More VT

An interesting post by Toby Harnden, written shortly after he returned from “from Room 2020 of Harper Hall at Virginia Tech”, where he talked “to one of Cho Seung-Hui’s roommates”, who had “seen Cho rise – expressionless – at 5am on Monday, two hours before his murder spree began.”

Toby raises some questions that need to be answered.

7 Responses to “More VT”

1. The Angry Independent says:

   April 18, 2007 at 3:16 am

   He also picks me up in the article…

   He does raise interesting questions.

   I will refrain from writing an opinion regarding all that went wrong (or what could have been done) until after the memorial services have been completed and folks have a chance to absorb what happened.
2. Michael van der Galien says:

   April 18, 2007 at 4:07 am

   The interview with the roommate will be published tomorrow: it might prove a valuable source of information as well.
3. truflo says:

   April 18, 2007 at 4:53 am

   .Michael,

   Sorry to barge in on this post with a somewhat unrelated point, but I thought it just too good to not pass on.

   We all know of John Derbyshire’s self-serving comments about courage at the expense of those murdered at VT. Well he has a comment up over at the corner about his first meeting with Pat Buckley. Just listen to Mr Grace Under Pressure:

   I passed a remark about the Mississippi River, to the effect that on first seeing it, down in the lower reaches by Natchez, I’d been disappointed to find it nothing like as wide as I’d thought.

   Mrs. B. slapped me down briskly. “Nothing wrong with the Mississippi. It’s a beautiful river.” I sank into the sofa cushions & spent the rest of the session trying not to be seen.

   No need for John to worry anymore over what he might or might not have done if faced with a man wielding gun.

   Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Undisputed Heavyweight Coward of the World!
4. Michael van der Galien says:

   April 18, 2007 at 5:47 am

   LMAO!

   Well, perhaps he would have been more courageous if she would have hit him with a gun?
5. C Stanley says:

   April 18, 2007 at 7:20 am

   I’m disturbed by the questions that Harnden raises. All sane people will want to figure out how to help prevent any future acts like this, but I think we really have to be careful about not raising the index of suspicion too high (casting out people from universities for being a bit too weird or creepy, or compelling people to get mental health counseling or treatment). There were definitely some pretty creepy things about this guy but I can’t figure out what should have been done about it (other then wishing that his family could have done more, but that’s a judgment that I shouldn’t make either because I really don’t know what they did try to do to help him).
6. Michael van der Galiën says:

   April 18, 2007 at 7:43 am

   C.S.: I really haven’t commented on that side of the debate yet, but – I believe that ‘nothing’ should be changed in that regard. This kind of stuff happens very rarely, thank God, no need to change the rules, protocols, better: to restrict people’s freedom.
7. Uncle Joe Mccarthy says:

   April 18, 2007 at 1:55 pm

   this isnt about compelling people to get counselling or expelling people from university if they are wierd or creepy…its about taking mental illness seriously

   reported for stalking, fellow students reporting him for having suicidal ideation

   professors disturbed by his writings

   voluntary committment to an institution

   university education is not a right, it is a privledge…and i cant see why administrators could not have made attendance at mandatory counseling sessions and an evaluation by a psyciatrist part of the stipulation for the student remaining at the university