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Cho's ‘religious’ martyrdom video

Posted: Thursday, April 19, 2007 8:50 AM
Filed Under:

By Richard Engel, Middle East bureau chief

The disturbing and cryptic video clips, photographs and manifesto the killer Cho Seung Hui sent to NBC News instantly reminded me of the taped testimonials suicide bombers leave behind to justify their crimes.

It looked so familiar -- an angry young man dressed in battle clothing preaching a message full of hate in front of a drab background.  I have seen many of these videos over the years in the Middle East. 

The attackers always stress a desire to battle injustice and moral turpitude; they all believe they are avengers of the righteous.  The videos are also replete with religious references. Cho's message seems little different.

Cryptic religious references
Cho repeatedly mentions Christ, suffering and isolation. There appear to have also been references to the Koran.

On the package sent to NBC, Cho uses the name "A. Ishmael."  He is also reported to have had the words "Ismail Ax" tattooed or written on one arm.

Ismail is the Koranic name of Abraham's first-born son. In one of the central stories of the Koran, God orders Abraham (called Ibrahim) to sacrifice Ismail as a test of faith, but then intervenes and replaces him with a sheep.  Muslims reenact this story by sacrificing a sheep on Eid al-Adha (feast of the sacrifice) during the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

While it is still unclear what Cho may have intended, his repeated references to Ismail (he signed his manifesto 'Ismail Ax') has been generating a lot of attention on Arab/Islamic blog sites on the Internet.

Internet speculation
The Islamic Threat website said: Cho "knew exactly the significance of the name in Islam as far as blood sacrifices are concerned which leads me to think that there might have been Islamic motivation behind the madness he displayed."

The Angry Arab News Service website said: "The Chicago Tribune reports that Virginia Tech University massacre perpetrator, Cho Seung-Hui, died with the words "Ismail Ax" in red ink on one of his arms. Hmmm . . . Ismail -- the Arabic name for Ishmael -- considered the father of all Arabs and a very important figure in Islam. I'm sure it's just a coincidence, right? Doesn't mean anything. Right. Maybe "Ismail Ax" is the name of a friend of his. Or maybe he wanted to remind himself to buy an Ax for his friend Ismail for next Ramadan. Or I'm sure we'll hear some other similarly absurd ‘explanation.’ We'll see."

Cho clearly was confused and angry. His manifesto seems the same: a confusing mix of martyrdom, religion, pop culture and multimedia technology.

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Comments

I think it was incredibly irresponsible of NBC to show footage of Seung-Hui's videotaped message. One or two still photos of him - minus the weaponry - would have been sufficient. It serves no purpose to blanket the airwaves with video loops of his hate speech. There is no analysis to be had. Civilized people will never be able to understand what goes on in the mind of a homicidal maniac, no matter how many panels of experts are summoned. The Nightly News showed more than enough. MSNBC & CNN flogged the same images incessantly in last night's coverage, as did the Today Show this morning. This demonstrates an incredible insensitivity towards the victims' families. What is the standard? Will we next be seeing beheadings and full-length terrorist propaganda films? There is a fine line between news and exploitation, between the public's need to know and tastelessness. NBC crossed it.

LNP, Maryland, USA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 9:34 AM)

This is a fascinating perspective. I would be interested in some sort of psychological analysis of what seems to be the cold and unsettling art form of these martyr videos.

