Should the police protect Cho's parents?

[MrsBruce5 0]

Perhaps it's just my own experience then...I didn't hide much of anything from my father (my mum was gone when I was 11). Why on Earth would anyone hide things from people who are supposed to love them more than anyone in the universe?

My dad and I talked, and he knew all about me until the day he died. I didn't hide anything because I did not need to...he was always open and accepting of me-he loved me no matter what I did or said. I love my son the same way my father loved me. We talk about everything...he can say anything to me without judgement, as my dad treated me.

Perhaps extraordinary circumstances? I dunno....But I always told my dad everything. He used to say to me, "Say what's on your mind, speak your truth always , and those who cannot handle your truth are the ones who have a problem". I live by these words today. They've gotten me in some hot water with some folk, and my I know I can sometimes be a hard-###, my poor husband isn't used to it sometimes, but he's beginning to understand... I will never change this for anyone.

Rose

Edited April 21, 2007 by MrsBruce5

[MichelleandCraig 1]

I may have read through this too quickly tonight, so please forgive me if this has been said already--but I didn't see it.

I think another point that is being very missed here in this discussion, is so ok....he had a mental illness. Even if his parents knew about it (we have no idea if they did or didn't try to get help for him in the past or whathaveyou) would they *still* have *any* idea whatsoever that he would snap and go kill a bunch of people? IMO, definitely, definitely not. Plenty of people will all *types* of mental illnesses are enrolled in high school and college on any given day of the week. There is no way to guarantee that they won't ever flip out and hurt someone. Even if they weren't in school....they could freak out and go to Walmart and shoot a bunch of people..know what I mean?

The people that got shot got shot for *no reason* at all...I mean as far as their relationship to the shooter,etc. That only leads me to believe that he just wanted to kill some people....anyone who has a mind to do *that* can do it just about anywhere...and there is just no way we will be able to keep anyone with any type of mental illness under lockdown to safeguard the community...you know? (Not that I'm saying anyone was insinuating that we should at all.)

It's just a really, really sad tragic thing that happend. But, and we can agree to disagree then, I don't think his parents deserve one iota of the blame for this. I don't think *any* of us can say we are perfect parents...I'm sure they made mistakes....but I really doubt (and obviously I wasn't there, I know) that they did anything that would have "made" their son into a killer. JMHO.

M.

(totally off topic in a serious discussion, but MrsBruce...I love your name....Rose is my mom's name, and Bruce is one of my brother's name.) M.

Edited April 21, 2007 by MichelleandCraig

[homesick_american 1]

Perhaps it's just my own experience then...I didn't hide much of anything from my father (my mum was gone when I was 11). Why on Earth would anyone hide things from people who are supposed to love them more than anyone in the universe?

The mere fact that you asked that question means I can't answer it. You wouldn't understand.

My dad and I talked, and he knew all about me until the day he died. I didn't hide anything because I did not need to...he was always open and accepting of me-he loved me no matter what I did or said. I love my son the same way my father loved me. We talk about everything...he can say anything to me without judgement, as my dad treated me.

Well, let's hope that continues. Personally, I think it's completely normal to keep some things secret from your parents. I'd be shocked if he actually told you *everything*.

Perhaps extraordinary circumstances? I dunno....But I always told my dad everything. He used to say to me, "Say what's on your mind, speak your truth always , and those who cannot handle your truth are the ones who have a problem". I live by these words today. They've gotten me in some hot water with some folk, and my I know I can sometimes be a hard-###, my poor husband isn't used to it sometimes, but he's beginning to understand... I will never change this for anyone.

Rose

Like I said, let's hope it continues. Good luck.

[homesick_american 1]

Just to make something clear; autism is not a mental illness. It's a developmental disability. The fact that he was in college likely means that his autism was not severe. If he had autism at all (and I'm not sure I believe he did) then it was most likely Asperger's Syndrome. Aspies are not usually violent and if this kid was an Aspie, he was diagnosed when he was 8 years old and should have had access to CBT that adult Aspies could only dream of...since many Aspies are diagnosed as adults. By the time you're an adult there's not a lot they can do for you.

Basically, I don't want anyone here thinking of autism as a mental illness or that it was the cause of his violence.

[MichelleandCraig 1]

^^^Good point to make. M.

