Protecting our children

After killing two schoolmates, Cho Seung-hui, the gunman in the Virginia Tech mass shooting, sent memos and video images to an American television network, in which he cursed the rich and promised bloody revenge against an unspecified enemy.
Plays that he wrote during a creative writing class were filled with hatred toward society. One described teenagers who had a stepfather and a teacher whom they accused of being a pervert and planned to kill.
His parents were also worried about their son’s anti-social character.
The motive behind Cho’s crimes is being investigated by the U.S. police, but it appears that he planned his crimes because of his anti-social character and mental illness. He even said that gunmen who killed themselves in past shooting incidents were martyrs.
Cho’s mentally unstable character must not be seen as typical of the current generation of Korean immigrants to the U.S.
This outrage was carried out by a person who was suffering from an expansive delusion. There are many Koreans who moved to the United States when they were young and overcame economic, social and cultural barriers to achieve great successes.
The Blacksburg massacre requires that we examine some key issues.
In any society, there are always some youngsters who commit outrageous acts because of their anti-social character. Cho’s homicidal rage had its gestation in his hatred of society, particularly the rich.
The wealth gap should be resolved there are too many disparities but the ambition to become rich is also a good motivator for competition and accomplishment.
In contrast, hate only brings about destruction. In our society, politicians must examine themselves to see if they have encouraged hate of any kind.
Cho was also interested in Internet games that featured combat and murder. By playing these games, respect for life is weakened and hostility is cultivated.
Recently, some youngsters in Korea were involved in abnormal acts and their sense of guilt was inadequate. More and more high profile crimes are committed by people who have been influenced by violent movies.
Society is increasingly competitive, and Korean parents are focusing on their children’s school grades rather than providing loving care, harming young emotions in the process.
Koreans must learn a lesson from this tragedy. We should examine our society for any signs of illness and, if it is found, cure it.