I've never been to Jefferson County in Colorado, though one does not have to travel far outside the realm of possibility to understand unspoken law concerning the social outcast. Acne. Ill-will. Social status. Jocks. The subculture of cliques controlling all the action. Parading on Main Street, claiming territorial rights, as if by birth, based on a boyfriend or a designer pair of jeans!
The fateful morning Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold embarked on what may only be termed as the deadliest massacre for an American high school, I readied notes for my next class: Language Arts. We were to read an ancient Chinese tale about a magic cricket who, when making music, kept the evil spirits helplessly at bay. It was just after 11am April 20th, 1999. Little did anyone across the country realize what was about to take place. Regardless of specific demographics, wherever you happened to be at the time, whatever you happened to be doing, who would ever be the same? Students. Parents. Grandparents. Faculty.
Strangers from as many different backgrounds forced to face each other in the dark alley of the night.
Why had this happened?
I had been living up the street from my girlfriend who later agreed to be my wife. Later that evening in April, 1999, it must have been after ten, I sprinted 7 houses down through the vague clouds of darkness with burning tears streaming down. We sat in her bedroom, my head slumped in her lap, wondering just to what depths the human animal would descend...and for what~!
I shook and shuddered like starched linen in a twister, heaving uncontrollably. 24 injured. 15 students dead including a teacher, with millions of other lives forever changed. All in less than an hour! 11:19 am - 12:08 pm.
Now whatever your stance regarding gun control and/or video games, bullying, or medication, lets agree to just one thing: every individual deserves a fair chance in society.
If we ken agree to this we may part as friends.
"Life is a candle before the wind" -Japanese proverb
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" every individual deserves a fair chance in society."
ReplyDeleteSounds like a pretty radical idea to me. Do you mean to say we ought to put more money into the education and safeguarding of our children than we do into the pockets of corporate greed. Better watch out there Blood, people will start calling you a socialist.
I apologize about the sarcasm, but I'm getting old and I fear for my granchildren.
You're a good man my friend and I wish you and your family peace.
Agreed.
ReplyDeleteSad day indeed.
Even more sad is that the perpetrators blamed their actions on others treatment of them.
We've all had people pick on us or sometimes feel as if we didn't belong, yet didn't go postal like these two animals.
Since the beginning there have been bad seeds...Ultimately, they create the reason for lashing out then try to justify it when there is no justification.
Great post B. I have been to Littleton, CO many times as my wife actually spent a large part of her youth living there and her parents still do. It is a nice, mellow community that would be about as far from the type of place you would expect this to happen as anywhere in the world.
ReplyDeleteMy brother-in-law, Shane was in high school at that time and actually would have been at Columbine that day if he were not at a private school instead.
This incident devestated the community. It also has changed how out schools today deal with any comments, jokes, threats, weapons, etc.. At the time, schools really cracked down on any student who said or did anything that could be considered an agressive act.
Unfortunately, today, after 10 years, administrators are relaxing and I see the potential for more violence growing.
A couple of years ago, I found a utility tool in a kids locker. It unfolded into pliers, but had a three inch locking blade inside. The kid was holding it for a friend who had threatened a teacher the day before. The Assistant Principal saw the weapon and decided it was only a "tool", not a weapon. He also judged that the student was not the type to use the knife on anyone. No consequence was given. That's scarey.