OlderMargaret Cho on Virginia Tech Shooting
Comedian Margaret Cho posted this very eloquently put blog entry on her official website entitled “Our Humanity”:
“Whenever anything really bad happens around Korean people, that is when I would like to hide, go to Hawaii and eat spam sushi until it blows over. I don’t want to comment on it because I don’t want to escalate the situation and I don’t want to implicate myself in it. I don’t want to ‘come out’ as Asian because therein lies a tremendous responsibility that I never volunteered for, that I don’t have any real control over, and that is as mysterious to me as it is to someone who isn’t Asian.
So here is the whole terrible mess of the shootings at Virginia Tech. I look at the shooter’s expressionless face on the news and he looks so familiar, like he could be in my family. Just another one of us. But how can he be us when what he has done is so terrible? Here is where I can really envy white people because when white people do something that is inexplicably awful, so brutally and horribly wrong, nobody says – “do you think it is because he is white?” There are no headlines calling him the “White shooter.” There is no mention of race because there is no thought in anyone’s mind that his race had anything to do with his crime.
So much attention is focused on the Asian-ness of the shooter, how the Korean community is reacting to it, South Korea’s careful condolences and cautiously expressed fear that it will somehow impact the South Korean population at large.
What is lost here is the grief. What is lost is the great, looming sadness that we should all feel over this. We lose our humanity to racism, time and time again.
I extend my deepest sympathies to all those who lost their loved ones, their children, their friends and family, in this unimaginable tragedy. I send them all the love I have in me, and I encourage everyone to do the same.”
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:starts clapping:
DAMN RIGHT CHO! GET EM’!!!!!
Absolutely perfectly said….just brilliant. Great comic, great social critic.
That was spot-on and beautifully said. I hope this gets circulated around the internet - it’s time that race became a non-issue.
Completely agree. Well said!
Truer words have never being spoken… ((((((((CLAPPING))))))
A very distrubed INDIVIDUAL did this, period….
That was the one of the best things I’ve heard about the subject. People need to stop making this a media frenzy and just let everyone mourn.
she is right, she should ******* hide … ewwwurrhhh
get them out
Excellent!
But sadly, this message won’t reach those who really need to hear it. As a people, we Americans tend to shrug things off too easily.
Um
If a white person shot up a school in Korea you better believe they’d point out his race. At least.
That’s where most visible minorities in America lose their credit. If it was an even split across the country then yes, she’d have a point. But it’s not so she doesn’t. And yes I realize that white people immigrated to this land too. But they built this country.
so true. if the shooter was white no one would mention his race.
well said! *joining the crowd, clapping*
He was a raving lunatic. His ethnicity is irrelevant (unless ofcourse diaspora had anything to do with him being a wingnut — and it didn’t, as it’s been said he was “not all there” prior to leaving his contry of origin).
I think maybe Margaret is a little too sensitive. I look at this guy and think what a psycho he is and not that he is Korean. Maybe I’m being naive but I think that most people think that way. In most cases you can’t look at a white person and know what nationality that person is. But with Asian people it’s pretty apparent.
I don’t think the news coverage of this person has been dwelling on his ethnicity. There has been a little coverage of how the Korean people feel shame - which they shouldn’t. I do think the new agencies have gone overboard on the coverage of the pictures, videos and writings he sent to NBC.
This is a human tragedy. Race should not place a part in this. Many of the victims were of different races, cultures and religious background. However, we know that the media likes to drag race into a tragedy in order to sensationalize and divide people. The shooter was a disturbed individual where many signs and warnings were ignored. My prayers and thoughts go out to the victims and their families.
Nicely put :) And by the way, she looks great!
blame the media
His ethnicity is NOT irrelevant. In S. Korea, if a white, black or any other race committed this crime, ethnicity would be a main talking point.
America is mainstream white and there is no escaping that fact (yet). Every time a black person commits a crime in the US race is mentioned. Hell, Black labour helped to “settle” America and Blacks are still considered outsideres. Miss Cho is way too sensitive!!!!
Deal with it. Blacks have for generations.
“So much attention is focused on the Asian-ness of the shooter, how the Korean community is reacting to it, South Korea’s careful condolences and cautiously expressed fear that it will somehow impact the South Korean population at large.”
It’s not just the media that mentions it. It’s the Koreans themselves who keep on dwelling on the fact that the gunman is Korean. It’s the Koreans who mention that they’re worried about being targeted because the gunman is Korean. It’s the Koreans who went out of their way to profusely apologize for what the gunman did even though he was a total stranger to many of them.
Koreans feel a collective sense of pride if a fellow Korean does good. They also feel a collective sense of shame if a Korean commits a heinous crime like this.
PinkRose: Read, and comprehension may just follow. His pathology and the heinous acts he commited were symptomatic of said pathology and not of his ethnicity.
This is about the victims, not about an ethnic group taking ownership of something horrific engineered by one of “their own”. Nor should this be used as a forum to advance your particular cause. It’s not the time for that.
This transcends race, religion and political orientation. Comprende?
yet another person looking for a reason to make people feel sorry for them because white people are so “racist”! **** u! if i went to korea and started shooting random people on the street, the headline would read “white woman is crazy!”
if other races don’t want to be treated differently, maybe they shouldnt ***** so much!
I applaud Pandora.
btw, Margaret looks fantastic!
“Deal with it. Blacks have for generations.”
PinkRose - do you realized how deep rooted your racism is. It’s the fact that you don’t even realize it that’s most disturbing. The U.S. is not Korea. We are made up of so many different races and variations of them so you cannot use the excuse, “if it was a white guy in Korea”.
There are so many American who’s whiteness is questionable and they call themselves white.
There’s cuban and Argentinian friends of mine that are whiter than any whites here. The same as latin people who are darker the the darkest black person in Africa and they are Latino.
Her point is that at this stage of the game and in this country, he should just be a guy who committed a horrible crime and not a “Korean guy”
The reality is that his ethnicity is mentioned. His family emigrated here when he was 8 and yet he is continually referred to as a South Korean Immigrant. Before they knew the identity of the killer, all they kept saying was that he was an asian mail.
We have a history of projecting the acts of minorities on the rest of the group. Post 9/11 muslims and middle easterners are all victimized by prejudice, harassment, and distrust. While one might say that it is b/c of national security, the reality is that when tragedies occur we focus so much on why why why and who who who that we forget that our true focus should be on the grieving individuals out there.
Let us not forget that after the Oklahoma City bombings the government blamed it all on al queda and were surprised when it was a white american grown Timothy Mcveigh.
WELL SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s true what she said.
“if i went to korea and started shooting random people on the street, the headline would read “white woman is crazy!”
So?It would STILL be totally wrong and stupid !So it’s definitely NOT an excuse.The guy was a psycho his skin color is totally irrevelant.
now she knows what it is like to be black….white people will NEVER understand what it is like to have one person do something wrong and have an entire race suffer the consequences. I feel for her though…what she said was well said!