Brandon Villanueva, Mount Olive, NC (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 9:36 AM)

I do not want to see or hear about Cho Seung-Hui. We as a society need to focus on the VICTIMS involved in the Va Tech massacre not the disturbed, attention starved individual that caused this senseless act. When we focus on him, we are fullfilling his desire. I dont want to hear about him or see him. I already know he was a disturbed individual. When the focus is on him, you are sending a message to other disturbed individuals to "top" his act of violence. I am encouraging my family and friends to boycott any media linked to Cho and focus on the victims and their families. Your company should do the same. Please consider this seriously. I am certain I am not the only person who feels this way. Julie Wehunt

Julie Wehunt, South Pittsburg, Tn 37380 (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 9:43 AM)

If you want a simple answer, look both words up in the dictionary. You'll find that Ishmael means in addition to it's Biblical/Koranic meaning it also means: an outcast. Also, we all know what an Ax does...it is used to severe or cut things off from something else (i.e. an outcast cut from society). As far as the Muslim influence, it seems that he may be saying that the emergence of Islam is a product of selfishness that occurred when Ishmael and Hagar were forcibly outcasts because Sarah (Abraham's Wife) wanted it that way. Ishmael was forced to live in terrible conditions and from the descendents of Ishmael you have the Muslims, who in Cho's opinion could represent the emergence of outcasts who through terrorism are trying to avenge the evils of the "Great Satan" west. ...but, I could be wrong

Julio (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 9:54 AM)

We sure are spending a lot of time glorifying this idiot fool who blamed every little problem he had on others. Rather, he should have manned up and taken responsibility form him-self. Oh ya I forgot, in society today we have an excuse for everything and everyone!!! Bottom line is that a-hole took the lives of innocent hard working honest human beings. His face belongs at the bottom of my toilet not on every website or paper.

Jason Houston, TX (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:00 AM)

I disagree.

Stuart, Pautuckett, MA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:17 AM)

I believe Cho was lost between cultures. The fact that he signed into his classes with a question mark is the telling marker. He didn't know who he was. He didn't know where he fit in. He didn't fit in at home. He didn't fit in at school. He didn't have friends, and he didn't have a social life, whether out of choice or whether out of not knowing how to. The fact that he tried to connect to two girls and ended up with campus security on him shows that he didn't have the skills to socially interact and when he was rejected he withdrew and internalized that anger until he exploded, sadly, this week. I am in no way, condoning what he did. He was confused and lost and although many people noticed that he needed help, he never received it. He should not have been on that campus, he should have been in a hospital. I don't think this has anything to do with Islam. It has to do with Cho and who he was trying to be. Anyone who tries to read anything else into that is doing just that, trying to read into something that simply isn't there.

Jenny Rankin, Little Chute, Wisconsin (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:20 AM)

Cho sounds like a hi tech version of Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian Terrorist killer of Robert Kennedy. Maybe the "programmed Killer" scenerio should be further explored.

Mike, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:21 AM)

are you kidding me with this??? did you even bother to read his rambling just released yesterday. He clearly makes reference to for his hatred against rich kids. Hes obviously depressed and even refers to himself as the jesus christ of misunderstood and oppressed kids. why not include in this blog reference to possible literature links such as moby dick or the fact that ismail ax could be a video game website tagname. This is very weak journalism on your part for linking this devestating attack with yet another deviance in this world and attempting to stir up fears of yet another islamic nuance.

mike, New york city, ny (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:23 AM)

To think that Cho had any connection to Islam is ridiculous. He was clearly a disturbed individual, and as I recall in his videos and manifestos, he made many more references of Christ and Christianity. So to try to dig up anything that could have any relation to Islam and say he was influenced by it is crazy. With that logic, then he was also influenced by Whites, since he mentioned the Columbine killers. He also must have relation to Christianity since he mentioned that quite a few times. So I guess that makes him a White-Korean-Christian-Muslim right? Reminds me of a time when I took a survey once and wanted to remain completley anonymous so I signed my name Mohommad (with some other random islamic last name). Does that mean that I have been influenced by them along with whatever stupid meaning you can come up with of why I wrote that? I decided to sign my name Mohommad just because it was convenient and had absolutely no relation to myself. Please stick to real journalism and stop trying to make a connection to Arabs and Muslims with just about anything you can. This guy is mentally disturbed and an outcast from society. Of course he is going to fantasize about making a name for himself in any way he can.

