I find it really hard to believe that mental torture or teasing caused the boys to shoot up a school.
I have been overweight my whole life. I have been spit on, had mud thrown on me, my clothes taken at gym, my shoes flushed down a toilet, hair pulled, food smeared on me, just generally ridiculed through all grades especially through adolescence.
Not once in all 12 years of school did I feel the inclination to kill anyone. Believe me - I was tortured and scarred deeply.
But life goes on and now I am a mom of 4 beautiful girls and I watch them closely for signs of hurt or isolation.
I believe somewhere the parents of these boys lost touch with them, or wanted to press on to get their own needs met and left them to fend for themselves.
If my children were making bombs in our garage I would know. We talk everyday about our lives we share issues and listen to one another. I check their e-mail and homepages to see if they are getting things inappropriate as well keeping journals with tortured thoughts or dark ideas. They know I do this and this keep everything about our lives out in the open. Or in the light.
I will continue to pray for everyone involved in the Columbine history as well as the parents of the boys who perpetrated the deed. I am sure they are overwhelmed by grief and guilt.
God Bless

Hey, I read through your website and some of the pos and neg feedback and I'm kind of disturbed at the negative feedback. In my opinion you have a good website and anyone who thinks that these murderers can take out other peoples lives because kids are cruel to them sometimes needs to reconsider. In my opinion if these boys lives were that bad then they should go commite suicide on their own time and not hurt other people while they were at it. These physcotic screwups had problems like everyone else but they just couldnt come to realize the facts that they themselves determine if people are going to like them or not. Why dont some of these goth freaks just try a little, then maybee some people will start to like them. Instead they go and kill other people and take their troubles out on people just because their black or maybee because they stand up for a religion(christianity). I dont know but the people who are judging this site need to take a look at their own lives because these murderers were monsters and thats the fact. They didnt know how to deal with society and make friends so in my opinion they were jealous of everyones happyness, obviously they dont deserve happyness if thats how they resolve their problems. They simply couldnt take it anymore so they went and made total fools of themselves and then took their own lives. Atleast kirt cobain and other people who took their own lives didnt have to take the good things from other people while they were at it. Oh well, just wanted to express my opinion a little and to say that I back your site!! SBU man in Kansas City

Interesting site. I find it interesting that there are many comments which seek to place blame on others who failed to act when the "signs" were there of something that was coming. Example, the complaint that "nothing was done" when Harris' web page was brought to light in May 1998. Exactly what should or could have been done? Its called the 1st amendment, freedom of speech. Cops can't do anything about kids who write objectionable stuff on a web site. It ain't illegal, plain and simple. Tonight's ABC News Nightline focused on how everyone is sueing the police now. Typical. As a police officer myself, I always expect that we get sued when others commit crimes, especially if the criminals die during the crime. Its always the same. The police either failed to prevent, failed to recognize it was bound to happen, (even though no one else who knew them recognized it was bound to happen) or they failed to properly respond to the incident. After all, you can't sue the crooks. Its no different than the robbery suspect who flees at high speeds after murdering the clerk and then crashes into a family. The police get sued. The crook has no money. A father of a wounded student on "Nightline" made the most ridiculous comment I've heard to date. He claimed the police failed to immediately enter the school and engage the suspects and that it sent a "message" that the student's lives were not as important as the officer's lives. No, the officer's lives are EQUALLY as important as the student's lives. No one ever seems to agree with that. Their families do though. Dead cops can't help anyone if they go charging in during the initial confusion of intelligence gathering and tactics planning at a major event like that. If cops had to pay out for all the lawsuits that come from other's actions, they would do nothing, all the time. Its the taxpayers who pay, which translates in the long run as, the same people who sue pay the bills.

Editor - Hmmmm. You make some good points, and I sympathize with any policeman (or woman) who has to make these kind of choices. On the other hand, I don't think that we can ignore the fact that cops carry guns, and the reason is not unknown to them; they may, at any time, be called upon to risk their lives to save innocent victims. The question in this particular incident, based on release of the police investigation, is that all the victims were killed within a 13 minute period, and the perps were dead within 45 minutes, and therefore could not return fire. So what took 4 hours?

