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'We Are Humbled by this Darkness'
April 20, 2007 5:21 PM
Rough week. Moving memorials to those lost at Virginia Tech. A bit more evidence that Seung-Hui Cho had worried his professors well before Monday's shootings.
Cho's older sister, Sun-Kyung Cho, has now given a statement to the AP: "Our family is so very sorry for my brother's unspeakable actions. It is a terrible tragedy for all of us," it says.
"We pray for their families and loved ones who are experiencing so much excruciating grief. And we pray for those who were injured and for those whose lives are changed forever because of what they witnessed and experienced.
"Each of these people had so much love, talent and gifts to offer, and their lives were cut short by a horrible and senseless act.
"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."
The AP had been leaving messages for the Cho family, urging them to say something that could be shared with other media. The statement came through a North Carolina attorney. The full text is HERE.
We're now told the family, by the way, is not in any sort of protective custody, though they have left their home for now.
Late Friday afternoon we were sent a response from Liz Hart, on behalf of the student government at Virgina Tech:
"How terribly sad for all of us. Everyone involved in this situation, even in the slightest bit, grieves in ways we all never thought possible.
"The students, the victims and the families and the Cho family have a commonality in that we are all devestated, hoping for peace and understanding that has never seemed more distant.
"In regards to the Cho family statement, Virginia Tech students recognize the family is experiencing a unimaginable circumstance, and that they share in our sorrow. We have many questions, but we are understanding more everyday that this difficult time deeply affects lives farther than just our own community."
Will we learn from this? I don't know. Thanks to many of you for thoughtful comments.
April 20, 2007 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (3)
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I really think, in this case, that that unfortunate family has apologized enough. They'll have to go on, living with what happened. Surely, that's burden enough for them to bear. If the Korean community has to suffer any backlash from this incident, then shame on the rest of us.
Posted by: Andy | Apr 22, 2007 2:58:53 PM
The front-page tragedy of 33 people killed at Virginia Tech pales when realizing that over 200 people died in a Baghdad alone the next day, and on many days. There is little outrage or anguish about those deaths.
PLEASE, use Virginia Tech tragedy to interject some perspective into what other people in other countries experience on a daily basis.
From the BBC
"Nearly 200 people have been killed in a string of attacks in Iraq's capital, Baghdad - the worst day of violence since a US security operation began.
In one of the deadliest attacks of the last four years, some 140 people were killed in a car bombing in a food market in Sadriya district."
Last Updated: Wednesday, 18 April 2007, 21:06 GMT 22:06 UK
Posted by: Karina Berg | Apr 22, 2007 9:04:44 PM
I completely agree with Andy. And as to whether we will ever learn from this, the answer seems to me to be a resounding "no," at least until better coordination among organizations and agencies is established to identify and help the mentally ill before a tragedy occurs. It would also seem that we need some better way of controlling sales of weapons which are exclusively designed to kill others.
Posted by: chuck | Apr 23, 2007 8:29:17 AM
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