Marking Humanity: Stories, Poems, & Essays by Holocaust Survivors - Shlomit Editor Kriger

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school attacks that had occurred in the U.S. between 1974 and 2000. The report states that “incidents of targeted violence at school rarely were sudden, impulsive acts.”6 In addition, 71 percent of the attackers “felt persecuted, bullied, threatened, attacked or injured by others prior to the incident” (Vossekuil et al., 21). Most attackers also “had difficulty coping with significant losses or personal failures,” and 78 percent “exhibited a history of suicide attempts or suicidal thoughts at some point prior to their attack” (Vossekuil et al., 22–23).

      After the family moved to the U.S. in 1992, Cho’s parents worked outside the home long hours, and Cho and his older sister felt isolated (Panel Report, 32). Cho became even more withdrawn; he had few friends and spent much time on hobbies by himself (Panel Report, 32). School peers teased him, but he did not discuss this with his family (Panel Report, 33).

      Cho was in middle school when the mass murder at Columbine High School occurred in 1999. Shortly thereafter, he wrote a paper for English class, expressing “generalized thoughts of suicide and homicide,” indicating that “he wanted to repeat Columbine” (Panel Report, 35). A psychiatrist soon ended up diagnosing him with “selective mutism” (a type of social anxiety disorder) and “major depression,” and he received an antidepressant for about a year (Panel Report, 35).

      During high school, Cho was identified as having special educational needs, and his school provided special accommodations that helped him succeed academically (Panel Report, 39). As the report states, these factors, combined with his continued work with an art therapist, “lessened his anger and frustration” (Panel Report, 40). However, when he applied to college, Virginia Tech did not obtain information about his condition or the treatment that he had received over the years (Panel Report, 38).

      It could seem simple to point fingers at perpetrators, or to assume that some people are purely evil or lost causes. More barriers, security, and stricter laws may be enforced. However, will that really get to the very core of the issues that afflict humanity?

      I am not justifying or making excuses for any act of discrimination, hatred, or violence. People ultimately have the free will to make their own choices about their behaviour and how they respond to their life experiences. In Holocaust survivor Eva Brown’s commencement speech to students at California’s El Camino College, she recalls the fear that she saw in the eyes of a young Nazi guard as he “reluctantly carried out his orders.” Yet, the Nazi officers, even under totalitarian rule, also had the choice to control their conduct. Just as someone who is handed a gun can decide to not pull the trigger, every moment in life presents an opportunity to think and act positively or negatively.

      Nevertheless, it is worth considering that it is rare to hear about people engaging in significant attempts to harm others when they are truly happy with themselves and their lives. Like Cho, often it is those who find it very difficult to heal from past traumas and/or cope with unhealthy environments, life transitions, anger, resentment, regrets, etc. who may turn their pain and sorrow onto themselves or others—whether through substance abuse, eating disorders, criminal activities, or other means. Therefore, it is essential that—preferably from an early age—people obtain the necessary support and treatment to deal with challenges they face and learn healthy ways to build self-esteem and to express or defuse their emotions.

      There should be no shame or fear involved when it comes to people working on themselves and their life situations. Nobody is perfect. All people face different experiences—both positive and challenging—as their souls are on Earth to grow and learn throughout their unique journeys.

      Some may argue that those suffering from mental illness automatically pose a danger to others since they cannot properly assess or even control their actions. However, it is important to recognize that there are varying degrees and layers to mental illness. According to Lillian Freedman, a Toronto social worker who has assisted many youth and adults through her work and provides public lectures on topics such as mental illness, it may be that “when a medical condition affects the way the brain functions there is no predictability regarding behaviour and decision making is not rational.” Still, she notes that this is particularly true in conditions involving psychosis, which causes people to believe they are hearing voices telling them things that are not real and instructing them to act in ways they never would when healthy. They may also hold other delusional beliefs or experience hallucinations and act on some of their visions. “Extreme forms of depression can also make people do terrible things, in the false belief that they have no other choice left,” she says.

      Nonetheless, Freedman explains that these types of illnesses are also treatable. “Thousands of individuals with mental illness are successfully treated and move on and never have the potential or the urge to harm themselves or anybody else,” she says. “The best form of protection for everyone—those afflicted, their loved ones, and society—is early education, early awareness that something might be wrong (even with a young child), early diagnosis and treatment by qualified professionals, and constant monitoring and support systems.”

      What may seem to one person as a harmless incident could end up affecting many areas and stages of another’s life. In addition, people’s environment—which can include caregivers, friends, the community, and even the media—can have a major impact on their conduct and their responses to experiences.

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