Washington DC (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:27 AM)

"There appear to have also been references to the Koran"? Please. Look, I understand that your view is just a bit myopic at the moment, but you're a journalist, how can you not see this for what it really is? The only "reference to the Koran" is the name Ismail. Hui's upbringing was Christian and he uses the symbol of the Cross at least twice in the manifesto. In the only Koranic passage where an ax appears with Ismail, it wasn't his, it was his father's, Ibrahim's. (BTW, in the Christian Bible, Abraham uses a knife, not an ax.) Hui was an English major and would at some point have had to have read Moby Dick, wherein the name is spelled "Ishmail," as it is in the Christian Bible. I think it more likely that he would have used this spelling if he had wanted to reference this biblical character. The name is meaningless. He made it up. It's an anagram, for Pete's sake. It's what you get when you "mix alias." How did you miss that? You are not helping the situation with this sort of alarmist story. You're knee-jerk reaction to the name Ismail is a part of the problem.

Mark Fisher, Cincinnati, Ohio (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:32 AM)

You are as crazy as he was, to stick this crime to Arabs or Muslims !! This youg man was mentally ill, you can not explain his actions !! three of his victims were Arabs or Muslims.

Hassan Shahbandar (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:39 AM)

This is absurd. No matter what this kid was saying in his video, he was completely disturbed. He referenced dying like Jesus Christ, so if any religion is to blame it is his misconception of Christianity. Nonetheless, no religion should be blamed for this for neither Christianity, Islam, nor Judaism condone his actions. Anyone saying otherwise is merely spreading the hate that Cho had and put into action. Stop this hate!

Jack, Charleston, WV (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:47 AM)

Where were his parents and what role did they play in his life? Did they not see his troubled soul crying for help? Parents play a big role, I'm concerned that the parents did not do much...comments?

Gman G (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:49 AM)

This just proves that we need more of God in our classrooms. Jesus could have made a difference in this situation.

Keith Witters, Charleston, West Virginia (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:52 AM)

Calling Cho's media release a 'Manifesto', in my opinion, can help set up the next Cho-like attack. Cho obviously felt (rightly or wrongly) very powerless and unrespected compared to his peers. His media release was an attempt to get the attention, in death, that he felt he never got in life. Seems like Cho knew what he was doing when it comes to that part of the story. What's worse is that anyone out there who is currently contemplating taking Cho's path themselves is seeing that their postmortem 'Manifesto' would be the spotlight of the world. We shouldn't censor Cho's words, for there is much to be learned. However, it would be much more correct to label them as 'mentally ill rantings' rather than a 'Manifesto'. If we accurately label, instead of romanticize, the words of Cho, this may help eliminte at least one potential reward a future Cho would think they would receive for exercising their own murderous binge.

Paul Zetterower, Jacksonville, FL (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:56 AM)

You retard. While you're at it, why don't you just blame all of the World's problems on those "dirty little religious fanatical arabs...". What pathetic journalism! Do you work for Mossad or something?

PetroHawk, Houston, TX (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:57 AM)

Richard good points and no matter how disturbed or mentally depressed the psychologist say he was there is no difference in this young man and any of the so called insurgents or terrorist in Iraq. Still all the Homeland Security, CIA, FBI, National Intelligence, and police can't stop someone willing to kill themselves and others for what they believe, but they sure cananalyze it to death afterwards.

Paw Paw, NC (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:58 AM)

God directed Abraham to sacrific Isaac, the promised child, not Ishmael. Ishmael was the son born first by Abraham's concubine. God intervened and provided a sacrificial ram, but Abraham's faith in God's promise was proven. The decendents of Ishmael were the Arab nations. The descendents of Isaac are the Hebrew nation.