The tragedy is very sad. It hurts to see all those students killed. Korean or not, it’s sad to see that this individual who was very ill did not get any help, despite so many possible encounters. I just don’t understand why the hospital released him, declaring that he was not ill. We cannot deny the fact that he is Asian. I think the Asian American community should address this positively, that we need to turn around social stigma about mental illness and depression.
I agree what one blogger said, Asians are collectively proud when someone shines, and so are collectively sad when someone commits shame. Right or wrong, the community should learn from the mistake. People should understand that depression is an illness. There are professional doctors who can help.
As a half Korean, married to a Korean who lives in the town next to where the guy lives, I don’t believe race has anything to do with this at all. This guy was mentally insane. Period. I’ve heard reports of Koreans in Annandale and Centreville worrying about backlash. But to be honest, it’s hard for a backlash to happen when it’s clear he was not mentally stable. I think everyone agrees with that.
It’s a tragedy that I hope will toughen gun laws and help improve the health care system in regards to mental health. My heart, too goes out to all of the people affected.
My sister and I were talking about this same issue last night.
I just see a madman who killed 32 people, he just happens to be S. Korean. I have friends who are Korean, and they are a very proud people. When I was in college, there was a group of Koreans from the area, who would get together on Saturday’s and eat meals together, and network. I am of African descent, and I can honestly say, when I hear of a crime on the news, I cringe when they say its a black person.
It’s Margaret. She can’t do wrong.
Race is always a factor, whether it be in a mixed society such as ours or within a more homogenous one. In this country, we are encouraged to be color/race blind, but it’s a naturally slow and sometime unnatural process. Deep down, each and everyone of us are aware of our differences - in any areas - race, economic standing, education level, beliefs, etc. Some of us are more tactful and sensitive about acknowleding our differences in public (than in private). People who insisit that we should be color blind at ALL times probably have rarely experienced discrimination/racism staring them down. Those of us who have are well aware that racism exists. Some of us deal with it better and move on while others are irreversibly damaged by it and use it as an excuse to hate. We can debate racism in circles until we’re spent, but remember this: Even discriminated groups are discriminatory towards some others. This is who we are as human beings. Now, what can we do to fix it or make it better because we are highly evolved human beings? Do we choose to do something in each of us or just sit and rant and rant and rant?
She was one of those comics who make fun of her own ethnicity. She made fun of her family, her culture and her fellow Asians on stage. Now she’s worried about being Asian? She’s the one who is a real racist. She has this contempt for white folks and yet they still pay to see her. What a joke!
The shooter could have been any color. It just so happened that he was yellow skinned. The outcome would still have been the same no matter who he was…endless analysis and guilt tripping. It wasn’t just because he was Asian (he was a megalomaniac to boot), it was because he was a glory hounding Asian. He made sure that he was going to get plenty of media exposure with his freaking video and stupid manifesto so that is why he is getting all this play.
Margaret is correct when the Columbine shootings went on eight years ago. There were no headlines of WHITE MALE KILLERS or whatever. There was no mention that being WHITE could be the reason those two boys at Columbine killed their fellow students. The mainstream American media is very racist against people of colour. Cho’s Asian background shouldn’t BE the story but in the USA anyone that’s not white is a scapegoat in these situations.
I think people are puzzed that he was a native Korean and the College didn’t do the right thing by him .. we know they ignore most of the care and safety concerns regarding most students and faculty, but usually they really seek out to help foreign students more. Just my two cents. Reporters of the news were racists, thrilled by the evil and body count and hypocritic backbiters to the public and victims by repeatedly harping on it and pretending to be concerned with prayers and sorrow.
But WHY should it be the “:issue” of the Asian American community. The only similarity between the killer and other Asians is race. And that’s it. The WHITE MEDIA always want people of colour to somehow have a CONNECTION to people that do brutal crimes that happen to be the same race. I don’t see the WHITE PRESS saying watch out for ALL YOUNG WHITE MEN because they could be school shooters like those two white boys from Columbine. The white media is RACIST and that’s a fact.
he’s been here since he was 8. he went to junior high and high school in the states.
he’s an american. point blank.
and anyone who thinks his race and ethnicity hasn’t been stated or isn’t a factor is a naive idiot. i’m tired of mincing words for people who think that racism is dead or if the shooter was white, it would be just as big. it isn’t. the huge focus on dylan klebold and eric harris wasn’t on their race or the fact that they are males (which is the bigger issue), but it’s because they were part of the trench coat mafia. no one was going around being scared of white guys like people are speaking out against asian males.
this country is too racist, too sexist, too bigoted and too militaristic. the west ruled the world not because our thoughts were superior or because of religion, but by bloodshed and this is why america has the highest crime rate of ANY industrialized nation. it’s not the guns because there are three times as many guns in canada and their crime is not NEARLY as high as ours. we are a violent society who has had leaders who use bombs and economic sanctions to solve problems with other countries rather than diplomacy.
this is simply one of the results of american culture.
you better believe if a white american went to another country’s college and ended up shooting it up that the headlines would definitly have something to do with race and homeland. why wouldn’t it? and america would be apologetic as well. i’d rather be realistic than play p.c. naive like ms. cho. sorry.
WOW this is the best speech I’ve heard, good job Cho, I hope this reaches out to more people.
@ reality
it would only matter if the country where the crime was committed is homogenous like japan or some countries in africa. america is a melting pot and again the kid is a product of american society since he’s been here for FOURTEEN YEARS. America would be apologetic, but how many white men in America would be afraid of being persecuted if a white man shot 30 people in South Korea? I know how many.
None.
#28: Ana, as long as you feel this way, you will never ever find contentment of any kind. View yourself as a person, just like any other. It doesn’t matter what color you are because everybody is the same under the skin. It’s character that counts not your race, creed or gender for that matter.
People can’t help it if they were born white, black, brown, red or yellow. Don’t play the blame game or fall into that entitlement trap. Just be grateful that you’re living in a country where you have the opportunity to make whatever you want yourself to be. We’re in the 21st century and not in the 1800’s anymore. Let go.
I dont beleive in all my viewing and litening to the events anyone made a big deal that he was Asian. - never heard it. I think because of the magnitude of the deaths, certainly people want to look into some terrorist backgrounds - read his manifesto and see if anything could be tied to it other than the fact that hes crazy.
so here it is - - -weve watched his movies, we’ve seen his pictures. I dont see an Asian, I just see a crazy person - and crazy comes in all racesand colors.
so I do shake my head and roll my eyes when races get defensive - “oh, what if they now think ALL Asians are crazy. - ” - -come’on - no one thinks that.
