Violent essay update

[juddling]

Charges dropped

 

 

seems like the right move IN THIS CASE

 

[retro1983hat]

I will be at the Cary-Grove graduation for a family member on Saturday. I will update on what the reaction is when his name is announced.

[retro1983hat]

Just an update. I was at the C-G graduation Saturday and the loudest and longest-lasting applause was for Allen Lee. As much as I thought he was an idiot for writing the essay the week of the VT shooting, I am glad he was cheered. Not because people support what he did, but because he has had it rough the last few weeks and at least on his graduation, in which he graduated in the top 10%, he deserved a cheer recognizing that he worked hard for 4 years despite a really moronic moment.

[Texsox]

One of the great things about this country is we generally "get it right" in the end. We may over act or under act at times, but we eventually do the right thing most of the time.

 

[GoodAsGould]

Not that he deserved to have charges brought up against him, but why would someone write that crap in the first place? Arent you only asking for trouble when you write that stuff.

[Texsox]

Not that he deserved to have charges brought up against him, but why would someone write that crap in the first place? Arent you only asking for trouble when you write that stuff.

 

Think about the works of literature that have scared and scarred America. Not to put him and a school paper but we've burned and banned books. Even Harry Potter was protested by some groups.

 

Was this the venue? Obviously not.

[Gregory Pratt]

One of the great things about this country is we generally "get it right" in the end. We may over act or under act at times, but we eventually do the right thing most of the time.

 

 

What on Earth are you talking about? What the hell's that got to do with this issue?

 

Besides, I disagree that Americans -- or any country -- "gets it right most of the time, in the end." Or, at least, I contend that "in the end" isn't good enough and we should get more things right the first time.

[BobDylan]

Not that he deserved to have charges brought up against him, but why would someone write that crap in the first place? Arent you only asking for trouble when you write that stuff.

 

No.

 

People like the VT shooter give the literary community a bad name. People see that, then they see other people writing stories with gore in it and they freak out. That's not the way to handle the situation. The literary community is in a bad situation right now, especially the up and coming writers. It pisses the hell out of me that I have to watch my p's and q's in my works of FICTION because of that son of a b**** from VT. Stephen King would be on death row if we reacted to gore this way every time out.

Edited May 31, 2007 by BobDylan

[Texsox]

What on Earth are you talking about? What the hell's that got to do with this issue?

 

Besides, I disagree that Americans -- or any country -- "gets it right most of the time, in the end." Or, at least, I contend that "in the end" isn't good enough and we should get more things right the first time.

 

What it has to do with this issue is they reacted in the most conservative manner, quickly taking maximum action against the person in case he was a threat. After taking time to investigate all the facts and access the risk, they dropped back to a more reasoned approach.

 

Perhaps in this era of school shootings removing the student was the correct first response. We always seem to see this stuff after the fact. To see it before the fact takes some guess work and risk of getting it wrong. Look at the Patriot Act and all the other "protections" we've been taking. Seems that remove the threat first and ask questions later is the new order of business in America.

[NorthSideSox72]

Not that he deserved to have charges brought up against him, but why would someone write that crap in the first place? Arent you only asking for trouble when you write that stuff.

Yes. There is little question in my mind that the kid was trying to get attention by being shocking. Therefore, I have very little sympathy for whatever consequences he endured.

[southsider2k5]

Out of curiousity, if this kid snaps and shoots a bunch of people in a couple of years, will they still feel that dropping the charges was the right thing to do?

[Texsox]

Out of curiousity, if this kid snaps and shoots a bunch of people in a couple of years, will they still feel that dropping the charges was the right thing to do?

 

Great point. I just wonder under existing laws what we could do to stop it? I think about the only option would be an involuntary admission to a Psychiatric Hospital.

[southsider2k5]

I am just asking, because I believe it would still have been the right move to not charge him with anything. I was just curious how far people believe their freedom of speech goes.

[Texsox]

I am just asking, because I believe it would still have been the right move to not charge him with anything. I was just curious how far people believe their freedom of speech goes.

 

It is an excellent question and highlights another situation where our freedoms put us at risk.

[BobDylan]

Yes. There is little question in my mind that the kid was trying to get attention by being shocking. Therefore, I have very little sympathy for whatever consequences he endured.

 

Can you prove that?

 

They dropped the charges and, flat out, that was the right thing to do. If you think this kind of stuff isn't written often, you're dead wrong. Sit in for a few days at your local high school creative writing class. Then sit in at your local college creative writing class. Then go to the horror section at Borders.

 

Freedom of speech is not black and white, but not every writer should be put under investigation if they write something that contains mass quantities of violence or some other shocking matter in it.