Yes, there is freedom of speech (as long as you don't yell "Fire!" in a crowded theater, which is a crime). However, it does make me wonder what would have happened if the police had showed up on the Harris's doorstep, and invited them to review their son's "workmanship". I also believe that there are laws against terrorist threats, which I believe Harris's Web site would have fit. Clearly, if the Harris's had been advised that others, including the police, were aware of their son's aberration, they might then have taken some action, or at least be more liable should the son, who threatens violence, subsequently perpetrates the violence. I believe that would have indicated guilty knowledge, which is actionable.

I thoroughly agree with your opinions on this webpage and i commend your extensive effort. I am doing a research paper for English on columbine and need some other information. Can you give some suggestions on where to look for information? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

I am a student in Ontario, Canada and I thought that this website was absolutely amazing. I read everything on Columbine. Some things I already knew ans others, I couldn't believe. It is so frighteneing to think about what is happening in our school today. I go to school almost every day and aI am scared of what might happen. At our schools, we have a drill called "Lock down" and it is for us to get ready just in case a situation like the one at Columbine happens at our school. That drill is very frighteneing because it shows all of the students what our schools have come to be. I thought that your website was very insightful and I will definitly come back. May all of the victims rest in peace and all of the heroes, I would like to congradulate you for your heroic actions.

I am working on a senior thesis revolving around what goes wrong in americas schools to cause such tragedies as Columbine. I found your site to be very useful. I thing I found on your site disturbed me. On your front page you have the pictures of the two killers and underneath it states "Suspected Killers." It is known for a fact that these two were the killers so I believe it should be changed. I thank you for your time and for building such a great website.

Hello,my name is Trixie, I am a 16 year old student in Ohio. I think that the tragedy at Columbine could have been prevented, the parents could have or must have seen something wrong with their children. None the less nothing can bring back the kids my age or the heroes who saved lives back. The teacher is the most touching in my opinion, he put himself in danger to save the lives of his students. It is a shame and tragedy that their can't be more people like that in the world. I hope that something good could have come out of this horrifying experience, gun prevention has taken a stand and other steps are being taken to make sure another "Columbine" incident doesn't occur. Because teens liked to play sports and love the game they are singled out and killed. That sickens me to think of how our society has become so intensely violent that if you send your kids to school it is like sending them to their death. My mother was scared to send me to school shortly after the event because of the realization that like that could happen at my school. Kids have already been suspended,expelled and punished for comments,threats and letters sent to the school. We even have a zero tolerance policy, if you threaten someone you will automatically be suspended for making a threat. At least they now are taking threats seriously. I pray that nothing like this will ever happen again.

I am writing this email one day before the one year anniversay of the Columbine Massacre. One year ago, on April 20th, I was attending a school in Jerusalem, Israel. I was out of school for the day and read about the shootings in the paper. My immediate thought was "My God, what is America coming to." Then I remembered all the other school shootings- Jonesboro, Arkansas, Paduka Kentucky and others. All these shootings and violence stem from one thing and one thing only- We as Americans took GOD out of public schools and practically every aspect of life. You see a kid praying and you send him to jail for practicing religion, citing the so-called separation of church and state. Here is a news flash for you- SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENCE OR THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. Seperation of Church and state is a LIE. This country was founded on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When you take out the foundation, th! e country it was founded on will FALL. And look what has happened. Columbine was not a race thing, it was not a money thing, those students were killed because they were Christians. And it does not even matter that they were Christians. My point is, we do NOT need more stupid laws passed by our government who in fact doesn not give a damn about youth in reality. What we as a nation need to do is get on our face before God Almight and repent of of our sins, go back to God, and beg and ask Him to renew our nation. Whatever happened to "In God We Trust", or "One Nation Under GOd." God is our only hope, NOT CNN or the GOvernment. GOD GOD GOD- Only GOD!!