This was just one crazy person whom people forgot to hug and pay attention to.
obviously she has a point. if the shooter was white he would be just a ‘person’, and there wouldn’t be all this scrutiny into his ethnicity and racial background (though, to be fair, there would be scrutiny into his personal history, but no suggestion or questioning of some link between whiteness and violence).
i don’t think cho is trying to blame white people for anything, or calling them racist, or anything like that. read what she says… she *feels* like the general public draws some kind of conclusion - a conclusion that involves her as a korean person - about this act of violence and the perpetrator’s ethnicity.
there have already been reports that another innocent asian male student at campus received death threats from other students and nutjobs the day of the shooting. ask him if there’s a link between race and media coverage of the shooter. ask anyone middle eastern person why they get profiled at the airport, but no blonde people were - or have been - profiled since mcveigh blew up the federal buildings in oklahoma. to pretend like the guys race doesn’t matter is ridiculous. almost as ridiculous as suggesting talking about it equivalent to saying all white people are racist (a brilliant, but insidious, defensive posture if ever there was one).
@ snowballa
ok soooo let’s pick canada or england, or any place else that has a more similar melting pot of races. the headline wouldn’t be “AMERICAN was behind massacre of one of our colleges”? it would just be “Man behind massacre”? puh-leeze.
@ snoballa (again, forgot one part)
you are right- no white men in america would be persecuted for a white person shooting in south korea.
but white men in south korea would be at risk for being persecuted since they are the minority there. it’s not right anywhere, but that’s how it has always been and the world isn’t ready to let go of majority vs minority just yet. i don’t agree that’s how it should be, but we are not living in a perfect world.
Well, I think she has a point and all, but I think his ethnicity was brought into the spectrum of things because he’s foreign national, not because he isn’t white. If he was Swedish it might be the same thing. I’m a VT Alumni and not Asian or white but at the end of the day those people are still dead, murdered by some seriously demented ******* who had imaginery girlfriends and referred to himself as question mark. I think people using this tragedy as a platform to discuss their beliefs are shameful. We need to mourn these lives, both young and old, that were ended at the hands of a selfish individual. Key word, individual.
45
reality Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 2:43 pm - flag comment
@ snowballa
ok soooo let’s pick canada or england, or any place else that has a more similar melting pot of races. the headline wouldn’t be “AMERICAN was behind massacre of one of our colleges”? it would just be “Man behind massacre”? puh-leeze.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yes it would be Miss Reality.
A man is a man. I am a Canadian, as much as I would love to say there are no racist people in Canada, I can not say it. Because there is. But at least is not in your face as in the US. The US people are so negative, prejudice and largely racist. He was an American; he was leaving and being productive in the US for more than 10 years. Why could they not just say he was a crazy? Why the race card. Who cares that he was asian. Do you think the people he shot cares. How long does it take to become a citizen of the State?
44
fatso Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wow, your post is so eloquent, intelligent and well put. I am impressed by your amazing insight. Thank you for sharing it.
May the souls of the dead innocent rest in peace. I hope they are all free from pain today and always.
And let’s stop profiling in America. Bad comes in all shapes, colors and sizes. Let’s stop profiling - whether for good things or bad things.
Let’s live Ghandi and Martin Luther King’s dream. Sorry if I am being hokey no pun intended.
But love does win in the end. We really are all the same. We really are. Our circumstances are different but we are all the same. Stop racism. It is so ugly.
And when a group of people say they have been discriminated, if you don’t identify with it just say nothing and listen. Trust that a child who says they have been beaten, was beaten; a woman who says they were raped- raped; a person of a different race who said they were wronged - wronged.
You don’t have to agree just let the person tell you their story. It is their story. Who are we to judge?
We are all born equal. All of us.
It’s not about being sensitive. It’s about how race is portrayed in the American Media. No, in Asia if you start shooting people and you are white, they will not say “White Women Gone Crazy.” They will state your race. If you are American, they’ll state you are an “American Gone Crazy.” Saying your white is too general to state in the media.
It is the same everywhere, but American Media portrays race far more explicitly than other Countries. Being Asian myself, I do feel that American media will portray anyone who is not white the worst.
As for the murderer in the Virgina Tech Massacre, the media implied where he is from, how he came to America and where he grew up. They did not state anything behind the reasons for these killings or how he became mentally disturbed. I believe they should of implied and focused on these certain points, not about his background ethnicity.
I don’t think Marget Cho was implying her statements solely for Asians alone, but for all races in America.
this from a woman whose entire unfunny racist career is based on mocking her korean mother’s speech pattern and her korean heritage … spare me.
It is only because the shooter is from a race that looks different than the majority of Americans that calls attention to his country of origin. If a Norwegian immigrant came to the U.S. and committed this act, no one would say “Norwegians as a people are inherently bad” because Norwegians looks like a majority of Americans (i.e., white). It is only because the shooter was Asian and thereby looks different that some small-minded people are blaming his ethnicity.
Response to The Teal Tita #42
I am not playing the blame game on anyone…I am simply stating the facts - if you look at any other tradegy in the United States you can see where one race ends up taking the blame for a couple of people. Take for instance the tragedy of 9/11; after that happened it seemed like anyone of Middle Eastern decent was looked at as a terrorist. Would it have been the same if a white person had committed the same offense? NO! that would not be the headline news that a white person had done this horrible thing.
I feel the same thing happen when a black person committs murder or is on the news for robbing a bank. I know that because that person did that everyone else will look at me expecting the same thing to go on…and I realize that I am in a country of opportunity however this country was founded by a white male anglo saxon majority, those of which still run this country today…so no, as many opportunities that I do have, it does not even compare to that of a white person.
Point Blank.
Margaret Cho must be as stupid as she is un-funny. No one gives a damn if the guy was Korean, nobody in this whole country is thinking that Koreans must be out to shoot up schools now, and that entire notion is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard.
If a white person committed a mass murder in korea, of course his ethnicity will be mentioned- and his ethnicity may very well be an issue, yes.
but korea is predominantly of KOREAN population. So if a psychotic white person did that, of course, they would say “white killer”
So don’t think you are clever (those people who made those ignorant comments) when you say, what if a white person did the same thing in Korea. It’s a different situation.
And regarding the comment saying: “Asians are collectively proud when someone shines, and so are collectively sad when someone commits shame. Right or wrong, the community should learn from the mistake.”
!! Whether it true or false that Asians are collectively proud or ashamed by particular Asian accomplishments/mistakes is IRRELEVANT to this issue.
Have you been paying attention to Margaret Cho’s blog or for that matter. any of the other comments? The Asian community is not responsible for that pyschotic killer’s actions. The world as a whole should reflect on this tragic event-regardless of ethnicity.
margaret cho, the “real racist”? ha, right. you’re really right on the money.
apparently, you do not understand her comedy.
as simple as comic humor may seem, i suggest you observe things on a deeper level
If you want to share this sentiment with the Korean/Korean American community…you could go to the site of the Korean-American Association of Northern VA- http://www.vakorea.org/board/index.php?no=0
It’s important to me to share the same sentiments expressed above with this community. I posted on their message board- don’t know who will read it, but I hope someone does and appreciates it.
