I think the decision by NBC news to release the horrific video of the Virginia Tech mass murderer, Cho Seung-Hui, was a very serious mistake.
I have watched excerpts of it because there is no escaping it, especially in cable newsland. It is very disturbing. But worse, it shows what a dangerous cretin like Mr. Cho could do and still get his reward in the end. Who knows how many other people on the edge as clearly Mr. Cho was will watch this and get ideas?
Clearly from the video rantings and written "manifesto", Mr. Cho was a very mentally disturbed young man. But, we can not forget that not only did he have the presence of mind to begin the rampage on Monday, but when he went for the big take down after killing the two students in one building, he went to the second and made sure that there was no way for the victims to escape. Mr. Cho chained at least two exit doors shut from the inside. A total crazy would not have thought it out so clearly.
If what is coming out about Mr. Cho's run ins with the law and even being put in a mental facility at least twice, then the whole system let us down. There had to be a total breakdown not to have Mr. Cho permanently committed.
But for a once respected network to not use some editorial judgement as was the case with NBC news in airing the demented videos, we may only be waiting for the next massacre to occur. Sometimes, ratings are not as important as common sense.
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