hello, my name is stacey and i am a freshmen at (name deleted) in ohio. I'm sure that you get many letters so i'm hoping to be different. Columbine has effected many people that it did not indirectly touch. I am one of them. You see, I have been struggling with my faith for about a year now and i didn't see any reason why i should continue trying. I was a failure. Noboby else was going through these horrible trials of depression and frustration i was going to give up......about 1 week later the columbine shootings occured. As shocked and amazed as I was it didn't hit home until I read misty bernall's book She Said Yes. with every page I red a new hope surged through my vains. I was ready to fight satin, ready to take back the life that he had stolen from me, i was ready to not give in.So, my request from you is to help me find out how to contact misty bernall, by letter, or by email. directly to her or in care of columbine. this woman gave me back my life. i would really like to thank her. god bless you,

I dont mean to be rude but why did u have to call these boys monters, yes they were wrong and did an evil thing but many people are like that it's like they did not get the help they needed. Cassise Bernall for example. If only they knew the forgiveness and help of God like she did. Rhoda, 15, England

Hello. I really think that you did a beautiful job on your web site. I loved reading about this tragic event. But, I have only one complaint. The fact that you call these boys "Monsters" sure their actions were horrible. But, they were lost souls. They needed more acceptance from their family and school. This is not a riducule, but to see that these boys were true monstors we have to see in their eyes. It is sad that one could brand the boys Monstors and not know anything about them. Deep inside they had to have compassion. The world just pushed them over the edge and I think that it is sad that they picked to wrong route to acceptance. Please e-mail me back and tell me your ideas about the shooting.
You really have a nice web page.

I received this poem on an email from a friend:
The Lamb.....
Mary had a little lamb,his fleece was white as snow and every where that Mary went the lamb was sure to go.he followed her to school one day,t'wasn't in the rule,it made the children laugh and play to see the lamb at school.
Then the rules all changed one day,illegal it became to bring the lamb of god to school or even speak his name,every day got worse and worse as days turned into years,instead of hearing children laugh,we heard gunshots and tears.What must we do to stop the crime,that's in our schools today?Let's let the lamb come back to school and teach our kids to pray! My heart goes out to all the students of Columbine and try to remember this poem for every one that was hurt.May God bless you.

My name is (name deleted). I live in a small town in Ohio. I can only imagine what the people of Columbine are going through.
We recently had a small scare, in which somebody threatened to bomb our school. We missed a day of school for it. I think this reign of terror needs to stop. We need to cease the bombings, and shootings, by taking more precautions. I was scared for my friends and my school. I'm merely suggesting that if you hear something, report it.
To all you people in Columbine, my heart, and spirit is with you. Keep holding out, and things will get better, I promise. May God be with all of you.

Hi, my name is (name deleted) and i am a 15 years old french guy from the Ottawa area. I would just like to tell you that your website about Columbine's tragedy is wonderful...well....i don't like to use word like that why i am talking about something like this....Anyway, i'll keep comming on it to see if there are any updates.

I am writting just to say what happened at Columbine is a tragedy and it should be accepted as that. People are trying to blame anything and everything on the columbine murders, its pathetic.
A video game doesn't make a person violent. And the guns debate, I mean fine get rid of guns, but if they were determined (and they obviously were) they would have killed them anyway. Or they would have found guns on the black market. Which basicly means that f**k all would be achieved if guns are banned.
Why cant people STOP looking for a scape goat and look at the real issue. Why do two teenagers feel so much hatred for life? What has drove them to this? And how can this be prevented in the future ? I mean Isn't that the REAL issue?
If you think I'm wrong, fine, but everyone has a right to an opinion, and this is mine.

I really want to thank you for making such an awsome web page. I just read the negative comments, and I was disgusted. I am sorry so many young people are so judgemental and do not understand. I want you to know that your web site really touched me. I had heard about the Columbine shooting, but I had no idea of the enormity of it. I would also like to tell you to not listen to the negative comments. It is no ones place to judge you, and so many people cannot understand that everyone's opinion is just as important as yours, and no ones opinion is right. Again, thank you for this awesome sight, and I would love it, if you had time, if you could update us on the families who lost people, and maybe an interview by Erric and Harris's parents. Thanks again!

