In the university of death, April 21st

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Letters to the Editor: the inbox


I was very disappointed by your coverage of the Virginia Tech tragedy. You write: "the most fruitful lessons to be learned from Virginia Tech concern guns," after discounting that anything could have been done about campus security or people who are dangerous due to mental illness. I think that those are actually the most pressing issues relating to this event. Stricter gun laws would not have stopped Cho from getting those guns because, as you noted, there was nothing in his record that indicated that he was dangerous. The only way to have stopped him from buying guns was to make them completely illegal (and perhaps that is your ultimate wish). The problem lay more with the fact that nothing was done about his clearly disturbed behavior. He was known by his family, the school, and even the courts to have problems and no one did anything about it. The fact that he had been subjected to a court-ordered psychiatric review was not a part of his criminal record accessed during the background checks. That is something that needs to be remedied. And college campuses are not all that safe: just look at the number of rapes, assaults and murders that occur on them all over the country. They can all work harder at implementing effective warning systems and security procedures when a dangerous incident occurs on campus.

But the thing that disappointed me the most about your coverage was the fact that you devoted so much space to Cho and very little to the people he needlessly and viciously slaughtered. You only named three of them, while you showed a picture of Cho and talked extensively about him, even quoting part of a play that he wrote. You have succeeded in perpetuating the fame-seeking behavior of mass-murderers like him. And I think in the end that's what most people who commit these crimes want: to have their names and faces known all over the world. And his name will be remembered for decades, just like other mass-murderers and serial killers, while their victims are forgotten by everyone but their families. Enough with making the killers famous. Why don't we remember the victims instead?

Erin Apple

Chesapeake, Virginia


I am deeply disappointed that you chose to display an image of the murderer in the Virginia Tech massacre. This can only encourage these individuals to commit further atrocities by providing the immortal public platform they so desire, but do not deserve. Instead, report the facts and assess the event in order to help prevent future tragedies. Let us mourn the loss of the young who may have gone on to true greatness.

Barry Bortnick

Calgary, Alberta


Referring to my constitutional right to own a firearm as twaddle simply reflects the pervading attitude in England where your military are apparently so cowardly that they surrender without a fight and then confess to ridiculous charges.

Your implication that those of us who live outside a major city are ignorant bumpkins because we like to hunt and protect our families from human predators is insulting. Best that you keep your opinions about gun control in check until you and your countrymen get a backbone.

Byron Spain

Spring Branch, Texas

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