Patrick, Lancaster, PA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:58 AM)

Why would one expect anything innocent about a tatoo from one who wields weapons of massacre. No, everything in the last days of Cho's life had significance to him. Perhaps, he had ties to Islamic terrorists, perhaps he was influenced by them. We don't know, but we do know that the same "evil one" behind the Islamic terrorists were behind Cho. And yes, he is leaving his mark, the mark of the beast. Are these random events? Or are they birth pains?

Dennis, Chicago IL (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 10:59 AM)

I find NBC's decision to air Cho's video deplorable. For shame for giving the killer what he obviously wanted. You should have had enough honor and courage to refuse to make it public. Instead you whored yourself out for ratings. I expected better.

Travis Aeschliman, Fort Wayne, IN (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:01 AM)

I think wat ever he was doing,he passed his msg. feel sorry for him.

ismael (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:04 AM)

Ismail being the sacrifice who was spared. Apparently saw himself as Ismail returning to get his revenge or to turn the sacrificial rite around. As if to say, "You let me live, that's wasn't too smart." It's interesting that he used "Ax" rather than, say, a knife. The ax is actually a symbol of god. Perhaps he saw himself as an avenging god--the one who prunes to ultimately promote growth? He seems to have fixated on the Abraham-Ishmael story because it deals with a father figure betraying, hurting, sacrificing his son but ultimately sparing him to walk around scarred and angry. This would perhaps tie in with the apparent abuse he suffered at the hands of his stepfather. His rant seems largely directed at his abuser but his feelings had long mutated into an anger directed at all of society. Perhaps for failing to protect him as a boy--a child who cried out for help and received none? His loneliness and isolation must have been tremendous.

Jorge (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:05 AM)

Mr. Engel, Cho's quotes reference "Jesus", the founder of CHRISTIANITY... not Islam. Get is straight! See quote from his package: "You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy’s life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people." Are you prejudiced against muslims or something? Not good reporting. Sad to see a fellow journalist fuel the fires of hate.

Virginia Tech (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:05 AM)

Maybe you should read Wikipedia's article on Ishmael. It seems that he was an internally tortured and shunned son of Abraham in the Bible and Torah. Those ideas would fit the killer's views of himself much better than the Islamic view. Islam isn't always to blame. I hope people of all religions pray for the victims and their families this week.

Amir H., Ossining, New York (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:06 AM)

Mr. Engel, Cho's quotes reference "Jesus", the founder of CHRISTIANITY... not Islam. Get is straight! See quote from his package: "You have vandalized my heart, raped my soul and torched my conscience. You thought it was one pathetic boy’s life you were extinguishing. Thanks to you, I die like Jesus Christ, to inspire generations of the weak and the defenseless people." Are you prejudiced against muslims or something? Not good reporting. Sad to see a fellow journalist fuel the fires of hate.

Virginia Tech (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:08 AM)

The Koran??? Cho was talking about Jesus dying on the cross!!! Research before you write.

GetItRight (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:10 AM)

I am disgusted at the television coverage of Cho Seung-Hui. Why glorify and reward this kind of evil? In my opinion, I believe the media has set a publicity benchmark for future murderers. No longer will it be enough to kill as many people as possible indiscriminately, but a mass murder will now need to submit staged photos and video tapes to audition for a spot in the headlines. Isolated and angry people with a similar psychology will take notice of the fact that this is the ultimate reality spectacle. No talent? Desperate? No problem! One need not look to "Survivor” or "Idol" for 15 minutes of fame, just shoot bullets to get all the undeserved attention a heart can crave and live forever in infamy. Just make sure to have headshots prepared before hand with the appropriate props. How entertaining will murder be without images of a killer with a hammer and gun in hand being broadcast across national television?

KB, Denver, CO (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:11 AM)

This is nothing. What Cho did is no more worse than what other suicide bombers are doing in Israel or Iraq. The only thing is that it happens so rarely in the US that we as Americans feel so immune to terror and think that this is a 3rd world issue or issues that countries like Israel and Palestinehave had for centuries. I feel that it's just time that the United States wake up and smell the roses. This is nothing new, it happens all the time in other parts of the world. Why should we feel that we are immune or that it doesn't happen in the USA???