My message:
I can’t read most of what is on your site because my only language is English. However, I desparately want to leave a message of empathy and sorrow for both the Korean-American community in the DC metro region and nationwide, as well as the parents of Cho Seung-Hui. While this sorrow has affected our nation and other nations worldwide, it’s critical to recognize that this act could never be defined by or attributed to the perpetrator’s cultural or racial identity. As much as I empathize with the victims of this tragedy, I see the family of Cho as victims too. They have suffered a unimaginable loss in not only the death of their child, but also the recognition of his heinous acts. I am sorry for their loss, and hope that there is some way to relay the message to them that I cannot imagine their grief or pain at this time. I’m so sorry for their loss, and for the events surrounding the death of their son. I’m a 25 year old white female in the DC region. I’m not Korean nor do I know anyone affected directly by this incident, but in this time of national mourning, I want his family to know that I too acknowledge their suffering during this difficult time. I hope that they will find strength in other Americans and Korean Americans, and will make every effort on my own to see that no backlash is directed toward your vibrant community, though in all my conversations, this kind of “blame” or finger-pointing hasn’t happened. I’m just so sorry- sorry for what happened, sorry for those affected, and sorry that this has become an incident associated with Korean-Americans.
woah, its incredible how naive people are. Have any of you followed the news? Very little, if at all, has it been brought up that BECAUSE the killer was of Asian decent he killed 32 people. This isn’t about race, it shouldn’t become about race, and whoever this lady is should watch the news a little more. No one is blaming Cho (the killer) because he is Korean. It’s just a stated fact that DESCRIBES the shooter. If it were a white guy, they’d say white or leave it to the people to assume he is white.
Saw someone else say “way to make this about you” and I agree. Her statements aren’t true to this situation, although we all know media has a way of making color an issue. In this case, though, its not and this lady shouldn’t try to bring sympathy on herself or her culture because a description of the assailant is given. Get over yourself. History of any killer is brought up because it has to do with figuring out the guys motives. It is a proven fact that immigrants of Asian decent are more likely to have a mental health disorder.
This is tragedy brought about by a very depressed young man. If you hear people talk about “Watch our for asians” than that’s their own ignorance because for once it’s not being plastered on the tv screens. Seriously people, try watching the news or reading the newspaper.
Hold up a minute! No one had to tell anybody he was Korean - he had a F.O.B. name first name, CHO.
Was he a citizen of this country? NO. He is a citizen of South Korea. Korean is not a race. Korean is his nationality. Asian is his race. Newspapers report facts. The dude was a crazy immigrant from Korea. That is a fact. You may not like the facts, but that doesn’t change them. If he was an immigrant from Australia they would have said he was a crazy immigrant from Australia. Like Mel Gibson.
Cho, umm… is “white” an ethnicity? Maybe we should go to the country of “White” to see what their reaction is to the shootings, instead of South Korea.
I have only seen “VT shooter” used in headlines, have yet to see “Korean” or “Asian” shooter. I’m pretty sure that the main focal point of every article I read was “32 DEAD”. Seems to be a little more important than the killer’s ethnicity.
A tragedy is a tragedy, regardless of race. But at least it got Margaret Cho got some play.
@ el polacko
there’s a saying “if you don’t laugh at yourself, someone else will do it for you.”
everyone makes fun of their own nationality or ethnic group, because EVERY group has their little eccentricities that make them different or weird to others. just because she makes fun of her mother doesn’t mean she doesn’t love or isn’t proud of her heritage. she does it out of love whereas it wouldn’t be the same if someone else of another race/cultural group.
it’s like when people say “no one calls my friend a loser but me.” you love your friend so when you call him/her a “loser” it’s coming from a place of love whereas someone who doesn’t know your friend, it could be mean.
@ wait a minute
are you really arguing about citizenship? WHO THE **** CARES. He lived here for 14 years. It doesn’t matter if he came for Mars. He lives here for 14 years, adapted to our culture to a great degree and therefore he is more or less part of our society.
@reality
the media is spinning it so it seems that his korean heritage had something to do with his violent tendancies that’s why it’s a problem when his race is even mentioned. we can SEE that he is asian. so what? right now, there was a shooting in NASA in which the shooter is said to be a WHITE man. will they go into his cultural past as much as they are doing to cho who hasn’t lived in south korea since 1993. the answer is no.
for all the delusions, take a race & ethnicity course at your local university and then come back and tell me that margaret cho isn’t right.
RIGHT ON!
I absolutely LOVE how everyone on this message board thinks they’re a psychologist. I think it’s lovely.
We haven’t even had time to mourn this tragedy and already people are spreading hate towards one another.
Wow, it’s wonderful to see how we can all come together as human beings, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or shoe size, and support each other during this time of need.
first of all Cho is the shooter’s LAST name. secondly, as a Korean-American I can personally say that I did not feel in the least that the media over-portrayed the race card. I felt that they were careful in being sure that they knew who the actual perpetrator was before they announced it in the news. I think that asians are more inclusive and not as individualistic as other Western cultures are. Asians have more shame over the fact that this person can be seen as a representative of all other Asians and are worried about the backlash on how other cultures will perceive Asians. Everyone is shocked about what has happened.
I think the general “media” and the authorities are most interested in finding out exactly WHAT WENT WRONG, why did this happen, what can they do to prevent something like this in the future. so any discussions about race are in that light. I think that asians are jumping to conclusions to see the medias probing and looking for information and clues to his mental status as being something that is coming from “whites” and is therefore something racist. The shooter is asian, that is a fact. In fact being part of two cultures for him could have definitely contributed to the fact that there was no satisfactory way of finding the appropriate support and help for him the way our school, health, family and legal system are which address issues from a western cultural point of view. there may not have been anything anyone could have done for this person except to have treated him earlier as he was clearly mentally ill and a sociopath.
I applaud her! Very well spoken.
I’m deeply disturbed by how many negative racist comments are on this thread. Especially from other minorities: When will we stop fighting with one another and fight against racism? So ‘if’ blacks have been more marginalized than any other community then does that mean no one can stand up against racism until they too have been treated so ******* poorly? “stop complaining about people ******** you, I have been screwed so much harder” seems like a really idiotic argument. And for the record, it makes me sick to my stomach to turn on CNN and hear that psycho keep being referred to as a “south korean” he’s lived in the states since childhood. WTH. It seems a really convenient way for the American public to distance itself from the killer.
And also, how is it possible for a mentally ill person (accused of stalking on TWO accounts) to buy a handgun????????? American gun laws seriously need changing. (Now or maybe after a couple of more high school/ college shooting sprees. Because there will be more.)
Sorry, this turned out to be way longer than I intended.
To Magnus: White people did not “build” this country. They stole it from Native Americans and built it on the backs of the slaves they brought from Africa and the Asians they abused to build their railroads.
To everyone else who is saying that if a white person went to Korea and shot up a school: Listen, first of all Cho was born in S. Korea but is an American. If an English or French person immigrated to the U.S. as a child and did the same thing as Cho you wouldn’t see the headlines read English shooter or French shooter. Race is obviously playing a role in the media coverage. And give me a break. Let me know when a white person immigrates to Korea when they are eight years old.
