On Tuesday, April 20th, 1999, this country changed once again. 15 people died at Columbine High School, Colorado. 12 innocent students, 1 devoted teacher, and the 2 rampaging, disturbed, angry teenage boys that caused this disaster. It made me sick to the stomach hearing about the carnage. I didn't even want to listen at first. When people started accusing a certain kind of people for this kind of behavior, I was outraged. Outlaw trench coats? That's just plain silly. And Goths cannot be themselves because they'll blow up everyone if they get mad? All the so-called "freaks" targeted and considered dangerous. Goths, punks, skinheads, even straightedgers like me. On the whole Goths are mild and keep to themselves, I know, a very good friend of mine, one whom I consider to have saved my life, is one. The gothic poseurs on the other hand… I don't even wanna get into those people. Punks? I don't know one that even think about inflicting pain like this. Or even close to it. Skinheads are considered racist. I don't now one racist skinhead. Not truly. One maybe but he really isn't. Skinheads originated from Jamaica. I don't know about you, but as far as I'm concerned it'd be a bit ironic if they were racist against themselves. Straightedge. This is the one that really riles me. There was a thing on TV about sXe. My mother watched it. What did she get out of it? That sXe was violent, angry, and evil. I admit, I get disgruntled if people talk about drugs and especially alcohol around me. I like to be respected like everyone else in this country. That's what makes us free. But I am NOT violent, aside from hitting a guy friend that disrespected me (in that fun, playful way. If I wanted hurt them I would!) The point is, society doesn't understand us very well. What is the freedom to do how you feel, live the way you want, and speak your own mind, if a stereotype is place upon our heads? In the end, we need to learn from this, but not destroy others' lives as well. Next time it could be some jock (I would like to state now I have many friends of all types, some of whom are jocks. I play basketball myself) that upset over loosing his girlfriend to and old rival, comes into school with the gun he uses to go hunting with his father and goes after his ex, her new boyfriend, and anyone acquainted with them at all. No one knows what or who will be next.
Over in Kosovo the ethnic cleansing (something the Yugoslav government pathetically denies) is a repeat of history once again. Another Hitler, Stalin, Russian czar, gypsy-killing Europeans, Roman slave-killing, murders. That's all it comes down to in the end. We have our soldiers back, but we must not back down. "Never again." The words spoken after WWII. Well, it's back, and how can we possibly just watch? My father's best friend is with the 102nd Air Guard in Turkey right now. Billy's someone I've know since birth. He has a daughter my age whom I grew up catching fireflies with. Then I have friends in the Army Reserves. I myself plan on joining the Navy in 2 years, war or no war. People have died, from sickness or war, since time for us began. But how much have we learned. I sure hope it was more than how to make an atomic bomb and destroy more with one punch. The worlds isn't in the children's hands. It is up to those that can remember to teach those going out into the world about the painful atrocities they've lived through. So tell me, how much have we learned?
An essay on the pain and irony of death, Maybe Heaven
