"Picoult has received some backlash on message boards, with people claiming that her book contributed to the Virginia Tech massacre that took place a little over a month following the book's publication. Picoult made a statement on her website, concerning the shooting:
“As a parent, my deepest sympathy goes out to the victims and families of the Virginia Tech community. Although shootings on college campuses are often motivated by different factors than the ones I researched for high school shootings in Nineteen Minutes, any time something like this happens it is tragic and raises questions. However, the one we should be asking right now is: How can we help this community heal?”
Also, as a result, the message boards located on Picoult's website have been indefinitely removed."
I found it very sad that she should have been criticised in this way and had to defend herself via her personal website. The United States of America is a democratic country which allows free speech for those who complained about Picoult's book as a possible contributor to the Virgina Tech. massacre but also for Jodi Picoult herself.Why, in this day and age, is it seen as necessary to try and find somebody to take the blame for what has happened. One day it is authors and many seem to have criticised Jodi Picoult on this occasion. To those who blamed her, next time it could be you who the finger of blame is pointing at without reason - and think how that would feel.
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