Virginia Tech second thread

Mannix · 04-19-2007, 05:00 AM

It seems as more information comes out there's more to discuss, so I figured since there wasn't one already I'd open another thread.

I thought I would open it with a little different perspective.

I currently live in South Korea; where the VT shooter was origionally from. Koreans, for good or bad, have a very strong sense of national identity. When a Korean kid does good internationally everybody celebrates together, when somebody does bad they all respond as if they were somehow partly to blame.

I've had a couple of my coworkers and even my boss apologize to me personally for the shooting even though they had nothing even remotely to do with the situation and I've never been east of the Mississippi.

There's a great deal of worry both here and in the Korean community in the States that we (Americans) hold this against all of them. Frankly I'd be very suprised if there was any backlash, but perhaps I'm too optimistic about the rationality of my countrymen.

The Koreans worry about backlash and protests because, frankly, it's something they'd do. A couple of years ago two relatively young women were hit and killed by an American APC during maneuvers. The Koreans responded by turning out in the hundreds of thousands to anti-American demonstrations across the country. The best way I've heard a Korean describe their temperment is like that of a tin kettle - quickly heated, quickly cooled. And the quickly heated part is what happened in this situation.

This thing has been page one on all of the news over here since it happened.

So I guess there in a nutshell is more or less the Korean perspective. If any Koreans disagree with me, please enlighten a humble miguk(American).

Moogle0119 · 04-19-2007, 07:36 AM

I'll second what Mannix said. I don't know a whole lot about Koreans myself but the very fact that both parents were hospitalized due to the shock when they found out that the shooter was their own son says something, despite earlier reports saying they were hospitalized after they tried committed suicide. I personally don't see much reason for the South Koreans to apologize since it was only one person that committed the crime, not a government agent or something. At the same time though I guess it is the better thing to do politically.

On a side note there's been a few colleges around the area here that have even cancelled classes for the rest of the week because of the incident.

Chipper173 · 04-19-2007, 08:46 AM

So has anyone else read his plays? I think they're on CNN somewhere.

The news was being pretty sensational over them, since there's stuff like a kid killing his stepdad with a breakfast bar in 'em. However, I guess years of exposure to the internet made me go "eh" after reading them. I mostly just though that his writing sucked.

Although judging by his play Mr. Brownstone, he had excellent taste in music.

Peo · 04-19-2007, 09:09 AM

ok, so, after seeing the video clips of this guy that were sent to NBC, im going to come out and say this: I blame society, and I will always blame society for these kinds of occurences. If it wasnt for the assholes who are the most influential people in our society, things like this would never happen. Why must people with wealth and/or power flaunt what they have, making the rest of us feel inferior? I guess thats human nature for you. People should be more fucking considerate for the little man, and thats all I have to say.

CelesJessa · 04-19-2007, 09:22 AM

Well as far as my campus goes, since the shootings, we've gotten several e-mails informing us of our own procedures and how we would be warned should something like this happen here (many things about our security that I didn't know until now). So it's nice that campuses are starting to take security more seriously, but sad that it took a tragedy to do so.

We didn't cancel any classes, but last night we had a candlelight vigil in honor of them. I couldn't hear very well, but I believe there was an alumni from my college who was doing graduate work over there who died, and one of the girls who spoke was originally from Virginia Tech.

As far as the names of the peopple who died, am I the only one who doesn't think this should be broadcasted worldwide yet? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I think it would be more sensitive to the families and friends if maybe they just contacted the immediate families and let them tell other people in their own way, or just releasing the names to the Virgina Tech officials and letting them tell the students in the best way they feel, instead of waving around the names of who died like a banner. But, then again, how will you let every single person know who died? Like I said, maybe I'm just being unrealistic but it seems kind of unsensitive.

greed · 04-19-2007, 09:32 AM

Okay I really hate the blame society line Peo. Took nearly everything I had to stop me from flaming but I've calmed down a bit so here goes.

Simply put, people have fun at college. As far as I can tell rich kids weren't tying this guy to a chair and making him watch while they fucked his sister on a Rolls Royce or something. They were just buying good clothes and doing what any of us would do if we had money. Hell from I got of his spiel most of us college or uni goers from the middle classes do.