Koreans do not need to apologize as a group for what happened. Just like all Americans shouldn’t have to apologize for the hundreds of innocent Iraqis who die each day because of our president’s decision to invade their country. Do you know why? Because all of us don’t represent George W. Bush and his policies just like all Asians and Koreans don’t represent Cho. One person did this and only one person is responsible (excluding the school administration who might have been able to stop Cho before he got to Norris Hall but we’ll never know).
To MAGNUS,
you point out that this country was built by white people. do you mean on the backs of the natives and other immigrants? because that would be accurate.
peace be with you
Huh? I never focused on him being Korean. His mental illness had nothing to do with the country of his birth.
I like Cali’s point. Well put. I think we are progressing. I think people are being careful about how they approach the subject. I am shock. I didn’t think Asians are capable of doing such a heinous crime. He just reminded me that we’re all the same, human beings. The “Role Model” Asian stereotype is just that, a stereotype. I think people do see this for what it is, this one sick person who somehow managed to commit such an atrocity. People understand that this is a sick invidual and it is devasting to see that this happen. I just find it really sad that he did not get treatment. What most people don’t know is that many mental illnesses do not develop until their twenties. Colleges shy away from this issue. There have been incidences before of college student killing their roommates, etc, but we don’t address this issue of mental illness. It’s not on our collective consciousness. It’s worse for Asians, minorities, because there aren’t a lot of studies out there, like such topics as difficulties of growing up in when you’re one of 10 asians in the neighborhood, etc. In the Asian community, seeking professional counseling is just unheard of.
Another blogger is probably right, that somehow the school didn’t seem to know how to deal with him. For all the complaints, etc., why weren’t his parents contacted? Why weren’t they notified? I just can’t understand how he was admitted into the hospital and then released. It didn’t seem like his parents were called in. Granted he’s no longer a minor, but when you’re in college, they always involve your parents. Heck, they suck so much money from the parents already. He somehow slipped through the crack and I hope colleges take an opportunity to learn from this tragedy.
I totally agreed with Rachel2 comment because a few days ago I happened to read an article and it’s saying that a few yrs back there was a US military Jeep that ran over 2 school girls in South Korea and the people over talked S*** about the Americans and even had protest about it so it’s hard to say if race is a big part of the issue or not…
Koreans are only dwelling on the fact that he was Korean because they know that the Americans are stereotyping that since the shooter was Korean, that there would be outrage that all Koreans are like this, which it has, (if you’ve read comments on Perez Hilton’s site, you will read the comments of angry Americans telling Asians to go back to where they came from and other rude comments not worth mentioning). Just today, a white man killed himself and one other person and his race was not mainly focused on as was this guy. I’m not saying that Americans are the only ones to stereotype.. people just need to stop obsessing over this guy’s race and start mourning and honoring those that were killed.
WAY TO GO Margaret Cho !!!
I think there have been good and bad points made. I do agree however that the sense of his “Koreanness” in the media has actually been downplayed. In fact, only time I’ve seen it discussed was when people wondered if racism experienced as a child helped alienate him from the mainstream. Honestly, valid concern, though probably not. crazy is crazy.
And actually, for all the people saying how this doesn’t happen with white school shooters, it kinda does. everything i have ever read about spree killings makes a huge deal over how this kind of crime is overwhelmingly white. people aren’t trying to slander him cause he’s asian - they’re genuinely shocked.
and before his name was released, of course he was “asian male, age 18-25.” how many times have you heard unidentified white male or unidentified black male on the news? it’s a better shorthand than 5′7 blond hair, green eyes. white male. same for everyone
not to downplay our society’s race problem. it’s is there. this is just a poor example.
my heart goes out to the families and students. long is the road, and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light…
66
rainbowbrite Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 5:32 pm - flag comment
***********************************
White people did not “build” this country. They stole it from Native Americans and built it on the backs of the slaves they brought from Africa and the Asians they abused to build their railroads.
To everyone else who is saying that if a white person went to Korea and shot up a school: Listen, first of all Cho was born in S. Korea but is an American. If an English or French person immigrated to the U.S. as a child and did the same thing as Cho you wouldn’t see the headlines read English shooter or French shooter. Race is obviously playing a role in the media coverage. And give me a break. Let me know when a white person immigrates to Korea when they are eight years old.
Koreans do not need to apologize as a group for what happened. Just like all Americans shouldn’t have to apologize for the hundreds of innocent Iraqis who die each day because of our president’s decision to invade their country. Do you know why? Because all of us don’t represent George W. Bush and his policies just like all Asians and Koreans don’t represent Cho. One person did this and only one person is responsible (excluding the school administration who might have been able to stop Cho before he got to Norris Hall but we’ll never know).
*************************************************
YOUR POST IS THE BESt!!!
I LOVE IT, THANKS!!!!
I know how you feel Ms. Cho. As a Jewish person, my heart sinks every time someone who is Jewish has committed a horrible crime (I’m sure you’re all too young to remember David Berkowitz). And to you people who crying out “PC, Cho is being politically correct” let me ask you a question. Are you just a little bit disappointed that you can’t blame this tragedy on terrorists?
rainbowbrite Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 5:32 pm - flag comment
***********************************
White people did not “build” this country. They stole it from Native Americans and built it on the backs of the slaves they brought from Africa and the Asians they abused to build their railroads.
**************************************
Spot on!
this is simply not true—race, just like gender and age, are always the general demographics that reporters will state when reporting. it’s basic reporting. cho is the one making it a racial issue by blogging about how it’s not a racial issue. why waste time blogging about a race thing, when lives have been lost.
To Peace: Perez Hilton is an idiot, no one with a brain reads his crap and esp. no one who a mourning VT. Thus those comments are from irrational people with no livs. This isn’t about him being Korean. Very little has been said about people blaiming Koreans. I’ve heard of NO threats to other Koreans on VT campus, although there might have been.
But this isn’t about race or color or whatever and the news isn’t making it about it. It’s people like you all that sit on the internet all day, finding bits and pieces of different puzzles trying to make your own sense about them. It’s a tragedy, that shouldn’t happened. Those at the heart of the issue aren’t pointing figures at Asians. Victim’s Families aren’t blaming Cho’s family or other Koreans, they are mourning their loss. The police aren’t saying “oh he’s Asian that’s why he shot people” they’re asking what went so wrong that led him to do such a thing.
Get your facts straight, and NOT from some paparazzi site.
well said Margaret, Pandora and Panda6.
“In most cases you can’t look at a white person and know what nationality that person is. But with Asian people it’s pretty apparent.”
Patty, comment 15
Are you honestly telling me that you can tellaccurately identify an Asian to be Chinese/Malaysian/Thai/Burmese/Indonesian/etc. just by looking at them? I think not. Patty, you seem very naive & that particular statement was incredibly stupid. “Asian” is NOT a nationality and, besides many Pacific Islanders & Native Americans can be mistakenly identified as such.
Now I can’t actually remember what I was originally going to say - I’m dumbfounded by the way that such an intelligent & valid statement has encouraged such ignorance & unnecessarily stupid comments from some people - Patty wasn’t the only culprit.
