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An Obituary printed in the London Times........ Interesting and sadly rather true.
'Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:
Knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children.
Common Sense declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense gave up hope when legislator and their constituency forgot and gave way to the notion that a two men or two women do not constitute a marriage union or capable of bearing children and thus, impossible of becoming a family unit with the ungodly overwhelming the godly with absurd notions of depraved indifference to human life.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility and his son, Reason.
He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights
I Want It Now
Someone Else Is To Blame
I'm A Victim
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing and say nothing.
good post John......although, sadly true like you said....if only common sense could make a come back this world would be a MUCH better place...
That sounds less like common sense and more like another radical evangelical con job. It has nothing to do with the Columbine tragedy - it's just all about you, again. I for one am tired of seeing your drivel. What is this, the 100th time you posted the same wailing tripe? You want change? Start on yourself and spare us this diatribe. I'm sickened and repulsed by people like you and your holier than thou attitude. Talk about being depraved, man, you are it! Common sense lives in my world and it stands next to tolerance; I'm working on that all the time.
No doubt, Joanna. Everyone knows that the Times of London is nothing more than the house organ for U.S. conservatives. One would expect nothing less, what with Britain being the global headquarters of arch conservatism.
Mr Harris,
Once again I have enjoyed your post, it is COMPLETELY true! And the world will only get worse at this rate!
Joanna,
Your attitude towards the post makes me think that you are part of the problem. Maybe you should meditate on it. Also, see Sigurd and my post further down. It is time we start treating each other with respect and dignity.
Erica, as I see it, it is you who failed to comprehend what either post is saying and thus, you, are part of the bigger problem - intolerance! Yes, common sense is good to a point but not to the exclusion of all else. I don't want to live in a world where a teacher can hit my child, a gun is the best defense, my neighbors can't marry or shouldn't have a child because they're both named Harry, or where I can't sue a billion dollar corporation who deliberately breaks the law and serves coffee at illegally high temperatures that when spilled causes the skin on my legs to burn off and thank God it didn't happen to my child or your child but just to that silly woman...
And Ziggy who has the gall to compare the vigils and remembrances of those lost at Columbine to the feeling you get when you pee in your pants? You read that and somehow you said, "Yes, that's how I feel too!"? UGH!
Not at all. Common sense, along with common courtesy, have been thrown out the window. I have never been accused of being intolerant and never will. I just don't think that our teachers should be held hostage by our children, I don't think our justice system should be back up because people feel that they can sue for their own stupidity. I don't think our right to bear arms should be taken away because too many criminals have guns(just between you and me they will always have them, hence being a criminal!). I have no problem with gay couples marrying or adopting children, I feel gay couples would probably make better parents than alot of heterosexual people out there!
And as far as agreeing with Mr Rohwedder- it was the end of his post talking about treating others with some civility, kindness and empathy.
So you're still hawking your book here on the Vine? Repeated verses for all occasions! Classy fella you! Published by Holy Fire Publishing? I think that's all that needs to be said about you and your book. LOL, LOL!
Great post.
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B1DFE14A151B4B4C
eyewitnesses NAMED at least 4 shooters at Columbine, there may have been up to 12 shooters.....
It was a setup to push through Gun Control
Great Article.
What a crock!!!
Excellent post
absolutely correct on everything touched upon.
Yep, John Harris, life really sucks. It's so horrible, people and life are just plain rotten. What can I tell you? I mean two young men out of probably millions of male high school students went on a crazy and horrible rampage. Never minds that millions more worked hard, studied hard, and spent their lives not worrying over any personal slight or humiliation but went on with life without taking out guns and killing innocent people.
Dear Mr. Harris, Thank you. As I watch the seemingly no sense things happening in the world and read comments from people getting bent out of shape because our President shook hands with Chavez, I thank you for a reminder of the important things. That these young people should not have died in vain, perhaps and renewal of common sense would be a really good goal.
I want to offer a radical idea here.
I think the problem is vigils. People hold these things at the drop of the hat and they are held everywhere by people not even remotely connected with the event. The problem with these is that while they make the individual feel good, allowing him to wallow in a bath of narcissitic emotion, it's rather like pissing in your pants. It feels nice and warm and cozy for a while but then it gets cold and stinks real quick.