Yosef, Seattle WA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:12 AM)

does anyone remember the fact that we are in a holy war. was the word jihad forgotten as it seems some in the country want to forget i remember children praying daily about a jihad with the united states if this thing with cho is bad what is going to be said when it gets really intense death is common in other countries our shock at this vicious attack seems though worthy a little stupid in the worlds bigger picture though my heart goes out to the families of the victims and friends at virginia tech i hope everyone starts to remeber we are in a holy war and i dont think its going to just stop our unprotected campus life is ripe for the viscious kind of attacks we have begun to see. its simple we are not prepared here at home for this yet its here we are at war and its within our borders i just think we are not all remembering 9/11 everyone said they would remember well? duh their taking it to us our homefront doesnt have bombs going off daily yet instead its suicidal maniacs going nutso on our youth could he have been one of the terrorist cells we have all heard about a sleeper cell hmmm? the country needs to wake up those who declared jihad on us will never stop. again i am so sorry for the family and friends at v tech

William Daoust Orlando Fl (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:13 AM)

I think that "WE" are giving Cho too much attention. Showing is rants across the nation is poor taste and the media should know better. There are copy cats waiting everywhere. We are giving him exactly what he knew we would and that's tv time. Our focus should be on gun control. No one should be allowed to purchase those types of guns, especially a student from another country. I am trying to understand the mind of a gun salesman. How can you sell a gun to a student? What purpose would it serve? Well now we all know. People come to America because of the right to live life more abundantly and it's freedoms -when our freedoms keep us captive and controled by fear one must ask themselves is it worth it. We live in a society where the BLAME GAME is constantle played. No one wants to own his/her responsibilty and there is a lack of respect across the board. Until we put prayer back in school, relearn the morals and respect one another this world we live in will continue in a downward spiral. Come on America haven't we learned anything from 9/11.

Kim, New Jersey (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:14 AM)

What in the name of all that is good is wrong with our news media? When a madman shoots 32 innocent people leaving them for dead,in the aftermath, the media gives him exactly what he wanted; a platform for his sick and twisted ideas about the world. What more needs to be said? What kind of explanation is neccessary? For a man to shoot 32 people it is quite evident that he is completely insane and out of touch with the world. So why give him the benefit of the doubt and air his dirty laundry? The only thing that presenting his words to the country does is inspire other pyschos to take action against their country and classmates. Instead of putting Cho's name to rest the news media turns him into a posthumous rock star. It is in this regard, that I agree that this video is like the ones shot by the other pyschos of our planet, terrorists.

E.J, State College, PA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:14 AM)

this is one of those situations where prevention would have been the best medicine. if we as a society take care of something as soon as it occurs or as soon as there is a red flag and become more preventive. We will be more successful in handling and de-escalating events like this.

bonnie baltimore maryland (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:15 AM)

I think the virgina tech shootings were tragic. I think what may be worse is that we as a society do not realize the blame falls collectively on all of us. We have failed this young man. Somewhere there are personal aquaintances, parents, friends etc. who should've looked out for him and pointed him in the right direction. They should've took the time to talk to him see what was going on with him and help him out. The blame, however, does not fully fall on those who knew him. We who support violence are to blame. Everytime you buy a movie ticket for a feature that glorifies violence and gun play, you are to blame. Moreover, everytime you turn a cold shoulder to someone in need because it's "not your responsibility," you are to blame. Everytime business's put profit before people, and everytime we thik about ourselves before we think of others we are to blame. Cho was not a fluke, but the eventuality of a society gone astray, a society who does not understand that they are a society, and without the knowledge of how to live for the benifit of such, self-destruct. It's all the millions of tiny vices that people foster and the effects of which that collect like so much gunpowder to become an expolsive keg. I know there are those who do not believe in God, however that does not take away from the beneficial right-ness of his commands. Image a world where we "love our neighbors as ourselves." Really imagine it, to love someone just like you love yourself. I think the solution is as Michael Jackson said "if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change."