Let me tell you what would’ve happened if this had happened in India. Say, a white shooter had killed 32 college students. First of all, would’nt have a been a big deal because Indians are desensitized to human deaths because everyday people keep dying from hunger, abuse, terrorist attacks and so on. Secondly, the news would be ‘ American kills 32 people’, not white or black or race mentioned. Ofcourse, the nationality would be mentioned because people otherwise would’nt pay attention. Trust me, that’s how important human lives are in India. People dont care. Iam not exaggerating. And the incident would have probably only worsened the already existing dislike towards the americans. That’s all.
So, my point is, there will always be resentment among people of different races and nationalities. If it was’nt for those differences, world would be just one world, no countries, no boundaries and peace everywhere. And everyone in this world knows that that’s not going to happen. As long as their are different races, countries and ethnicities, these resentments will continue no matter what. The only thing is americans call themselves “non-racists” when it is not true. That’s all.
Forgot to mention the fact that in India you wont get guns unless you are part of some underworld network or something like that. Comman man owning a gun is very very rare. And gun related shootings only involve police and the criminal. Or the terrorists from pakistan killing indian citizens. I dont think an incident like this one has ever occured in Indian history.
Brava Margaret! *clapping loudly* What a beautifully put statement.
I have to say that while I really didn’t think of Cho in terms of his race (I have a brother that is a paranoid schizophrenic and that is first and foremost in my mind where Cho is concerned) I have to admit that I didn’t notice that the headlines included his race (”Asian Shooter”). She is right for pointing out that this should not be acceptable in the media - we never saw the Columbine shooters portrayed as “White shooters”. There is no need to label Cho in terms of his race - it had no influence on his crime.
67
tainorican Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 6:05 pm - flag comment
To MAGNUS,
you point out that this country was built by white people. do you mean on the backs of the natives and other immigrants? because that would be accurate.
peace be with you
_____________________
agreed. i can’t believe someone actually wrote that white people built this country. what year am i in, 1700?
“Whenever anything really bad happens around Korean people, that is when I would like to hide, go to Hawaii and eat spam sushi until it blows over.
The thought of Margaret Cho existing makes me want to go to hide in Hawaii - she is a far worse embarrasment to us Asian Americans than Hui-Sung Cho ever will be… at least his actions can be explained by mental illness. Margaret Cho on the other hand lives for the sole purpose to PROVOKE and then hides behind the guise of “artistic expression”. Her blog postings, her quotes, her commentaries, her stage acts, all have stirred more hatred towards Asians than one disturbed “Asian gunman”. Don’t blame the media you stupid b***** - you’ve alreday, single handedly sterotyped Asian women as bitter, butt-ugly, fat, and unfunny lesbians with a major chip on their shoulders.
I am ashamed for feeling ashamed when i first heard the shooter was asian. I am just as ashamed for feeling relieved that the shooter was not my ethnicity. More than anything, I am ashamed that Margaret Cho shares my asianess.
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Very well put and I wish this is a message that can be reached rightfully.
Nicely written, RainbowBrite.
As for Patty who wrote : “In most cases you can’t look at a white person and know what nationality that person is. But with Asian people it’s pretty apparent”
Can you define what “white” is? Is it the color of the skin? If that’s the case, then I’m prolly more “white” than you… but I will proudly say that I’m Asian. When I was in college way back when in the states, most of my classmates thought that I was *gasp* white… but when I came back home, I blended in right into the crowd. So, please don’t categorize a person’s ethnicity by how they look.
For those who wrote about how if an American went to South Korea and started shooting, it’ll all be screamed out in the headlines, please remember South Korea isn’t as multiracial as the US is. In fact, other than the “white” expats who live there, it’s virtually all Koreans.
Post No. 85, seems to me your comments show its more of a personal issue of against Margaret Cho’s lifestyle and publicness. Of course, within the Asian culture, women are supposed to act more demurely and subservient (oh hush up, I’m female, Asian and I’m speaking out based on my culture’s mentality, men and women alike). It’s cultivated from our culture and religious/spiritual upbringing. So when someone like Margaret Cho comes out, most get offended. I’ve read her postings and I’ve seen her comedy sketches - a lot of jokes actually hits close to home. She tells it like it is, albeit with humor. It’s comedy for goodness sakes. And she’s unique. I don’t see the stereotype being upheld anywhere, except in your mind.
*shrug*
Wow 85, settle down — I’m guessing you know waaaaay more about Margaret Cho than 99.999% of the people in here. methinks you’re secretly and obsessively in love. Is your name Michelle Malkin by any chance? LMAO
Stop referring to the murderer as a South Korean! He lived in the US since he’s 8. Sounds like an American to me! Shocked? You should be.
Wow. Haven’t read the comments, just her statement. Just the trueness of the this so-called “teaching moment”
Wow.
Having read some of the comments to this post, I have to say that I feel very sad about the people who point out that race IS in fact a factor.
Even Cho himself seems to have made no references to nationality or ethnicity, and yet this debate rages on. It began simply with the media reporting on Cho’s background. Perhaps the media should have waited to assess whether it was even relevant to release such information; it is obvious from his name that he is of some Korean descent, but who would have known what else? If his status hadn’t been addressed, it might not have become so full-blown an issue.
As well, it does not help that the Korean community in South Korea and the U.S. continue to gather in groups & apologize. Then, for those here to point out how Koreans would have reacted if a caucasian person were to have committed such a heinous crime in Korea? That is of no relevance; not only is it not the same, I have to argue as someone who HAS lived there that people would NEVER react in a hostile manner to other caucasians as a result. Caucasians in Korea are revered (and very much respected), especially when they have settled in Korea; it demonstrates a desire to learn about Korean culture, and Korean people are very warm towards that. They would easily acknowledge that the one person is a deviant. Besides, WHY SHOULD WE STOOP TO A LOWER LEVEL? Would those who posted here thinking Koreans would respond that way want to acknowledge racism just because they believe Koreans would in the same situation? That is pathetic.
My only concern is that something COULD happen because we have yet to put this issue to rest. Of course, I strongly wish to believe (and usually do) that the average American is above retaliation toward an innocent group. However, the fact is that there will always be ignorant people. Even before this incident, I have been harrassed and emotionally hurt as an Asian American by these few. Since then, there have already been racial remarks hurled my way. I no longer feel solely anger toward these; there is a bit of fear infused. This emphasis on race may not have an affect on most of us, but what about the few who are already prone to racism? Will they be worsened?
I am Indian and the first thing I thought when I saw his picture on television was, I’m glad he’s not Indian…we’ve taken enough racist bullshit with the whole Sanjaya phenomenon… not to compare the two events but you get my drift.
She’s got a good point there and put into exactly the right words. So true.
If the Korean community is quick to apologize for this violent act as a way to ask for forgiveness from non Koreans then it only hints to the fact that maybe for some in the Korean community as in other communities there is a tendency to judge people based on what one of their group does?
So that if the shooter was not Korean then that same Korean community who is apologizing would have associated that shooter with whatever race he is in.
New York City, for example, has had a history of polarization between Koreans and Blacks. There was a famous case of a Korean grocer boycott in the 80’s I think.
