Today's Nuze: April 19, 2007

Thursday - April 19, 2007

NOW IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE SCHOOL FAILED THE STUDENTS

Earlier this week I was critical of people who were trying to blame the administration of Virginia Tech for the tragedy that occurred on Monday. At that time there seemed no rational basis for the criticisms.

Well, that was then. This is now.

And now we know that the Virginia Tech killer was a psycho. He was mentally disturbed. Not only was he mentally disturbed, with suicidal thoughts, but the university knew it! One professor had expelled the killer from her classroom. At one point he was sent to a mental health facility ... later to be released.

Did political correctness play a role here? Is it at all possible that strong action was not taken against him because he was a member of an ethnic minority?

Did you know that both houses of the Virginia legislature unanimously passed legislation within the past year or so that barred Virginia colleges and universities from expelling a student on the basis of mental instability? Virginia colleges and universities were also banned from suspending or expelling a student because of an attempted suicide or the expression of suicidal thoughts? Cho committed suicide on Monday. He took 31 people with him. The university knew he was a threat. Nothing was done.

Who to blame? The university? The Virginia legislature? How about the student at another Virginia university who was sent home after he expressed suicidal thoughts? He filed a lawsuit .. the lawsuit that led to the Virginia legislature telling government schools that they must harbor people --- potentially dangerous people --- who speak and dream of violence.

Are these educational institutions or mental health wards? Why should we expect them to fulfill both functions?

ANGRY? YEAH .. I REALLY AM.

You know, the one thing I hate to do most as a talk show host is to listen to tapes of my own show. I've had more program directors during my 37-year career than I care to count, and every one of them learned at some point that trying to get me to listen to an air check of myself would be harder than finding a cure for cancer.

So ... what did I do yesterday? I did it. I bit the bullet. I actually listened to my show ... or parts of it ... and I became very angry. Upset and angry. At who? Well, mostly at me. I was angry at me for the way I was handling the Virginia Tech matter. I wasn't angry at what I was saying .. just with how I was saying it.

This started when Web Guy (who's name will remain unknown to protect his sanity) called me to tell me that I really needed to take a look at some emails. Now a day doesn't pass that I don't get emails from people telling me that Jesus doesn't love me and that I should do the world a favor and curl up somewhere and die. That's the nature of our cultural discourse today. People seem to find it difficult to disagree in a civil manner. What alerted Web Guy was that many of the angry emails were coming from people who professed to be loyal listeners and fans of the show. So, I looked at some of the emails, then decided that a hated air check might be in order.

I still feel that I had a valid point to make, that being why didn't these students fight back? Other's have made similar points since Monday, but they've done it without the sense of anger that I was exhibiting. Mark Steyn, a brilliant columnist, wrote a column titled "A Culture of Passivity." I'm not going to try to make my point again here ... Steyn did it better than me at any rate. If you're interested you can just click on this link and read away. I will share one sentence from the Steyn column: "It is a poor reflection on us that, in those first critical seconds where one has to make a decision, only an elderly Holocaust survivor, Professor Librescu, understood instinctively the obligation to act."

A horrendous incident such as the massacre at Virginia Tech affects people in different ways. Every balance person reacts with sorrow, of course. But with some, as with me, the sorrow is is mixed with anger. How in the hell could something like this happen? Yesterday I allowed my anger to show more than my sorrow and my sadness for the families who have lost loved ones and the Hokies who will forever carry this horrible memory of what should have been the best four years of their lives.

Were there people who agreed with the points I was raising? Yes, there were. I've posted some of their emails at the end of Nealz Nuze. But they, too, were probably a bit uneasy with the way I was expressing my thoughts.

Mark Steyn has it right. We have produced a culture of passivity. Some listeners brought up a very good point yesterday in that self defense is absolutely not allowed in today's government schools. Almost all of those Virginia Tech students went through a government school system where a person who uses physical force in self defense on school grounds is punished at the same level as the aggressor. In this we teach our children that there is something wrong with acting to defend yourself. This lesson can be carried into adulthood. It's a valid point, one that I wish I could have made in a more appropriate manner yesterday. I failed, and for that I apologize.

I hope that other people ... people well versed in the operations of the human mind and group dynamics ... will step forward and give some serious thought and study to what happened at Virginia Tech on Monday ... and I hope they do it with more class than I showed.

ONE MORE THING ... SOME GOOD NEWS

The Gallup Poll is showing Hillary with some comforting negative ratings. A majority of Americans now have an unfavorable image of Hillary. Her favorable rating is now at 45% ... her lowest since 1993. What an incredible shame.

I can't tell you depressing the presidential race is going to be if we don't have Hillary with the Democrat Party nomination.

ATLANTA RIDE FOR KIDS

Atlanta area folks, join hundreds of other motorcyclists (and maybe even me if I can work it out) for the Atlanta Ride For Kids, a scenic ride through the Georgia countryside, Sunday, June 3rd. You'll have a great time while raising funds for the PBTF's medical research and family support programs! Riders on all makes and models are welcome.

GOTTA GO TO THE DOCTOR ....

I have to visit Marvelous Marvin, my orthopedic surgeon, before the show today ... .so I gotta run.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

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If you're a high school principal it's probably not a good idea to kiss the feet of your male students. But then again, maybe that's just me.

Could class warfare have been a motive in the shootings at Virginia Tech? We now learn that Cho Seung-Hui mailed a package to NBC News. The package contained photos and videos as well as writings. The president of NBC news has said that Cho's videos showed him talking directly to the camera. Though he didn't name any specific person, he talked "at length about his hatred of the wealthy." Here's the story, along with a rather disturbing picture.

