Massacre at Virginia Tech

Horrors beneath tranquility: who would believe this serene place can be the site for the most gruesome mass slayings in the history of USA?

What a shocking loss of human lives, the senseless massacre in Virginia Tech University serves another lesson on how fragile human lives can be, and although death is a certainty for all of us, we can never know when it'll happen.

But IMHO, the deepest tragedy in this very dark episode is how we continue to ignore or neglect those who are suffering from mental problems. To make matters worse: we laugh, tease or bully those whom we perceived to be "different" from us, adding to their misery and anguish. Have we become so perverse that we take pleasure from teasing or bullying people till they break down and become festered with delusions, anger and hatred. Who is more responsible here: a society that doesn't care or a loner who's delusional and cannot tell right from wrong? Could active pre-emptive action like compelling or coercing him into therapy radically change the outcome of this tragic episode? I think we owe this much to ourselves and those killed to at least think and reflect on this matter, for the betterment of our future generation and to preserve the sanity and sanctity of our existence as human beings in this world.

We can certainly do with more understanding, compassion and loving kindness in our world today, esp. to those suffering from mental problems and anguish. Perhaps this is best sum up in a letter to the killer, Cho Seung-hui on his memorial stone in Virginia Tech campus: "Seung Hui, I hope that if I ever meet someone like you, I will have the courage and strength to reach out." - signed David.


PS. To Err Is Human, To Forgive Is Divine. May we find peace through forgiveness.