Parental Neglect

One of the few things that the killer at Virginia Tech and I have in common are that we are both Asian and come from families where the parents are usually absent because of work. Coming from a family of five children, I've realized that my parents work all the time (12+ hours a day) to provide us with anything we need and to be able to support us when we go off to college because they want us to have a good life...a better life.

Ahn described them [Cho Seung-Hui's parents] as "hard-working" people whose long hours helped send their daughter to Princeton University and their son to Virginia Tech. (source)

Being hard-working isn't enough to be a proper parent. Sending your kids off to college doesn't mean you were a good parent. Yes, you're fulfilling that part of "The American Dream" that you wanted for your children but at what cost?

Anger. Violence. A cold demeanor because it's hard for us to express our emotions.

You don't know who we are as people and we don't know you. Even as we grow older, the door is locked tight, the book sealed shut.

It's too late to try.