SlowpokeBlog

As soon as the image of the Virginia Tech killer with his guns drawn started popping up, I knew what I was doing for this week's cartoon. When I saw that, my heart sank. How delighted he would be if he could see how eagerly his bait was taken.

For all the discussion out there about possible causes and motivations behind the Virginia Tech shootings, I am surprised how few people are talking about such massacres as media spectacles. As Cho's "media kit" makes plain as day, these shootings are not just about killing people; they are about fame. By releasing his home video and other materials, NBC allowed itself to get played. It doesn't stop there, though; as Josh Marshall points out on TPM, NBC actually branded the video with their logo, making the text of my third panel even more apropos than I'd thought. What, if anything, do these people find tacky?

I agree the video was likely upsetting to the victims' families and friends, but that is not the issue that concerns me most. Broadcasting disturbing footage can serve the public interest -- for example, informing viewers of the gruesome realities of war. But there was little such educational value here. The big problem lies with the next killer who sees the platform Cho was given, and decides they would like to go out in a similar blaze of "glory." I'm not saying we can't talk about Cho; there's something to be gained from examining his behavior and learning what the warning signs look like. His Yosemite Sam pose, however, is superfluous to this effort.

I read somewhere that, unlike the U.S. media, the Canadian Broadcasting Company decided to describe the video instead. Our neighbor to the north proves they are saner than we are yet again! (Incidentally, I will be visiting Canada soon.)

Someone has set up a blog and petition to protest NBC's decision here. As you can see, I've let them use my cartoon.