Thanks for that. I'm not sure what I was trying to accomplish, other than to give those looking for blame a heads-up as to the fact that people behind opinions are usually there for a personal agenda reason.
My "blame" is more complicated, in that it's something that I have trouble with doing in a friendly crowd, let alone asking strangers. But if there is something to be gleaned from this, hopefully it'll be some navel-gazing on the part of everyone who contributed to this kid's disenfranchisement. Our exclusionary, individualistic society ridicules the different and provides little sense of community to those who don't conform, and then wonder when those people won't take it any more. Disenfranchisement is a powerfully ugly and hateful thing, when just being yourself is a daily chore. This kid had other problems - apparently, he was autistic - but that exclusive, demeaning culture he hated finally drove him to do something about it. He's responsible for what he did, sure - I'm just saying, happy people don't kill others (thanks, Legally Blonde). Investing him in society would've gone a long way, in my opinion.
I remember how impossible it was for me after coming to the States at 9 years old and not speaking a word of English - besides culture shock, I couldn't communicate with anyone and was teased and stolen from because the kids knew I couldn't tell anyone, teachers didn't have time to teach me, and it wasn't until I was put in a different school, in ESOL classes that I found others like my. Luckily, after grade school I had advantages - my looks are not distinctly foreign, I am fairly pretty and intelligent, and there's no trace of accent in my speech. I can't imagine the person I would've grown up to be without those things. From reports, it seems Cho never really lucked out with any of them except for smarts, which are hardly rewarded by peers anyway. Would I have ever taken up a gun about it though? Probably not, because I'm not aggressive by nature (but then, how aggressive do you have to be to shoot someone? Not very. Angry, yes, but it's a pretty cowardly thing to do.)
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Date: April 22nd, 2007 03:34 am (UTC)My "blame" is more complicated, in that it's something that I have trouble with doing in a friendly crowd, let alone asking strangers. But if there is something to be gleaned from this, hopefully it'll be some navel-gazing on the part of everyone who contributed to this kid's disenfranchisement. Our exclusionary, individualistic society ridicules the different and provides little sense of community to those who don't conform, and then wonder when those people won't take it any more. Disenfranchisement is a powerfully ugly and hateful thing, when just being yourself is a daily chore. This kid had other problems - apparently, he was autistic - but that exclusive, demeaning culture he hated finally drove him to do something about it. He's responsible for what he did, sure - I'm just saying, happy people don't kill others (thanks, Legally Blonde). Investing him in society would've gone a long way, in my opinion.
I remember how impossible it was for me after coming to the States at 9 years old and not speaking a word of English - besides culture shock, I couldn't communicate with anyone and was teased and stolen from because the kids knew I couldn't tell anyone, teachers didn't have time to teach me, and it wasn't until I was put in a different school, in ESOL classes that I found others like my. Luckily, after grade school I had advantages - my looks are not distinctly foreign, I am fairly pretty and intelligent, and there's no trace of accent in my speech. I can't imagine the person I would've grown up to be without those things. From reports, it seems Cho never really lucked out with any of them except for smarts, which are hardly rewarded by peers anyway. Would I have ever taken up a gun about it though? Probably not, because I'm not aggressive by nature (but then, how aggressive do you have to be to shoot someone? Not very. Angry, yes, but it's a pretty cowardly thing to do.)
That got long, sorry. There's just a lot in my head about this, and all the idiots blaming everything under the sun but modern society aren't helping.