First let me say there are not enough words to convey the deep sorrow I feel for all those involved, whether the families and friends of those killed or the larger community - (which includes all of us in America and globally)

We will never know the true reason behind young Mr Cho's rampage, we can speculate, Monday night quarter-back the actions of the Univ Pres and local poilic, even analyze past behaviorial issues of Mr. Cho (and I am truly tired of all the news people doing this) - the only true observation - he was deeply troubled. Troubled enough to frighten both students and instructors....yet what concerns me most is the our immediate reaction to events like this to pointing fingers and assigning blame. I realize that this is a human reaction - we need to find someone/something to blame as a way to wrap our brains around the horror we are left with in the aftermath of any tragedy.

If we look to root causes of any cultural abnormality we might find some evidence that unrentless poverty feeds on the souls of those who suffer from it. The disparity between the haves and have nots continues to grow, fueling negative acts and emotions which eventually gathers into utter hopelessness and fear - forcing a reaction. This appears to be such a case.

Gandhi said it best...."poverty is the worst form of violence"

I have a number of thoughts:

First, since it was obvious that this student was deeply troubled and frightened even his Creative Writing professor, more could have/should have been done to prevent this tragedy. This young man should have been required to get the help he desperately needed as a condition of being allowed to attend school. No one can remain that isolated and not go crazy at some point. Human beings were not designed to be loners like that.

Second, the media coverage does nothing more than sensationalize the tragedy and "inspire" other wayward souls to cause trouble in their neck of the woods. Note how many schools have been closed in the aftermath due to threats of violence.

My prayers and condolences go out to those who are grieving, especially the families who now must bury their children. I do hope for healing.

From my perspective I think Christine and Shawna have said all that needs to be said, and expressed very well.

As more news comes out about Cho, I suspect that he was sexually abused at some point. It sounds like (at least for this school year) he was withdrawing further and further from those around him. It seems he shunned even casual contact.

Even though he was shunning contact, it sounds like he desperately wanted it, but most of those around him seemed to give up on making contact with him. Interestingly, he seemed to still continue with his coursework.

People look for larger messages. They talk to measures to stop such individuals in the future. I am not sure that it is possible. As a sociologist I am struck by the images of himself that Cho sent to NBC. They reflect a cultural caricature of the "tough." The "real man" who enforces his power with the gun - a persona that seems totally in conflict with the Cho that people describe - shy, passive, and unassuming. For some reason he stepped fully into the persona of the caricatured male in our society. A model that is presented as the ultimate "wall" of manhood. Unfeeling, cruel, depersonalized.

Unfortunately, this is an image that is all too often presented and glamorized in US society. I do not think it is an accidental persona that he took on. The pain that he obviously felt and hid from the world behind the quiet man (and he was a man - not a child) became directed outward in the character of the ultimate disconnected male.

There is also the issue of the increasing importance of "fame" in this society. In the last acts of his life he claimed an attention that was never available in his life.

While the examination and paths that are being pursued by the media regarding what happened and gun laws and the powers of schools to address "disturbed" students. No one is mentioning the role of this culture, and how that intersected with Cho (and perhaps millions like him).

If we portrayed guns as cowardly and violence as despicable, it might create a different cultural environment. Instead we present guns as power - and sexuality; violence as acceptable and even desirable.

Once again, mass violence is an outcome that has taken the lives of random individuals. It is not a question of if we can institute policies and controls that would "stop" future events. Policies won't do it. We really need to look at a different level of this problem. It will arise again, and it does so every day in both spectacular and unnoticed ways. We should be looking at ourselves and our society as closely as we are looking at this young man.