POSTED RESPONSE TO A COLUMN IN THE DAILY TELEGRAPH BY IAN GRAY
Your headline is right, but your words are inadequate.
First, this kind of publication or broadcast contributes nothing to general understanding. Thoughtful people understand Cho was seriously mentally unbalanced and that was likely genetic in origin (as seems to be the case for most serious mental disorders).
Second, every population has some percentage of mentally unbalanced people - schizophrenics, manic-depressives, the hysterical, and others, including importantly sociopaths.
Third, we do not understand many of these conditions well enough to say with certainty what exposure to certain stimuli will do, not in a single day but over a considerable time.
Fourth, most young people, and especially young males, do crave attention and some kind of celebrity. Seeing such a film does suggest an avenue to the unbalanced.
Fifth, we know very well that the phenomenon of 'copycat' killing exists.
I hate censorship, but I admire good judgment. Considering all of these points, good judgment dictated not showing the material.