This is really bogus sentimentality which allows the participant to delude himself that he "really feels the pain" of others and that "having sensitized myself to their trauma" they have really done something about the problem. It's little more than "I showed them!! I sent flowers, or I put up a candle at the roadside where the kid was wiped out by a drunk driver. In most cases its just show, and in all cases it does nothing to solve the problem.
Columbine shooting, Princess' Di's death at the hands of shark-like Papparazzi, 09/11, none of the problems that caused this are going to be helped one iota by these mawkish and treacly romps through a slobbering sentimentality. In fact, it is the easy way out-- the cowards way out-- and lets the person off the hook through a few moments of very public histrionics.
It would be better for each person to dedicate themselves to recreating a little bit of civility in their own lives and resolving to repair the damage done by these incidents. Do you bully people? Are you as mean-spirited as the Papparazzi, are you cruel to your fellow man- do you excoriate and blame and rant at people on the net. If you do then you are as much to blame as the columbine shooters, or the people who bullied them, if you do then you are exactly the same as the Papparazzi, and if you do you are exactly the same as the criminals who destroyed the World Trade Center- targeting civility and civilization for your own deranged narcissism.
If you want to reform the world, start with the system.
If you want to reform the system start with the people.
If you want to reform the people- start with yourself.
Start treating your fellow man with kindness, consideration, and empathy. Stop condoning crime and lawlessness because its convenient to you, or because it's pepetrated by your ethnic, or you want to make up for past wrongs to you by saying "I want to get in one more shot and have the last word and then I'll stop." Start disciplining your own children and insisting that they treat people with respect and doing their schoolwork and playing well with other kids. Start taking responsibility for yourself and your surroundings. Don't toss your litter out of the window, and stop trying to blame others for everything.
Stop blaming everything on the President, (this one or former ones), stop blaming everything on the government, stop blaming everything on big business, or little business, or your boss, or your family, or your mom, or your school, or anyone else so you can say "It's their fault- not mine!" And stop going to these damn vigils, because all you're doing, unless you are directly related to, or know the person involved, you're just trying to get sympathy by casting yourself as "a victim."
That's not a radical idea- that is a LUDICROUS idea. Oh, yeah, the problem is VIGILS. The REAL issue is people taking a moment out of their day to pay their respects to those who lost their lives. Who are YOU to accuse those who participate of "bogus sentimentality" as opposed to real, genuine emotion"??? Who are YOU to question their motivations and assert that people are "just trying to get sympathy"? I'm gonna take a guess-- you didn't know anyone who perished at Columbine, and you didn't know anyone who died on 9.11.01, right? Well guess what? I DID. And when I have attended vigils at Ground Zero, many times, and felt surrounded by the love and support of people who may not have lost anyone when the Towers fell, but who are there to show solidarity and support- it means so much to those of us who lost a loved one. Take your generalizations and shove them- you know not of which you speak.
Siggy,
I understand what you are trying to convey. I attempted to say the same in my post.
HM....I partly agree about vigils...We have people who most likely weren't directly affected by what happened lying on the ground to hold a "vigil"...What does that do for anyone??
If it were one of my family that had been affected I wouldn't want someone lying on the ground to promote whatever it is they're promoting...
The people who are "vigiling" (yes I know it may not be a real word, but I like it) got what THEY wanted...15 minutes of fame....
Sigurd Rohwedder,
I couldn't have written it better myself. I think you hit the nail squarely on the head...many times. Vigils permit people to puke up and soak in emotion. They do virtually nothing to change anything, solve problems, or lend any real support to victims. It's an opportunity to show case yourself, your sympathy, your ideology, or whatever it is you want people to see about you. It's the easy path as emotions require no effort. They just come and go.
Rational thought, however, requires effort, subjectivity, discipline, and honesty. It's not easy. Consequently, it is in very short supply these days. Change requires essentially the same. It also is not easy. Far easier to rant, cry, hug, hold hands, sing songs and think, "There! We showed them, didn't we?"