We shouldn't have to do anything just cause some lunatic has no self esteem.

And things like this would never happen? Hell no. Some people just have fucked up brains. Some people just hear voices. Some people just don't work right and never have. I'd bet if this kid was rich he'd be raping girls and getting daddy to pay off the right people, or torturing people in his fraternity.

Moogle0119 · 04-19-2007, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peo

ok, so, after seeing the video clips of this guy that were sent to NBC, im going to come out and say this: I blame society, and I will always blame society for these kinds of occurences.

I'm sorry but I totally disagree with this statement. Regardless of what those rich kids may have done or what the killer perceived they did to him they didn't deserve to get shot to death because they belong to a different social class in society. Even if you assume that every single person that died was a complete jerk to this guy that is still no excuse.

At some point you have to stop pointing the finger at everyone else and seriously take a look at things. Society didn't make this kid pull the trigger, society didn't make him purchase the guns. If he was that upset there are plenty of better ways to get rid of aggression that don't involve violence.

RickZarber · 04-19-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CelesJessa

As far as the names of the people who died, am I the only one who doesn't think this should be broadcasted worldwide yet? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I think it would be more sensitive to the families and friends if maybe they just contacted the immediate families and let them tell other people in their own way, or just releasing the names to the Virgina Tech officials and letting them tell the students in the best way they feel, instead of waving around the names of who died like a banner. But, then again, how will you let every single person know who died? Like I said, maybe I'm just being unrealistic but it seems kind of unsensitive.

I have to disagree. If it weren't for the news releases I'd have no idea if anyone I knew was among the dead. It's still a miracle to me that there wan't.

On the flip side, I'm getting fucking tired of these media vultures. All of north Virginia is crawling with them now. They haven't left my (and Cho's) old highschool alone for days. My sister (who attends there now) wouldn't even go the other day cause she didn't want to deal with them. You can't turn on a TV or radio without hearing about this disaster 24/7. And while I realise that that's their job, I can't stand watching them report this stuff with their fake sympathetic smiles plastered to their faces...

Moogle0119 · 04-19-2007, 11:16 AM

I knew I forgot to address something in the last post before I went off on my rant...

As for the posting the names of who was killed, I mean honestly it's going to be found out one way or another. I understand and totally agree with letting the family know FIRST before making it public, but how will you even attempt to hide who ended up dying? If the family doesn't it make it known then I'm sure friends or fellow student will eventually tell enough people that the word would get around to the news people anyway.

I think it'd be practically pointless to try not to identify the victims, it is unfortunate though that the news people are harassing other students and the victims' families. Hell I'm sure even the killer's parents don't want to deal with it right now either. While I haven't had the media harass anyone I know personally like RickZarber, I do see all the mess they're making in Centreville where they are investigating the killer's house with barricades and helicopters. It is a real mess but I don't think the media can be blamed entirely, it has affected a lot of people around this area.

Mirai Gen · 04-19-2007, 11:20 AM

Someone finally shutting Jack Thompson's piehole.

04-19-2007, 05:00 AM	#1
Mannix Tenacious C Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 991	Virginia Tech second thread It seems as more information comes out there's more to discuss, so I figured since there wasn't one already I'd open another thread. I thought I would open it with a little different perspective. I currently live in South Korea; where the VT shooter was origionally from. Koreans, for good or bad, have a very strong sense of national identity. When a Korean kid does good internationally everybody celebrates together, when somebody does bad they all respond as if they were somehow partly to blame. I've had a couple of my coworkers and even my boss apologize to me personally for the shooting even though they had nothing even remotely to do with the situation and I've never been east of the Mississippi. There's a great deal of worry both here and in the Korean community in the States that we (Americans) hold this against all of them. Frankly I'd be very suprised if there was any backlash, but perhaps I'm too optimistic about the rationality of my countrymen. The Koreans worry about backlash and protests because, frankly, it's something they'd do. A couple of years ago two relatively young women were hit and killed by an American APC during maneuvers. The Koreans responded by turning out in the hundreds of thousands to anti-American demonstrations across the country. The best way I've heard a Korean describe their temperment is like that of a tin kettle - quickly heated, quickly cooled. And the quickly heated part is what happened in this situation. This thing has been page one on all of the news over here since it happened. So I guess there in a nutshell is more or less the Korean perspective. If any Koreans disagree with me, please enlighten a humble miguk(American). __________________ Dangerous, mute lunatic.

