I read this story this morning and it pained me. It seems that even after a massive failure of the system – organizations never learn. I mean, hello, you’ve got another depressed Korean man telling people he bought a gun AT VIRGINIA TECH!
But even more-so the reason this guy killed himself is probably the saddest of all. I’m sure anyone with a beard and/or turban felt the same way in the months after 9-11. How hard is it for a college to be pro-active? Perhaps this goes back to the larger issue of the changing role of a college in nurturing young minds. Less than fifty years ago many colleges were still thought of as a secondary parent for a child. Dorm rules were much stricter in monitoring male/female interaction and college administrators were thought of as trusted advisors by the parents of the students. Today, as Chef says,”Don’t do drugs kids. There is a time and place for everything. It’s called college.” College is seen today as the means for every young person to “find themself” (apparently it wasn’t important for previous generations to find themselves).
I’m not sure what part of “finding yourself” VTech thought buying a gun was for Daniel Kim.
Also…. how often does JND Pawnbrokers get young Korean guys wanting to buy pistols?
When the universities are no longer run by adults you cannot expect them to act like adults—wait a minute–this guy was (supposed to be) an adult. It’s all right for the U. to act in loco parentis for a 18 year old but not for a 21 year old. Ultimately this is probably a case in which the person was “crying for help”. First pills (easy to back out) then car (no one will know) then gun (just like on t.v.). Check the family for pressure on him to perform up to standards. Typical asian persons have a greater need to meet the expectations of the tribe than we in the cowboy west. Direct result of population control through edict of authority. Don’t fall into the post hoc, ergo propter hoc mind set re guns.
The family may have applied pressure, yes. I’m not blaming this on guns… I’m just saying it is a sad story that didn’t have to happen if the University was a bit more alert. Something you’d expect after the largest school shooting ever had taken place less than a year before (and their policies at that time were called into question).