Hi, I am a 16 year old from Utah, and I am sorry to say that these shootings do not really surprise me. Things like this are always in movies, so why not real life?
I think the media and our crumbling society is to blame, not these two young men. What they did was wrong, but I do not think they fully realized the crime they commited. God comes up a lot in the story, and if they were not taught by parents, or maybe they were but not effectively, then they would probably expect no punishment, because if there is no God, death is the end, right? I also believe that teenagers in school are too arrogant, and do not accept people as they should.
I am just so sorry that something so awful had to happen, but it is really sad that it is still going on. I really think the media needs to be more careful and not show so much trash on TV, magazines, movies, etc., about violence, sex, and drugs. So, I ask you to publish this, and maybe give some other people something else to blame, and to try and solve the problems, because discipline does not work on people unless they themselves have a desire to be disciplined.
If a teenager says he/she will kill, they will, especially when there are so many quote "role models" who really should not be. So, attack the media, not the age group. Cleaning up the media is the only possible way to make our countries people have more values and respect for life.

I am a 17 year old high school student from Oklahoma. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to make such an informative website. Even though people might have trouble with excepting the hard facts about this tragedy, I feel that you are doing a great thing by telling it like it is. Sometimes people just have to hear things the way they are before they will even begin to come close to understaniding them.

I am doing a report on school shootings at my school in Indiana. I never thought that the Columbine shooting was this bad. When I first saw the site I thought about the family of the killed and wounded. I think one of the saddest parts of the incident is when Cassie Bernall was asked if she believed in God. They shot her in the head because she said yes.
I have lately been studying Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. also. I know that if he was still alive today, he would think that this shooting was the worst thing to happen in the US
Lately there has been many false threats of school shootings around the nation, including one at my school last year. They had to lock down the school and have the police guard the doors. We also had a bomb threat from which the bomb squad had to check the entire school before anybody was let in. This bomb threat was made public on the news, from which my school had the lowest attendance in its history.
I want to say "thank you" to the heroes of the situation for saving my fellow citizens. And I know if I where there, I would have risked my life like many of the other brave souls.

TO THE STUDENT OF COLUMBINE HIGH I AM PLEASE THAT YOU ARE BACK AT YOUR SCHOOL AFTER THE TRAGEDY OF THIS MAGNTUDE; BUT I AM SAD THAT YOU HAD TO EXPERIENCE THAT TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. I ALSO WANT LET YOU KNOW THAT I DO CARE ABOUT ALL PEOPLE EVEN IF THEY ARE PERFACT STRANGERS YES IT CAN HAPPEN THERE. THE STUDENT OF THURSTON HIGH GOT FIRST HAND SENSE THAT YES IT CAN HAPPEN HERE. ALL YOU SENIORS HAVE LOST SOME FRIENDS FELLOW STUDENTS TO THIS TRAGEDY. MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO YOUR LOSS. JUST REMEMBER THAT OUR LORD HAS THEM IN HEAVEN. AS THIS TRAGEDY WAS UNFOLDING ON TV I WAS VERY FRIGHTEN FOR YOU AS WAS I WITH THE STUDENTS AT THURSTON HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING. MY QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU WHEN IS THIS VIOLENT IN SCHOOL GOING TO STOP? PLEASE I BEG YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS THE NEXT TIME YOU GET MAD AT A CLASSMATE OR ANY OTHER STUDENT IN YOUR SCHOOL. DO I REALLY THINK SHOOTING SOMEONE IS GOING SOLVE MY PROBLEM. THE FIRST STEP IS WITH YOU. YOU ARE AMERICA'S FUTURE. WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL WE JUST DIDN'T DO THAT KIND OF THING. NO I NOT SOME FIFTY YEAR OLD MAN FROM BACK WHEN WE JUST DUCK IT OUT. I AM 27 YEAR OLD YOUNG MAN THAT YEARNS FOR SOME ANSWER TO THIS PLAQUE OF VIOLENCE. WE CAN NO LONGER BLAME THE NRA OR THE US GOVERNMENT ABOUT TOUGHER GUN BILLS. THE GUN BILLS MEAN NOTHING TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COMMITT A CRIME AGAIN ANOTHER HUMAN BEING SUCH AS SHOOTING IN A SCHOOL. AS YOU HAVE SEEN IN JONESBURO ARKANSAS AND EVEN IN YOUR OWN SCHOOL. I AM TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT STUDENT KILLING STUDENT IN SCHOOL. IF YOU HEAR SOMEONE TALKING ABOUT BRING A GUN TO SCHOOL PLEASE NOTIFY YOU PRINCIPAL OR A COUNSELOR IMMEDIATELY I MAY BE A JOKE OR I CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH AND MORE LIVES ARE LOST.

