Thoughtprints

If you've been able to, you've probably been glued to your television as I have, watching the Convocation held just about an hour ago. It was extremely moving, ending with amazing and highly affirming words from Poet and University Distinguished Professor Nikki Giovanni. As expected, the stories of tragedy and heroism are beginning to unfold, at once causing the heart to both break and soar. A conflict of emotion we cannot understand, but feel so very deeply.

As we now know, the identity of the Virginia Tech massacre shooter is Cho Seung-Hui. As with the previously mentioned stories of tragedy and heroism, stories of this young man and his obviously troubled mind are also unfolding. According to an article on the CNN web site:

A fellow student said the 23-year-old English major had authored two plays so "twisted" that his classmates suspected he might become a school shooter.

Ian McFarland, who said he had class with Cho Seung-hui, called the plays "very graphic" and "extremely disturbing."

McFarland is an employee of America Online, which has provided the writings to CNN.

"It was like something out of a nightmare," McFarland wrote in a blog. "The plays had really twisted, macabre violence that used weapons I wouldn't have even thought of.

"Before Cho got to class that day, we students were talking to each other with serious worry about whether he could be a school shooter."

A university official also said that Cho scribed writings so "disturbing" they were sent to administrators, a university official said Tuesday.

The official did not provide details about the writings, which first came to the attention of faculty in the English department, but said they were passed on to the department chairwoman and university administrators.

Cho left a long and vitriolic note in his dorm room, law enforcement sources told ABC News. It contained an explanation of his actions and states, "You caused me to do this," ABC News reported.

It also railed against "rich kids," "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans" on campus, according to the Chicago Tribune.

*sigh* Memories of Columbine come flooding back. There were warning signs with those two young men, also. When will we ever learn to listen to those warning signs?

Virginia Tech Shooting, Virginia Tech University, Cho Seung Hui, Nikki Giovanni