According to press accounts, the poetry class case went up the academic chain of command. Agreeing that Cho's writings were disturbing, the then-chairman of the English department, Lucinda Roy, "contacted campus police, counseling services, student affairs and officials in her department," The New York Times reported. But since Cho had made no "direct threats," there was nothing they could do. And besides, according to The New York Post's Andrea Peyser, there were concerns about Cho's "free speech."
So Cho exercised his free speech, but no one listening was permitted to respond to it. Cho set off all the alarm bells -- and I haven't even mentioned the stalking incidents, and other psychopathic behavior -- but evidently, as in a frustration nightmare, no one in authority did, or thought they could do much about it besides suggesting therapy. And even that was fruitless. "He wouldn't say yes," said Ms. Roy, "and unfortunately, I couldn't force him to do it."
Why in tarnation not? Why couldn't Virginia Tech officials have "forced" Cho to seek counseling or else lose his affiliation with the college? Better still, why couldn't the college have given Cho "F's" for handing in psychopathic tirades instead of poetry and plays? The college could have expelled him even as it urgently recommended to his parents that he seek counseling. And since when do psychopathic tirades earn course credit, anyway?
Since for a long time. Since we, as a society, decided to abolish "normal," effectively eliminating the parameters of, well, normal behavior. Since we, as a society, decided to rid ourselves of taboos, effectively disarming basic self-defense mechanisms, including good judgment. It is unlikely Cho realized any of this as he maniacally exploited society's weaknesses. But it is crucial we understand our inaction on Cho's warning signs as a consequence of political correctness and begin to reverse it. Otherwise, we won't have even a hope of warding off such evil next time.