Virginia Tech Tragedy
[My English class was asked to post about monday’s massacre at Virginia Tech. Here’s a breif post on how I feel about the situation.]
When I walked into the music classroom yesterday during lunch, I saw a group of friends huddled around a computer. When I asked them what they were doing, they responded, “We’re watching the videos from that Virginia Tech guy. Wana watch?” A feeling of disgust and fear began to boil in my stomach. I told them I was not interested and sat down in a seat where I could be sure I wouldn’t see the images flashing across the computer screen. Did they realize that right then, while casually looking at videos and pictures of Cho Seung- Hui, they were also fulfilling the dying wishes of a mass murderer? I finally asked them to stop watching the videos, explaining my view. My friends agree with me, and X-ed out the video.
Watching the video of Cho seemed morally wrong to me and my friends, but I wondered why the media was so willing to show these images to the entire country. Did they not have the same gut reaction as I did? I found out today that there have been many protests against the media spreading the video and photographs. I am not surprised. Showing these images is just asking for someone to commit a copy-cat murder, knowing that they too will probably be shown on millions of TV and computer screens across the country.
The press seems to care more about milking a good story for all it’s worth than respecting the feelings of the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy. All this week, news reporters ‘interviewed’ parents and friends of victims asking, “How do you feel about the situation?” How do they think these people feel? I’m sure they would feel a lot better if the press was more sensitive to the situation and stopped seeing it as a business opportunity. All there is to know is that only thirty three people died, but thousands of living people have been deeply affected by the tragedy and their feelings need to be respected.