Have you ever heard of the Google TiSP wireless Internet access system. You could save some big bucks. Just click here.

Cooking with Neal! Kitty Litter Cake recipe.

Maybe switching to a cooking show format isn't the best idea. I mean, there are even groups of people who get together online just to hate on Rachael Ray!

Comic relief video: F.N.G.R.

Need another distraction? Look at all the cute baby animals!

And now for some email ... at least a few people still love me!

Message:
While it's difficult to imagine the terror those students felt, I thank you for questioning why they didn't try to do something to defend themselves because you made me think about what I would do in a life-threatening situation, or how my daughters might react....and maybe by giving it some serious thought, we might actually be better prepared in the event something so horrendous happened to one of us. I realize you are getting a lot of criticism for your comments, but when people stop and think about it rather than just saying what quickly comes to mind in a very sad situation such as this, they, too, might eventually thank you as well

Message:
Boortz, I am a liberal and as much as it pains me to say this; you are right. I may be thrown out of the liberal club for saying this but I have a weapons permit and a C&R FFL. As you stated in your opinion piece, the fact that the VT shooter was not allowed to bring a weapon on the campus made no difference to him. All the gun control legislation in the world is not going to stop someone who is deranged or has criminall intent. I don't ascribe any relevance to the wild, wild west attitude either. I firmly believe that having the right to carry, with a background check and permit, would prevent a lot of violence.

Message:
I was watching Oprah today(4.18.07) There was a psychologist, Dr. Susan Lipkins, on who made a statement that caught my attention.
". . .violence is rarely random, it's planned as it was in this case. It's the victems who are random and we have to teach people how to stand up and protect themselves . . ."
You are not the only one who realizes that we do need to teach the heroic notion of defending ourselves and others against evil-doers.

Message:
Neal,
Excellent reporting on the bystander effect! I received my degree in psychology in 99 shortly after the Columbine shootings and no one has ever brought up this well documented effect. Excellent work! Keep it up!

Message:
Neal,
Hang in there my friend - I totally agree with your opinions today! If just one of the several students at VT had a weapon, Why Not One of the Professors would have a concealed weapon is ridiculous. Don't suppose it's because of their liberal leanings? It is sad to say our society has changed and we do need more people out here that have the ability to protect themselves with a concealed weapon! Just got your Book and will read it on the plane Friday! Hang in there Neal! There are many of us out here who just listen daily and remain silent - but You need to know we support you and your Sponsors!

Message:
Neal,
FWIW, I think you have handled things quite well. You might even be saving some lives by pointing out that standing in line waiting for a bullet might not be a great idea. Depending on the circumstances, I can understand playing along until one person was shot in cold blood; after that, it's time to rush the worthless SOB. The American people apparently need to hear that.

Message:
Neal,
Don't let the bastards wear you down. Your show today was right on point. We have created a society of sheep that from the 1st day of school are taught, "Never fight back." My granddaughters teacher has a sign on the wall that reads "Violence is ALWAYS wrong." Between you and your callers today, you made all the points that I could make, but as one retired from law enforcement, I would say, teach your kids that when attacked by a predator fight back anyway you can.
Again, Thanks for todays program.

Message:
Dear Neal,
Listening to your show this morning, I was trying to see both sides of why people are so upset about your comments regarding the VT students' failure to fight back. While I think you have a valid point, I also understand why it is so painful to hear.
I'm sure the families and friends of those killed are wondering the same kinds of things that you are. Did the students not fight back because they were frozen with fear? Did they think that hiding would keep them safe - perhaps remembering images from Columbine and other tragedies of survivors huddled together behind lab desks and cafeteria tables? Maybe they lined up, calmly speaking to the gunman, hoping that others might escape while they distracted him.
We will never know what was going through their minds, regardless of the witnesses or the cell phone video. It's hard to say what makes one man willing to take a bullet for another, and when that crosses the line from stupidity to heroism.
I do think that people who tune into your show expecting compassion haven't heard you speak before. It's not a firing offense, just par for the course. But it doesn't surprise me that they are upset. Second guessing the victims is one step away from blaming them, and no one deserves to be brutally murdered like that.
It would be hard, but the best thing those families could do would be to turn off the TV and radio and internet for awhile. The media after a tragedy like this is like the streets of Atlanta after midnight - nothing good happens there.
Thanks for the show.

Message:
When I heard you ask why the Va. Tech. students didn't fight back, I screamed "YES!" Learning the details of how some of them complied without a fight saddened me. I don't understand how anyone can sheepishly line up to die when there's a chance their life can be saved if they fight for it. I thank you for saying out loud what many people are thinking. You ROCK!!

Message:
04/18/07
I totally agree with you Neal, about what you were saying about how those students not defending there selves. Political correctness is going to bring this country down. As bad as this shooting was can you imagine what if it had been trained Islamic terrorists in there killing people. Instead of 32 killed it could have been hundreds. You no the Islamic Terrorists, are watching this. Are our schools ready for these animals. It's just a matter of time till the real Slaughter begins. Neal are right.

Message:
Neal, You had great timing and a great message. I saw your hate email and feel like you must take the bull by the horns and strike while the iron is hot. Something this Aggie has done well for many years. I appreciate you

Message:
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I have been yelling things at the radio and tv for 2 days and FINALLY someone said what I was thinking. Why didn't anyone attack the shooter when he was re-loading? Why didn't a group of potential victims rush him and take the gun away? WHY DIDN'T ANYONE ELSE HAVE A GUN WITH WHICH TO SHOOT BACK WITH? Thank you Neal for common sense - I was losing my mind!

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