04-19-2007, 09:09 AM	#4
Peo Wrath of the Gods Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Life IS a Video Game and I'm In It Posts: 232	ok, so, after seeing the video clips of this guy that were sent to NBC, im going to come out and say this: I blame society, and I will always blame society for these kinds of occurences. If it wasnt for the assholes who are the most influential people in our society, things like this would never happen. Why must people with wealth and/or power flaunt what they have, making the rest of us feel inferior? I guess thats human nature for you. People should be more fucking considerate for the little man, and thats all I have to say. __________________ The main cause of suffering is egoistic desire for one's own comfort and happiness. His Holiness the Dalai Lama

04-19-2007, 09:22 AM	#5
CelesJessa DA-DA-DA-DAA DAA DAA DA DA-DAAAAAA! Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Zanzibar Land Posts: 6,531	Well as far as my campus goes, since the shootings, we've gotten several e-mails informing us of our own procedures and how we would be warned should something like this happen here (many things about our security that I didn't know until now). So it's nice that campuses are starting to take security more seriously, but sad that it took a tragedy to do so. We didn't cancel any classes, but last night we had a candlelight vigil in honor of them. I couldn't hear very well, but I believe there was an alumni from my college who was doing graduate work over there who died, and one of the girls who spoke was originally from Virginia Tech. As far as the names of the peopple who died, am I the only one who doesn't think this should be broadcasted worldwide yet? Maybe I'm unrealistic, but I think it would be more sensitive to the families and friends if maybe they just contacted the immediate families and let them tell other people in their own way, or just releasing the names to the Virgina Tech officials and letting them tell the students in the best way they feel, instead of waving around the names of who died like a banner. But, then again, how will you let every single person know who died? Like I said, maybe I'm just being unrealistic but it seems kind of unsensitive. __________________

04-19-2007, 11:20 AM	#10
Mirai Gen We are Geth. Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 14,032	Someone finally shutting Jack Thompson's piehole. __________________

04-19-2007, 07:36 AM	#2
Moogle0119 The REAL Lord of the Dance Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Narshe Caves Posts: 397	I'll second what Mannix said. I don't know a whole lot about Koreans myself but the very fact that both parents were hospitalized due to the shock when they found out that the shooter was their own son says something, despite earlier reports saying they were hospitalized after they tried committed suicide. I personally don't see much reason for the South Koreans to apologize since it was only one person that committed the crime, not a government agent or something. At the same time though I guess it is the better thing to do politically. On a side note there's been a few colleges around the area here that have even cancelled classes for the rest of the week because of the incident.

04-19-2007, 08:46 AM	#3
Chipper173 Grandma threw away my animes Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hang a left at the deli. Posts: 858	So has anyone else read his plays? I think they're on CNN somewhere. The news was being pretty sensational over them, since there's stuff like a kid killing his stepdad with a breakfast bar in 'em. However, I guess years of exposure to the internet made me go "eh" after reading them. I mostly just though that his writing sucked. Although judging by his play Mr. Brownstone, he had excellent taste in music.

04-19-2007, 11:16 AM	#9
Moogle0119 The REAL Lord of the Dance Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Narshe Caves Posts: 397	I knew I forgot to address something in the last post before I went off on my rant... As for the posting the names of who was killed, I mean honestly it's going to be found out one way or another. I understand and totally agree with letting the family know FIRST before making it public, but how will you even attempt to hide who ended up dying? If the family doesn't it make it known then I'm sure friends or fellow student will eventually tell enough people that the word would get around to the news people anyway. I think it'd be practically pointless to try not to identify the victims, it is unfortunate though that the news people are harassing other students and the victims' families. Hell I'm sure even the killer's parents don't want to deal with it right now either. While I haven't had the media harass anyone I know personally like RickZarber, I do see all the mess they're making in Centreville where they are investigating the killer's house with barricades and helicopters. It is a real mess but I don't think the media can be blamed entirely, it has affected a lot of people around this area.