God is good... hang in there!!!

i dont know what to write all i know is that this kind of stuff really freaks me out

In your prophetic parallel you wrote nov 15 1968 and then you said it was five months before 1999 i think you ment nov 15 1998.
Note: thanks to all who pointed out this mistake. :) Greenwood, IN

I think that our schools need GOD.

I am a student from India, presently in Canada, but am very well aware of the Columbine High School kiliings thanx to CNN, and all I can say is that, its really tragic and sounds like a pathetic situation especially coming from a society and culture where this is non-existent, thank God for that!!These guys may not be described as monsters but there act was nothing less than monstrous. And I don't think that they should be even remotely considered as victims. Victims suffer, but they don't hit back by killing randmoly and innocent people. That is no reply. Ok they were misunderstood, but that does not excuse them from their crimes or for gaining sympathy.

Hi, my name is (deleted) and I'm a 21 year old college student from Michigan. I believe that I know why these shootings have occured. Yes, this could have been prevented and other school shootings could also be prevented. School shootings do not occur because of the availability of guns or because of violence on tv or in games. They occur because several children in this country are not being taught morals and values in school or by their parents. Morals are now considered opinions that every child should figure out on their own, instead of rules of behavior that everyone should follow. The result is children who think hurting others is okay because they were never taught that it wasn't. Guns have been widely available in this country for many years, and we rarely if ever had problems like this before. Violence in the media will not translate into violence in society if people are taught that there are certain things that they are not supposed to do. The two who committed the Columbine shooting were evil because they sinned and infringed upon the rights of others. The way to prevent other shootings will have to be by teaching children, at home and at school, a code of ethics to follow throughout their lives.

Hi! I am a 16 year old girl that is in the 11th grade and is afraid to get up and go to school every morning because of all of these shootings. These shootings have become a real problem in the United States these past few years. I really hate getting up and going to school because I never know when someone will be bringing a gun to my school and really shooting it. Last year a guy brought a gun to school and got ex-spelled. I heard about it and then I thought what if he would have really shot that gun? The day that that happened my father was still out on the road and I had not seen him in three weeks, he is a truck driver I am lucky to see him once a month. If he would have shot that gun I probably wouldn't have been able to tell my dad thank you and I loved him. There is alot of students in this world that have parents that they never see because of work and other family members that they don't see because they live to far away,as in my case also all of my relatives live in Ms. and everywhere above there. The people that start shooting students for no reason at all must not feel that they are really and truly loved and cared about...That is how I see it anyway.
These people saying that it is a tragedy but we need to get over it its done and there is nothing that we can do about it..Well I am sure that if there children or family member were invovled in a shooting of any sort that they wouldn't just up and forget about it in less than a year.These people have lost family members and loved ones over these people that are crazy enough to bring guns and explosives to school.
I have a little story to tell you... There was this guy at my school by the name of (name deleted). He was a very well respected guy at the school but his life was ended September 28,1998 at 3:00 am. He and his friend were sitting outstide and these gang members thought that it was (his) older brother and started shooting. (He) was shot in the chest several times and the other guy was shot in the arm. (His) brother was walking home from a party and when he got home his 15 year old brother was lieing in the living room floor and then he went over and and held him and (his brother) told him that he loved him and then he passed away. It's like (the dying brother) knew that he was coming and had to wait to tell him that he loved him. At (his) funeral the people showed up but no one knew that it was them yet. He was a up-n-up kid, he was cute,smart, and was always happy. Well as of right now the guy who shot him has been on trial for the past week, so I am not sure what he got yet...Everyone is hoping for the death penalty...He is being charged as an adult, and the other guys got 5yrs and 10 yrs probation, one got 5yrs probation, one got nothing. I am not sure what all of the other guys got.
I hate seeing this stuff going on. Especially so close to home. But my one and only question to everyone is ..... WHY DO TEENS TURN TO THE VIOLENCE? Why do they want to kill their fellow students? None of it makes any sense. I just wish that it would stop because I am still in school and I also have a little sister that is in school and I don't know what I would do if someone ever shot her...I would probably go shot them or their little sister or brother.No I coukd never be as violent as some people in this world today. I just wish that it would all stop!