Joshua Turley, Navarre, Fl (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:15 AM)

You (MSNBC) are doing exactly what his shooter wanted. And it will only kindle in others with that propensity - look at the notierity he's receiving from you! PLEASE focus on the great stories of the lives he took, and what a loss! Yes, the behavior patterns should be studied and evaluated, not glorified.

Ron Apperson (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:16 AM)

acording to the bible Ismael was not the son of Abram that was to be sacrificed, but Isac. This is not just an Jewsish believe but also Christian.

edwin goulart (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:16 AM)

Gun control will not keep someone with mental illness from killing people. McVay killed hundreds in Oklahoma and in Iraq hundreds are blown up and killed every day. Thousands were killed at the World Trade Center. We need to pray that God will help those people before they go off the deep end.

L. D. Estes, Texarkana, Arkansas (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:18 AM)

WE REALLY CAN'T MAKE A JUDGMENT YET ON IF THERE IS ISLAMIC CONNECTIONS UNTIL WE KNOW THE WHOLE STORY BEHIND HIS MADNESS.HE WAS A VERY MIXED UP INDIVIDUAL AND IT IS VERY DISTURBING THAT HIS MENTAL ILLNESS FELL BETWEEN THE CRACKS AND SO MANY INOCENT PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES.I WANT TO KNOW WHERE WAS HIS PARENTS IN ALL OF THIS.I AM NOT BLAMEING THEM BUT IF THEY KNEW HOW DISTURBED HE WAS THEY COULD HAVE USED THEIR INFLUENCE TO GET HIM HELP.

MARY F ALLEN (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:19 AM)

If this young man,who was clearly very disturbed, has a family somewhere, why have they not even been mentioned.they must be going through there own private hell(33 times)if you can find it in your hearts to say a prayer for them

maureen,Las Vegas. NV (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:19 AM)

I think this further proves this guy was totally confused. This was not your typical "I'm a crusader fo Allah, I'm gonig to slaughter people" rhetoric, from what I ahve heard of it. This guy was just crazy. Some will likely claim he's just another Muslim fanatic but that doesn't seem to be the case, apparently religion was jsut an excuse (as it is with Muslim fanatics too) but with Cho, it was religion in general, not islam, that he used as his excuse. I wouldn't be surprised if some of the more fanatical Muslim groups like Al-Qaeda try to claim him as a Muslim crusader, but it will only make them look that muc more desperate for attention. The cold fact seems to be this Cho character was jsut a psychopath, pure and simple, an evil man who lusted for blood. We can alalyze him and his motives until we're blue in the face, the fact is none of us will ever know. it could just be that he was jsut a messed up kid, or jsut plain evil, or a combination of both. This wasn't the first time a fanatic slaughtered innocent people and claimed they did it for the benefit of the righteous, and it won't be the last. They get these blind ideas of being a crusader but it's all about bloodlust. Avenging the righteous is jsut an excuse to back themselves up.

Seth, Georgia (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:19 AM)

what a shame that nbc didn't just turn the tape over to the fbi and refuse to put this psycho on tv. maybe if he hadn't seen all the footage from the columbine killers and didn't think that he could make a nationwide audience listen to his ramblings, it might not have been so inviting. shame on all the media for giving him his fifteen minutes of fame. where are his parents? usually parents of psycho killers try to make excuses or apologize for their childrens actions.

becky funk, sealy, texas (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:19 AM)

I think it's pretty distubing that the media has basically turned this guy into a celebrity putting him at the top of every headline. There is very little to be said about memorials for the victims or how the school is coping with the loss. It's all about pictures, videos, and writings on the killer.

