35mm HiGhLiGhT rEeL

April 16, 2007, 07:00 a.m.: Seung-Hui Cho, born in South Korea and a resident of United States since the age of eight years, opened fire in Virginia Tech with his .22-caliber Walther P22 semi-automatic handgun and a 9mm semi-automatic Glock 19 handgun in two separate attacks with a gap of two hours. He killed 32 individuals and 23 others were injured before he shot himself. The incident drew criticism at international level and surfaced the evils of processes and policies beign followed in the United States.

The Virginia Tech Review Panel blamed the Virginia Tech administration for inefficient preventive measures, at the same time alleging the gun laws and cracks in the mental health care system. Right from an early age Cho had shown signs of depression and inferiority complex because of his speech and anxiety problems. His parents sought for therapy from a counselor. But Cho discontinued it soon enough. The professors in college had also noticed his aberrant behavior and on one occasion he was accused of stalking two female students and was asked by Virginia Special Justice to seek outright treatment.

On April 18,2007, NBC news had received a package from Cho time stamped between the two killings at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a co-ed residence hall and Noris Hall, housing Engineering Science and Mechanics program students. The package contained a manifesto, few photos videos in which he compared himself to Jesus Christ and expressed his hatred for the wealthy.

Not only did the Cho’s family, but 32 other families lost their loved ones. While the lose administration was busy playing the blame game, trying to find the weak head to rest the cap on, the families were struggling to get back on their feet trying from the loss they had just experienced. It’s been a year since it happened and there have been numerous students who still continue to live and get education in that campus. It’s the sad part, but the fact remains that life doesn’t stop, it moves on. Even if one doesn’t want it to, he has to push himself and live through it trying to mend the scars dug deep into the soul.

Who is to be blamed for this kind of atrocious and pitiful state of mankind? The assassin Cho? The Virginia Tech administration or is it the panel passing the guns law in United States? It is us, who are responsible for doing this. Our negligence towards the lesser fortunate and mentally unstable sections in the society is one of the major reasons for their aggravated behavior. The inferior kids in schools often get picked on and it ends up leaving a major impact on their mind. To top it all, if the governing body like National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) allows the purchase of handguns by mentally unsound individual without stringent background verification, it acts as an easy channel to vent out the rage and fury.

I might take an entire page to express myself on the love and affection we humans need, but I am sure I can sum it up in a simple text message I had received from a friend the other day and it said “Humans are made to be loved and Things are made to be used. But the entire confusion in this world is because Humans are being used and Things are being loved.” Think about it, LIFE is a four letter word, but it’s the essence of the entire existence of each one of us breathing free air on this planet. Think before you take a step, you might think nobody is watching you, but there is a human out there, who will be forming an opinion and a reference in his mind based on the experience you are making him go through. And one day, it might all come back to you.