Cho (Va tech shooter) had been diagnosed as autistic as a child

[idgiehkt]

This discussion is really starting to wear on me right now, watching CNN. I hate these phrases like "the face of evil". Now they are saying that he was probably schizophrenic, on a psychotic break. I watch this stuff and they bandy these terms about like there is no difference that matters between them. I have been misdiagnosed with several different things when I started getting counseling...great, now they are talking about the "make-believe world". This is cutting pretty close right now, sorry this post is not more coherent.

I don't know what the official diagnosis was but I can identify with not having a clearly defined self-concept and how he apparently signed his name with a question mark.

[hunter]

1. I'm upset.

It's very likely that guys like me won't be allowed to finish college ever again, which is the perfect ass-backwards into the fire worst possible and "obvious" but utterly wrong "solution."

The United States is a nation of cowards. We follow a simple-minded path of fear and ignorance, not the high road of compassion and wisdom.

[idgiehkt]

2. the whole discussion is weighing on me

because so many labels are being tossed around. Autism could be greatly misunderstood because of what they are saying about this kid. Sigh. I can't even articulate why that whole dialog feels like sandpaper to me right now but I am sure you understand, probably better than I do being an autistic male. And I do agree the media is pandering to an unsophisticated mindset, from what I've seen.

[Deja Q]

3. Now I thought he just committed a vile crime.

Isn't that enough?

They can suggest he's a loner, an Aspie, a schizophrenic, a pancake eater, and smears tapioca pudding all over his body for all I care.

And, yes, there are differences between the conditions.

The core issue is in his violence, what triggered it, finding the problem, and resolving the problem. He was a a problem, obviously, but he was a symptom of a far greater problem. And unlike Europe, America has this devolved "boys will be boys" excuse to justify what little boys do. It's high time schools put conduct codes back in, "freedom of speech" has NOTHING to do with that.

[Kajsa]

4. I'm no expert by any means, BUT---

having a grown son with HS autism and ADHD
and
being married to his dad, a very high functioning schizophrenic,

I'd have to say Cho reminded me more of my ex- husband's behavior
( the world's weight on his shoulders and some that's in his head)
than my son's.

It hard to put into words.

I wish to hell the media hadn't turned this into a three ring circus
with the tape he sent to NBC.

That and their nauseous, repetitious, get nowhere fast reporting,
showed the buck came before any human decency.

[hedgehog]

5. I thought he sounded autistic in many ways except for the fact

that he had so much hostility toward the world. I've known autistics who had trouble connecting, but never a mean autistic.

[citizen snips]

6. There is a lack of Evidence to conclude if he was autistic.

During a New Year's telephone call in 2006, Cho's mother told the elderly aunt that Cho might have autism, a developmental disability marked by profound social isolation and delayed speech acquisition. No autism diagnosis could be verified with Cho's parents, and no records or other evidence have surfaced to indicate such a diagnosis was made or relied upon by U.S. school authorities.Cho's relatives thought that he was mute or even mentally ill. According to Cho's uncle, Cho "didn’t say much and didn't mix with other children."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seung-Hui_Cho