John, Elizabeth City, NC (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:20 AM)

NBC and MSNBC should not be showing images of this killer. Instead they should be showing images of those that were killed by this disturbed man. I guess NBC will air/show anything to make a buck and glorify a killer. The media in the U.S. has no conscious. NBC has shown that it will do anything for ratings. Shame on all of you.

Greg Groton, MA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:20 AM)

It is inevitable that we all search for "meaning" in this desperately sick young man's "manifesto". However, mental illness is precisely that - mental illness. His words should not be assumed to have deep meaning and be placed upon any single or group entity, religious persuasion, political affiliation, etc. Records are coming to light that clearly show he was (a) deeply mentally ill and (b) that the ball was dropped not merely once but so many times, by a mental health field bound by vague laws; a university clearly content to take his tuition but not warn and protect this young man from himself or what he might do to other students; a police force that did not clearly communicate with both the university and mental health professionals. As a society, we are already making the same mistakes we made after Columbine! We shouldn't paint this young man as an "otherworldly monster" - he was a deeply sick young man who was ALLOWED to fall through the cracks. And now, there is plenty of blame to go around for the blood he has shed. This is so tragic for so many reasons - but most of all, because it could have without any doubt have been avoided - the killings, and his descent into madness.

Simone, Chicago IL (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:21 AM)

Issac was to be sacrificed by Abraham, not Ishmael.

AC, Rock Hill, SC (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:21 AM)

By making Cho famous, we are doing the victims a disservice. Also, all the media coverage about how this was the worst shooting spree in American history just dares someone to do it bigger and better. Isn't there a way to memorialize the victims without glorifying the shooter. Cho was obviously a very disturbed young man and should not be the focus of our nation's attention.

Stacie Shanks, Knoxville, TN (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:22 AM)

The photos, letters and videos Cho made and delivered to NBC News should have been sealed as evidence and NOT been released for a long time. Now NBC News, in a bid at self-promotion by releasing their exclusive 'scoop' to the world, has provided images that will make Cho a hero to some people who believe such acts are justified and may inspire them to do the same thing. NBC News has been manipulated by the terrorist to do what Cho couldn't do for himself - project a powerful image of himself as a martyr. It's the first thing you see splashed all over the MSNBC Website and the world's other media today.

Atom - SF, CA (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:22 AM)

Please dont characterize this individual as a martyr. look up the term. This individual was a psychotic mass murderer. He is a martyr to no cause but mental illness. Some people glorify martyrdom and suggest a higher cause. The media should not let this happen here.

scott calhoon oklahoma city oklahoma (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:22 AM)

I don't really care why he did this.I'm just want to see something besides those two idiots Anna Smith and Imus.Atleast Cho had his shit tight.If only you news people had some idea what you where talking about.Your simple shit had to help drive him over the edge.But I know you people didn't do anything.Like the rest of the world.Just ask ya.

Donna Underdal,Bolivar,MO (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:22 AM)

I also agree on the parent issue. I find it odd that they would not have noticed this behavior. It sounds as though they just ignored it and didn't care. Of course the parents of the Columbine kdis were the same way and look what happened. And "God" has nothing to do with this. Religion has nothing to do with it. As I said before it was jsut a cop-out, it's the same as Muslim extremists, they claim what they do is for Islam when in truth it has nothing to do with anything other than the bloodlust they are programmed to exhibit by their masters, whome hide in caves while they "robots" do the work.

Seth, Gerogia (Sent Thursday, April 19, 2007 11:22 AM)



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Fight for Iraq
Learn more about the ethnic, religious and political power plays in and around Iraq during a briefing of the region led by NBC’s Richard Engel.

DAILY NIGHTLY

The Daily Nightly
The blog of "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams" features a daily post from the broadcast's anchor and managing editor, as well as contributions from correspondents and producers around the world. Go behind-the-scenes and learn how news is gathered and produced for the broadcast.

MSNBC Weblogs