This tragedy is a heart wrenching thing for anyone who has a heart. The boys who commited this monsterous act were in fact human beings. However, they were human beings who had no respect for others. Maybe they did have problems, but don't we all? If every kid that was picked on or neglected at home picked up a gun and shot their classmates, we wouldn't have any children left in this world! There is no excuse for what they did. And there is no excuse for their parents not knowing that there was something wrong. What is happening to our world?
I'll bet that any one of those persons who wrote that these students were simply victims themselves wouldn't feel the same way if it were their child who was killed in that school. It's as simple as that.

When I first heard of this tragic shooting about 6 months I was crying along with several others exspecially my best friend jade we were so tore up we prayed and prayed for days! Then we were so scared that it could happen to (name deleted) Middle School Because after this had happen peaple were saying they fount a death list an the enternet so we had alot of people say that there was our names on ti we were so scared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But thanks to our Principal Mr (name deleted) he talk to us and told us he would have people check it out that new the enternet very well and there was nothing on it!

Hello. I just got finished looking over your website and decided to drop you a note on some of the issues discussed. Like most everyone else, I have heard lots of publicity over the last several months over the massacure at Littleton, Colorado. Many people are pinning the blame on the parents of Harris and Krombold. I, however, don't think they deserve as much blame as they are getting. They may be a little responsible for what happened, but still, I don't know the entire story behind the scenes of what the news covered. I think that what a lot of people forget is that those two boys were high school seniors, making them in the 17-18 year old range. You cannot expect parents to monitor their children completely, especially at that age. True, the bombs were made in their site, but were the parents aware that bombs were what the boys were making? I don't know this. If they did, then yes, they are responsible for not taking control. Now the part about the shotgun barre! l being left on the dresser is something the parents should be held accountable for. I think pretty much everyone knows what a gun barrel looks like, and should question their kids on why they have come up with something like that.
Finally, I just want to give a complement on your web site. It is nice to see that people are willing to remember the victims of these tragedies.

I am currently a college student in CA, when the incident occurred I figured that it in no way affected me personally, I now know how wrong I was. My roommate, who I am very close to, is from Littleton,CO. She did not go to Columbine herself, but she lost one of her best friends in the shootings. It hurts me now so much to come home and find her crying while watching TV or listening to the radio when the incident is being reviewed. If we let this pass, if people forget, it will only happen again.

Have you ever thought maybe lack of religion could have also possibly caused these hate crimes? Lack of morals is awful at my school!!

I think this site is one of the best informative sites on the web about the Columbine thing, but there ARE a few things i do not agree with. First of all, Eric Haris and Dylan Klebold were NOT Monsters, they were teenagers, just the same as the rest of us. And second of all, Eric and Dylan were victims, even more so than those they killed and injured. I honestly believe that Eric and Dylan should be recognized as victims on this web site, and on every other web site. Thank you for your time and i hope others can see things the way that i do.