Maybe this is an opportunity for some in the Korean community to take a look at how tey perceive certain people and how they think one person represents a whole race.
SAME WITH THE US AS A WHOLE! We profile people.
At the airport, we profile.. We justify it under the guise of security but that is what it is: profiling.
So the Korean community members who are apologizing are in fact holding on to the same profiling tendencies that are so rampant in our country.
Try being a traveling Muslim today. I bet it is terrible for them. Imagine being a Muslim woman adorned in her head wrap going through customs. I can’t imagine how hard it is to be constantly be double checked and pulled aside for what you look like rather than what your historical profile is like.
By historical profile I mean: where has this woman traveled to? what is her criminal record when we put in her social security number instead of “she’s wearing a had wrap and she is muslim so let’s pull her aside”.
Look, we should be grieving, mourning and forgiving at a time like this. That is most important. We owe it to the innocent victims.
Once that is done, ALL communities need to take a look at their “profiling” tendencies.
You’ve moved to a neighborhood where everyone looks exactly like you: what can your children benefit from in this homogenous situation?
We have to think about how we are raising kids. And how we profile every single day of our paranoid and exclusive lives.
All people have to stop profiling: Korean-Americans, White-Americans, African-Americans, Latino-Americans, Jewish-Americans, you name it.
We have to stop it now. It is too easy to do as a gut reaction. All people are completely and utterly equal. We take a crap and bleed the same way.
Period.
ok guys, pack it in. the grief police (#63 - Belle) are here. she’s reminded us all to go back to our basements and mourn for days. and absolutely no discussion of current events are allowed - especially on an internet messageboard.
thanks belle for looking out the victims! i’m sure they really appreciate it.
I have to admit, that even as a white guy, it does offend me to see all the hype about how this guy was Korean. Yeah, he was born and raised for 1/2 his life in Korea - but his formative years were american… he is a product of american society - and what he did is a truly american thing to do… sort of like drinking a starbucks product.
What I think helps put this is perspective is that 99% of all mass murdereres are white american… so it sort of calls attention to the fact that he’s not white.
just my 2 cents!
Let’s get real, the massacre is a product of racial discrimmination, too bad the killer overreacted and took the responsibility. THERE IS A GREAT LESSON TO BE LEARNED HERE, wake up people! THE TRUTH REALLY IS PAINFUL.
Have they put THAT MUCH emphasis on his race? Doesnt seem like it to me. Looks liek Cho is defensive. That racial **** gets old.
Lol, I’m sure all the Muslims and Middleeasterners in the US breathed a huge sigh of relief when they saw the photo of the killer.
Margaret Cho makes a valid point that the news media would not point out race if the gunman were white.
BUT the media *would* focus on a white gunman’s socioeconomic status and go looking in the closets for a dysfunctional family background. Whether it’s race, economics, or family, the news media will ALWAYS try to find a sensationalistic angle to drag a tragedy further down.
As someone has already said whether or not a S. Korean news report said a white killer is irrelevant to what Margeret Cho is trying to say. In fact, there have been crimes by American soldiers in S. Korea and the focus was on their being American and not their individual races so you people using this argument as an excuse are wrong. The same in Okinawa when American soldiers were accused of rape the focus was saying Americans this and that, the race was not mentioned, they only saw American soldier.
There is something to what she is saying but I do think the Koreans have harped on this issue more than other Americans. For me, I just saw a truly mentally ill person who should have been helped long ago. Unfortunately we live in a society that treats mental illness as a civil rights issue and not the health issue it truly is.
To me, his race is irrelevant. I do have a problem with the gun store selling him a gun when he had already been found incompetent by a court and a psychiatrist. I also have a problem with a resident alien, non-citizen being able to purchase a gun. He even put them on his Visa, knowing he would never even have to pay for them.
To the commenter who claimed white people built this country, perhaps you need to peruse some more historical references. It was the Africans who were brought over to work as slaves that did a lion’s share of the work. When slavery was outlawed, they were replaced with Chinese and Indians (Asian) who were paid slave wages. Without this free and finally cheap labor, this country would not have been “built”. This is why neither party, both of whom are in the pockets of the corporations, have any desire to stop illegal immigration. Businesses rely on cheap labor to turn a profit. It would be very easy to solve the problem. Prosecute the employers and it would stop immediately, but that will never happen.
#11
magnus Says:
April 20th, 2007 at 11:26 am - flag comment
And yes I realize that white people immigrated to this land too. But they built this country.
Actually magnus This country was already thriving when white people came & stole it from the native americans. They forced themselves on this country. just thought you should know….
Thank you! The first thing I thought when I heard he had killed 33 people was well he was an English major we do tend to get terribly depressed, our options for a career are so minimal these days…no seriously, Margaret said exactly what I was thinking, this has nothing to do with him being Korean, more like he was totally insane and he’d been checked into a psychiatric ward last year. It’s the fault of the mental health system, discharging people who they know can not only be capable of harming themselves but other people as well…they just don’t want to rehabilitate anyone who doesn’t have enough of health insurance, and for that matter health insurance BARELY covers ANY thing having to do with mental health. So therefore, Americans are more likely to be insane because they can’t afford the meds or anything to keep them sane. Not that the current system allows for that either, but you get my point…
I am a white person living in Seoul and I just wanted people to know that so many South Koreans that have apologized for the shooting. The people here feel a great sorrow.
The only thing I will say, is that yes, it is definitely not about race but one thing is for sure… reports have been made that the child has displayed behaviour that has left his mother/aunt etc concerned since even before they left South Korea… and here in South Korea seeing a pyschologist or getting any kind of therapy or taking any sort of medication for mental disorders is completely unaccepted by society. This may not be a racial problem but it IS a societal problem that roots itself in the country where Cho was raised for the greater portion of his life. If anything, hopefully the issue will bring to light the need for greater social acceptance of pyschiatric assistance.
em:
The only news I have heard about Cho’s behavior as a child is that he had difficulties in speech, but that he was well-behaved. As well, his parents moved to the U.S. early on, for the children. Cho has lived in AMERICA for most of his life. Clearly his problems went unaddressed not only by his parents, but by the U.S. education and other systems.
Did you get the info. from a Korean media source? They have tendencies to exaggerate or even fabricate stories sometimes… At one point, they reported that there were over 50 victims who had passed away and that his parents attempted suicide.
it’s so amazing how many people agree with her, when it’s been like this for african-american’s for years…welcome to our world
What a load of crap. The only person I have even heard bring up the race card is this Cho woman. Sick people come in every form fashion and race! Obviously Cho “the shooter” had no problem race wise. He showed no prejudice in his shootings! The only people having a problem with race are the people that keep on using that card to try and get something wether it be sympathy or money. Either way it is pretty pitiful to try and turn this tragedy into another race issue, which it definantly not!
