In the aftermath of the official state report dissecting the Virginia Tech massacre, bereaved parents of killing victims are calling for the resignation of Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. I can fully understand Gwaltney’s grief and desire for accountability. But there was one person — and one person only — who bears responsibility for the events of April 16, and that is Seung-Hui Cho.
The state report presented no evidence that anyone at Virginia Tech, or anywhere else, acted with incompetence or negligence. The report presented no evidence that Virginia Tech had failed to put into place safeguards that were commonly accepted at other universities. Although the report said Virginia Tech officials conceivably could have saved lives if they had acted differently (with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight), it is clearer than ever that the failure, like that of 9/11, was the incapacity of an entire system to contemplate and prepare for the inconceivable.
Virginia and the United States now have been forewarned. The failures of the system, especially of the mental health system, and devilish trade-offs involving the privacy of mental health patients, have been dissected and laid bare. If lawmakers fail to respond effectively, the bereaved parents will have someone to hold accountable. Fortunately, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine appears to be approaching the tragedy with a sober and thoughtful attitude. I, for one, am confident that appropriate measures will be taken.
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