Last June at a local high school, a senior brought an unloaded BB gun into school. (I later saw a photograph of the type of BB gun that he had brought in. It shocked me to learn how BB guns so closely resemble actual guns) He was joking with other students about shooting a classmate that he was always harassing and threatening to kill. This classmate saw the BB gun in the other students bag and immdieatly reported it to the principal.
The police were summoned and he explained to the police that he was shoting tin cans the night before with a friend and forgot to remove it from his school bag.
His only official punishment by the police was a fine for unlawful possesion of a dangerous object. In my opinion, the local police were far too lenient and failed to interview the victimized student when there was significant evidence that he had been threatened.

There are some letters on this web page that have really good points. Do take a look at the title of this page. Do ask yourself, "why do I think these students are monsters." Put yourself in their shoes. From the articles that I have read, these boys weren't popular, weren't in any cliques, they were an "outcast." Have you ever been an outcast? Do you know someone that is concidered an outcast? I do, I know someone that everybody picks on. I see her pain, what are we doing to ourselves? This is why our world is being distroyed. I'm not saying that what happened at Columbine High School was "okay," I'm just pointing out the facts.

Editor: Personally, I was an outcast and I was picked on, but that was years ago. Yes, it was painful, but during (and since) that time, I have never harmed or killed anybody. I agree that it is not right to ostracize people, however there are other remedies besides murder. Harris and Klebold became monsters only after they decided to commit the atrocity of Columbine!

On September 17 two students from Columbine High School came to my school in NC. They talked to us about how we should act towards others. The things that they said really changed my outlook on life and the way I act towards others. I just wanted to thank them.
THANKS,

I am a student at (name deleted) high school in CA and i wanted to say that I am so sorry to the familys of the victoms. But at the same time I wanted to say that I don't think that the parents of the killers should not be blamed for there childrens mistakes. They have alot of pain on them because they know that there kids were the ones that commited this crime.

Yes, it was tragic that people got killed.
But everyone looks at the symptoms of the people who killed and say "Wow, they really had some mental problems. Nothing could have been done about that...". Why don't you people have a good close look at what they were doing and why; spot the reason?
Try this site if you want a factual answer:
Click here for the "facts"
Sometimes people can be pushed just too far, and the education system is too, too ignorant...

Editor: I enjoyed reading the Web site, and agree with the implied sentiment. However, it is satire, not fact.

I think that the families of the two killers should be the ones to pay all there bills and everyone elses! Has anyone else thought of that?

Editor: Actually, quite a few people have discussed it. As yet, there is no known law holding parents liable. The family of murder victim Isaiah Shoels has filed lawsuits against both the Harris and Klebold families.

I am so happy to see that someone has taken the time to remember these people. Although we all know it happened we soon forget the people that are left behind in the wake of such events.

Through your page people will be remembered and thought of as the people they were and are not just as the victims of this tragedy. I am glad that I found your page when I was doing my research. You did a wonderful job!

Editor: Thanks!

I'm writing this letter to you is very hard to do, as I have kept many of these feelings bottled up inside for years. However having followed the events in the past few weeks surrounding the shootings at various schools (including one in a small town close to where I live ) I feel compelled to speek out on this issue.

I have heard over and over, "How could something so tragic happen?". I have heard "Parents should pay attention to what their kids are up to." I have heard people blame the NRA and other organizations. I have heard psychology "experts" express their opinions on what caused these kids to do what they did.

I know the answer. I know it because I have walked the mile in the shoes of the "trenchcoat mafia" kids' shoes. I'm writing this to you with hope that you can pass this message along to shed some light into how this kind of terrible tragedy can be prevented from happening again.