To Magnus, # 11- white people didn’t build this country, they enslaved the people who they forced to build it.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070422/ap_on_re_us/virginia_tech_koreans;_ylt=AhvboVIaps5nKNIasXgkrbZH2ocA
Virginia Korean community still reeling
By JEAN H. LEE, Associated Press Writer
Sun Apr 22, 7:27 PM ET
Korean Americans in the community where Seung-Hui Cho grew up are still reeling from the shock of learning that the Virginia Tech gunman was one of their own. But many say Cho was a stranger even among the tight-knit families who were his neighbors.
Cho moved to northern Virginia when he was 8 and was raised in a growing immigrant community where the pressure to succeed was overwhelming and seeking mental health care carries a stigma.
After the slayings, Korean Americans held prayer meetings and candlelight vigils as they struggled to understand how Cho slipped through the cracks.
“I think we failed him as a society at large,” says Josephine Kim, a mental health expert who also emigrated from South Korea at age 8. “I think our community failed him, the school system failed him, and definitely the immigrant life really failed him.”
Cho, 23, left South Korea with his family in 1992. He and his older sister, Sun-Kyung, belong to what Korean Americans call the “1.5 generation” — those born in Asia but raised in U.S. and fluent in English by the time they reach high school.
Their parents, Sung and Hyang Cho, found work at a Washington-area dry cleaner, a business that has attracted many Korean immigrants. And like nearly three-quarters of the Korean community in the United States, the family attended a Korean church for a time. The children attended high school in nearby Chantilly.
A friend and high school classmate of Sun-Kyung Cho, Diana Hong, says Sun-Kyung was an overachiever — smart and accomplished. But she worried about her younger brother, who relatives said was unusually quiet and classmates say was sullen and withdrawn.
“From the beginning, he wouldn’t answer me,” Kim Yang-soon, Cho’s great aunt, told AP Television News on Thursday in South Korea. Cho “didn’t talk. Normally sons and mothers talk. There was none of that for them. He was very cold.”
She said the family was told in the U.S. that Cho suffered from autism — but no records show such a diagnosis.
When her brother landed at Virginia Tech as a freshman, Sun-Kyung Cho asked friends to watch out for him, Hong said.
“The very first time we went to his dorm room, we were like: ‘Hey, I know your sister …’ But he just nodded, and that’s it,” she said.
Cho didn’t respond to further invitations and e-mails, Hong recalled.
Hong said her heart sank when she heard last Monday about the shooting at her alma mater. Later that day, she learned a friend was among the wounded, but would survive. On Tuesday, she discovered Cho was the shooter.
“He was very alone. He didn’t talk with anybody,” Hong said, twisting her hands. “Maybe we didn’t try enough. I guess these questions come up in hindsight.”
Sun-Kyung Cho said in a statement Friday that the family was “heartbroken” by their son’s actions.
“We have always been a close, peaceful and loving family. My brother was quiet and reserved, yet struggled to fit in. We never could have envisioned that he was capable of so much violence. He has made the world weep. We are living a nightmare.”
Many wonder why Cho did not receive more help — and why school officials or police failed to intervene, allowing a troubled young man to buy a pistol.
Kim, who specializes in depression among Korean Americans, characterized Cho as an “internalizer.”
“They’re not disruptive,” she said. “Those students are withdrawn and isolated, and even though we see that as a problem, because it’s not disruptive, often they slip through the cracks.”
And she said Korean society — Confucian, patriarchal, and steeped in pride, dignity and the importance of family — has long viewed mental illness as a taboo topic best kept in the closet.
Many Koreans consider it “a sign of bad blood or a sin to be depressed, Kim said. “It’s against our culture to talk about these things.”
In immigrant families, the generation gap often is exacerbated by the cultural divide of parents struggling to make ends meet while their children try to become American, she said.
“Every Korean immigrant kid goes through it. And I think some come out stronger and better, and for some, it’s really tough and they can’t get over it,” Hong said.
Kim, whose younger brother, Paul, was a classmate of Cho’s at Virginia Tech, said she did not know the Cho family personally. But she speculated that “the parents really wanted to provide the American Dream for their kids, which required that they made superhuman sacrifices working really hard.”
“That might have meant they didn’t have enough time at home with their kids. It’s often kids raising themselves,” said Kim, speaking by telephone from Cambridge, Mass.
Little is known about Cho Seung-Hui’s childhood and upbringing and what triggered Monday’s rampage.
“Regardless of what circumstances shaped Seung-Hui Cho’s life, I think this is an important time for the Korean-American community to reflect on how to take better care of the young people who feel like they’re on the margins,” said Heidi Shin, whose family lives in northern Virginia. “It’s an absolute tragedy but we as a community have to figure out to learn from it.”
The Chos, like many Korean immigrants, settled in the outskirts of the Washington suburbs. Centerville, about 26 miles from the nation’s capital, had been known as an enclave for young, working-class families seeking more affordable housing in affluent northern Virginia.
Though still predominantly white, Centreville is more than 14 percent Asian, and Fairfax County was home to more than 28,000 Koreans, according to the 2000 Census, making it the sixth-largest Korean-American community. And that number is clearly rising, residents say.
Northern Virginia — wealthy, competitive and awash with high-achievers — is not an easy place for any teenager. But studies suggest adolescence is especially hard for young, Asian-American males, many of them conscious of the burden of living out their parents’ dreams.
Kim cited a 1993 study in the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease that showed the prevalence of depression higher among Korean Americans than other Asian Americans subgroups — and highest among Korean-American males.
Cho’s classmates say Cho was a solitary, quiet figure who wore a low-riding backpack and was teased for his mumbled speech.
Charles Hsu, a Virginia Tech student, said he never knew Cho. “I’m pretty in with the Asian crowd at Virginia Tech but not many people knew him. I don’t know how he went under our radar; usually Asian Americans tend to flock together.”
Hsu is Chinese-American, but he joined about 150 Korean Americans who gathered Friday night at their church in nearby Herndon. Candles flickered on coffee tables, photos of the 32 killed lined the walls, and the U.S. and South Korean flags hung on the walls.
“We respond to this tragedy as Americans and as Koreans, so let’s pray for this nation, that this nation will heal,” the Rev. Dihan Lee said in prayer.
Many sobbed openly. After praying, they scribbled messages of condolences and faith on Hokies banners to take back to the Blacksburg campus.
But Lee urged worshippers not to be ashamed of their Korean heritage.
“Right now there’s a lot of shame being passed around, but it’s really important to understand: This is not our shame … even though we sense it.”
what was the point of even mentioning race here? She’s perpetuating the same thing by rehashing the statements AGAIN. Yeah, complain that they mention he’s Asian but just because they bring it up doesn’t mean they’re being racist. They are trying to figure him out and understand what it was that happened to him to make him hate people so much … if he was a white guy they probably wouldn’t care much what his reasons were at all but would just write it off as some crazy white guy who shot people because he was a loser but with this guy they need to analyze and figure it out and try to blame someone else for his own actions.
Gee now I know how it feel to be black in America. Just think if I was black in Korea. No difference. So get over it or do something about it. Call it racism but I have the upmost respect for black people because I dont like it when I am single out because of the way I look.
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