[reach449 2]

The parents do not deserve any special police protection. They should get same level of law enforcement coverage that the rest of us get

Aren't they getting the same level of protection that anyone else would with this situation? If some lynch mob move in on them then it is the police job to protect them. It is also their job to keep it from happen. That is what we pay our tax dollars for.

reach449

[KarenCee 3]

The parents, and siblings should be protected. They are not the killer. Mass media nowadays promote pointing fingers.

....and finger pointing is what sometimes causes violence against the families with some people wanting to take the law into their own hands. The media loves this type thing...keeps the news going and the ratings up.

Makes me think of a song by Don Henley "Dirty Laundry".

[Mel_and_Daniel 1]

I voted no. Why should they get any special treatment ?

How in God's name can you not know your child is SO screwed up? I know the guy was 23, but this doesn't happen overnight. They HAD to know something was wrong for a LONG time...there has to be some accountability with the parents.

It's just so sad...

Rose

They are not getting special treatment. They are being given the same treatment that anybody else would be given in the same situation. Or do you think that the level of protection given to members of the public remains the same regardless of the situation. The medical and court systems found that he was stable enough to be released among members of the public. We all know now that they were wrong but is it reasonable to expect that the parents would have been able to make a better judgement.

[mawilson 2,133]

Even if his parents knew about it (we have no idea if they did or didn't try to get help for him in the past or whathaveyou) would they *still* have *any* idea whatsoever that he would snap and go kill a bunch of people? IMO, definitely, definitely not.

Ok, let's say (for argument's sake) that his parents knew about the guns and suspected that Cho

was planning to kill a bunch of people, yet did nothing to stop him. Is it ok to kill them now?

[Niels Bohr 72]

Secrets are meant to be secrets.

[KHURRAM SERAJ 0]

Even if his parents knew about it (we have no idea if they did or didn't try to get help for him in the past or whathaveyou) would they *still* have *any* idea whatsoever that he would snap and go kill a bunch of people? IMO, definitely, definitely not.

Ok, let's say (for argument's sake) that his parents knew about the guns and suspected that Cho

was planning to kill a bunch of people, yet did nothing to stop him. Is it ok to kill them now?

not kill them but if they knew then Life in prison sounds like a start for aiding and embedding a crime

[mawilson 2,133]

not kill them but if they knew then Life in prison sounds like a start for aiding and embedding a crime

Not a bad idea. Personally I want to see the Seung-Huis sterilised. His parents, his grandparents,

his brothers, his sisters, his dog and his goldfish. I don't want to see any more of their ######-up

genes in our collective gene pool.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

not kill them but if they knew then Life in prison sounds like a start for aiding and embedding a crime

Not a bad idea. Personally I want to see the Seung-Huis sterilised. His parents, his grandparents,

his brothers, his sisters, his dog and his goldfish. I don't want to see any more of their ######-up

genes in our collective gene pool.

Why would they have been complicit in this crime? I think you need to be a little more vicarious.

The family of the VA Tech killer released a declaration in which it deplores and condemns their relative’s criminal actions, also expressing “hopelessness” and “helplessness”.

Hui’s sister, Sun-Kyung Cho, apologized for the tragedy caused by her brother at Virginia Tech, also stressing out that her family has been praying for the victims and their relatives. The troubled family’s declaration is also accompanied by a full listing of the 32 people murdered at the Virginia University.

"He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare. Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us," said Sun-Kyung Cho.

“On behalf of our family, we are so deeply sorry for the devastation my brother has caused. No words can express our sadness that 32 innocent people lost their lives this week in such a terrible, senseless tragedy. We are heartbroken.

We grieve alongside the families, the Virginia Tech community, our State of Virginia, and the rest of the nation. And, the world.”

She also added that the family never knew the lone and sullen Cho Seung hui was capable of such actions.

“We are humbled by this darkness. We feel hopeless, helpless and lost. This is someone that I grew up with and loved. Now I feel like I didn't know this person.

We have always been a close, peaceful and loving family. My brother was quiet and reserved, yet struggled to fit in. We never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence.

He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare.”

Sun-Kyung reassured the authorities of the family’s full cooperation in their attempt to understand why the massacre took place. ”We have many unanswered questions as well,” she said.

“Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us.”

[mawilson 2,133]

Why would they have been complicit in this crime? I think you need to be a little more vicarious.

Never mind. That was just anger talking.

[doodlebug 3]

Our tax dollars paid to protect bin Laden's family while they were in the US, however briefly, after 9/11 so why shouldn't we pay for Cho's parent's protection?