hope the professor takes his employer to court and wins big time after being fired by one or more idiots who think nothing of our freedom of speech.

Hugo

Hugo Fasanati at 10:54PM on Apr 23rd 2007

7. You can blast anything across the airways but point your finger and go bang and you get fired. I am sick of this political correct attack on freedom of expression. Too far left is just as confining as too far right. It is time for U.S. citizens to grow up and quit attacking expression they find a little or a lot questionable. Why not ignore and move on or disagree, exchange views, then agree to disagree and move on with life.

nlknlk7442 at 12:24AM on Apr 24th 2007

8. Well at the very least he should be fired for being stupid. After the Imus affair everyone should realize "free speech" is dead. Major News corporations and college professors stood by and watched their "rights" slip away. Actually they didn't defend an issue involving them and their basic freedom. All of the media beat the Imus story into the ground. Now they reap what they sowed.

Imus wasn't wrong. His words were no more hurtful than watching a sitcom where the average "white" Dad is portrayed as a buffoon.

I guess what " goes around comes around."

Besides, students in Boston don't need to worry about finger guns. They need to worry about bridges and Ted driving.

Joe

Joe at 1:15AM on Apr 24th 2007

9. At last...a college professor hoisted on his own POLITICALLY CORRECT petard. He deserves to be fired...not for what he did but for being stupid enuff to do it!

ron duby at 7:58AM on Apr 24th 2007

10. When and what will it take before people realize that PC is the equivalent to letting an elementary school child run the world based on her fears, sensitivities and lack of understanding? No! he shouldn't have been fired.

Clark Freese at 8:38AM on Apr 24th 2007

11. It seems it is impossible to get across to mental imcompetents that freedom of speech only means the government of the US will not stop you from saying something stupid. However, there is no insulation from other people, not associated with the US government, realizing you are an idiot and acting accordingly.

RK at 9:51AM on Apr 24th 2007

12. It is really getting scary out there in the world when the thought/speech police can take your livelyhood away for making bad jokes and/or pointing your finger in moch gesture.

We're going down the toilet....fast.

Lee

Lee at 12:05PM on Apr 24th 2007

13. He should be fired for not being able to make his point in less than 1:48 and without saying uh and um about 30 times, sighing and smacking. An hour with this guy three days a week would constitute cruel and unsual punishment.

Pat at 12:11PM on Apr 24th 2007

14. No accounting for stupid and tacky behavior and we've seen a bunch of it lately. He'll get his hand slapped and will be rehired.

Karen S at 1:41PM on Apr 24th 2007

15. No, it's completely ridiculous that a professor would be fired for this.

In this country it's our right to offend each other. Even to offend each other a lot. Sorry if you don't like that, but it's what freedom of speech means. People need to get their heads out of their asses and remember that.

Jenn at 1:43PM on Apr 24th 2007