Voices

Attackers deserve no sympathy

By Chen Jiaxing (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-14 07:55

The recent school attacks are appalling. In the latest incident, a knife-wielding man entered a kindergarten in a township in Shaanxi province and stabbed to death at least seven children and two adults. It's heart-breaking to see innocent children killed.

Many people have tried to find what lies behind these killing frenzies. Some people's first reaction is to blame the media. But the media has a social responsibility to cover such occurrences. Critics argue that by sensationalizing the tragedies and reporting the bloody details and exposing how the murderer has been unfairly treated, the media induce copycat crimes. But on the other hand, if the media don't cover such incidents or write just a few words, the dead children's parents have no way to vent their anger and the public's right to information would not be satisfied. Under such circumstances, rumors would arise and conflicts would emerge.

The media tailor their angles in line with their social responsibility. But local authorities of the places where the incidents happen should not congratulate themselves that they have avoided being criticized by the media. If local officials don't publicize the causes of these cases and have thorough investigations, it will damage their credibility and turn society against them.

Local authorities should immediately take the following actions when any such tragedy occurs: take charge of the investigation and make their conclusions public, arrange for the treatment of injured children and express their condolences to the families of those killed, put forward a package of campus security solutions and solicit support and trust from all parties.

But more importantly, after the school stabbings, it's not just local authorities that should feel responsible for campus security, governmental departments at various levels should all heed and undertake pragmatic measures correspondingly. Tough measures must be taken to let everyone know that it's coward's act to hurt the weak, particularly innocent children, and that as of now they are doomed to failure. Tough measures are also a way to tell society that the government can protect children's safety and no such devastating incidents will happen again.

A consensus must be reached delivering the message that it's ugly and evil for people to turn to children for revenge, even though they may have encountered setbacks, hardships, unfairness and injustice. Such acts will only ensure that sympathy turns to hate. This consensus is a basic value in a civilized society and a basic responsibility and value for a civilian as well.

We should abandon that idea that society is a reason for revenge and exculpate such extreme acts objectively.

Everyone must strongly oppose and condemn such extreme behavior so that there remains not the slightest shred of psychological inducement and encouragement for anyone to perpetrate such atrocities.

Meanwhile, we should give more care to those who endure setbacks, difficulties, unfairness and injustice and help them to find solutions to their problems, thus everyone can enjoy a sense of security, which is a basic human need.

(Excerpts of a comment that first appeared in the Beijing Times on May 13)