When I was in junior high school, I went home almost every day afraid. Some days I was hit with hockey sticks. Other days it was car antennas, or newspaper bags. Sometimes I was thrown out into the hallway during gym class with almost no clothing on. Most days however I was just either ignored or taunted and tormented - usually by a group of students. After all, nobody ever looked "cool" if they were doing this by themselves. I couldn't even have a paper route, because at least once per week someone would see me and kick my newspapers all over the neighborhood.

I'm sure the first question that comes to mind is "What did I do to deserve this?". The answer is simply "Nothing.". I was the short fat timid kid that people seemed to pick on. The interesting thing to note is that there were other kids in my school who got it worse. I was never allowed to fight back, as I would get into trouble at home.

I tried different avenues to stop the tormenting. I went to the teachers. My parents went to the principle of the school. I (and in some cases my father) went to the parents of the kids causing the trouble. I tried to do everything that a "mature" non-violent person would do. However that just made it worse. The kids would only instill more terror, telling me they and their friends were "going to get me after school" for getting them into trouble.

My father had a shotgun, and many times I thought about taking the shotgun and blowing great big holes in all those who made my life miserable. However I took a different approach than the Columbine students. I started taking martial arts, and for the next 8 years proceeded to dish out buckets full of retribution to not only those people who bullied me in and out of school, but also to anyone I perceived as a bully. I'm not talking about giving the person a black eye either. I'm talking about beating them to the point where they needed hospitalization. Even to this day, being out of highschool for 15 years, I still bear the emotional scars of "the best years of my life" and have an intensely quick and violent temper when it comes to bullies.

I have heard many accounts of how the students who did the shootings were branded as outcasts. I have heard how students made fun of them - even some accounts by students themselves. In no way do I condone their actions (those who did the shootings). I do however understand how these youg men got to the point where they felt theymust take such drastic action. I was at the same crossroad. I just chose a different path.

I am not writing this to point fingers or place blame, because no single person or group is to blame for the actions of these kids other than the kids themselves. I am writing this with the intent of shedding a ray of light on a perspective that I have not yet seen explored. I can only hope that people - students especially - read this and realize that what they say and do to others DOES matter - even if it is in fun or jest. It is still at someone else's expense. It hurts, and is never, ever forgotten. No matter what the "experts" say or how much counselling the recipient receives.

U SHOULD PUT CRAIG SCOTT IN THE HEROES SECTION

Hello. Sorry to her of the tragedy. I've been out of school now for 10 yrs. This should of not happened. From what I've heard there was plenty to see what was going to happen.The officials should of kept an eye on those boys. But, then who knows. I went to school that I thought we all got along til the year after i graduated. There was a racial war.
That's when I chose to disown my school. I'm proud to say that it was a good school,but we had our share of people like those boys. I think parents have to keep better eye on what the kids are doing,who they hang out with. I have had my share of up and down when I was in school,but I had parents that were there for me.
Today I think people are so worried about making that almighty dollar, they forget to stop at look at what their kids are doing. Thats where it has to stop. People need to realize that kids need time-love and understanding, and someone to listen to them for what is going in their lives. I pray that things do get better and that one day we all can get along.
You know in GODS eye's we are all the same.Why can't people see that?!? I'm praying that this will never happen to anyone again.

I'm writing to you in regards to the Columbine High tragedy. I live in Canada and was shocked by this tragedy as everyone here seen it on CNN.

Days after the tragedy, I felt that there could be a way in which I could help the families of the victims. It was brought to my attention that an organization was putting together a benefit CD for the families of the victims in the Columbine High shooting. Me and my band donated a song to this compilation CD. Needless to say, we were honored that they featured a Canadian artist on this CD for such a good cause. Over 1000 CD's have been manufactured on the first run and have been selling for over a week now.

I have visited your web site and have noticed that you have done a lot to bring awareness and let people speak there mind. If you wish to help the awareness of the benefit CD you can place a small button or banner on your web page.
The button and link information can be found at:
Button/Link
You can check out details of the Columbine High Benefit CD at:
Details
Your help would be greatly appreciated by everyone. Feel free to E-mail me back if you have any questions.

Next Page -->