I think that until we regain a balance between emotion and rational thought, we'll continue to be lost. All our stabs at beneficial change will amount to nothing more that well intentioned but misguided attempts to better ourselfs and our condition.
Though the children who died at Columbine are heart-wrenching, I take reflection on the nearly 5,000 young American kids who recently died in a pre-emptive war that should have never been.
A reflection on the Columbine tragedy illustrates how so many people seek violence and death as solutions. Yet, the collective voice of this nation barely made a peep when over 4 thousand of America's kids died in Iraq. And, some estimate the Iraqi civilian casualties at just under a million, the majority of whom were women and children.
Anyone, into a laying of flowers and mourning for these casualities? Heay, it's wrong for two kids to act as monsters, mowing down their peers, but when an entire nation engages in bloodlust, it is condoned and simplified -- the good guys versus the bad guys.
Interesting, at times like this, what Americans choose to ponder and mourn. How is it our society breeds violence and death and mass murder and mass murderers? Why do we seek hate and violence and not love and joy and peace in our time. Killing others is still murder. And, wars and violence are wrong, otherwise.
Bravo, Sigurd (Msg. #3). I agree, if not totally, then substantially. These "vigils" are far too often either cheap sentimentality masquerading as empathy or a cynical expropriation of one person's tragedy for another's political purpose. It's kinda like driving cross-country to go to an "Earth Day" environmental rally - sure, it was fun, but do you really think the Planet is better for it? Really?
Agreed with Sigurd.
We memorialize, hold vigils and remember the dead so damn much we forget we're still alive and life goes on.
There's nothing wrong with the vigils but do something with it. Take that spirit and go and do good things. Remake the world.
What happened is Columbine was a shame. However, not to sound crass, people have to learn to move on. People, particularly in the USA, tend to linger on things entirely too long. We still wonder about JFK's assasination, we still mourn the death of Princess Diana, we still mourn the death of Elvis Presley. People, life is for the living!!!!! Bad, and sad, things happen in the world and throughout our lives. Get over them and move on!!!!!
Elvis is dead?!?!? Holy cr@p!
While I agree that people need to heal and move on from events such as Columbine, I also think that for many people, the shootin greatly affected their lives. Complete healing can take years, so if a vigil in rememberance is needed, so be it. I go a few times a year to my father's grave and make sure it is clean and has fresh flowers on it. Do I need to get over the loss of my father and move on?
Apples and oranges.
Your paternal piety is admirable and good. It is right and just to grieve for your own personal loss. But I'd wager you'd get a little hinkey if people a hundred miles away who never knew your father, came and put flowers on his grave and cleaned it off etc., etc., and made a vigil over it. You would rightly question their motives.
Columbine is not quite the same thing as it was far more than the mere passing of a family relative-- which is a private matter. Each of the persons killed at Columbine did have a family and their family and friends have a right to mourn, and grieve and observe the ceremonies due the dead. But to those unconnected with the family, who have never known the victims (or the perpetrators) such overflowing of sentiment seems a bit overblown-- and duplicitous. For the wider country, which can have no real personal sympathy with the victims or survivers, what is to be mourned is the act itself-- that is a breach in civility and civilization. But that will not be served by maudlin sentiments or burning candles. It will only be served by attempts to redress those ills that caused the unfortunate event, before it happens the next time.
Siggy, people being a bit 'hinkey'? Perhaps a visit to the Viet Nam Memorial, the Challenger Memorial, JFK's grave-site or any of the thousands at Arlington; perhaps a visit to the USS Arizona, which is not just a memorial but a shrine; perhaps you need to visit these places to understand their testament. Maudlin sentiments all, in your view?
Sorry I am a Viet-Nam Vet, and left buddies there, and I knew people who died in the WTC, and a newphew who died in Desert Storm. Your mawkish attempt at self-righteousness falls flat.
Sigurd, I do not believe one word of your sanctimonious drivel. Not your holier than thou posts or your "military record".
Not buying your vet bit Ziggy; Viet Nam vets fought for that memorial. My favorite charity is for disabled vets and you have to see the sentimental stuff they send! What happened to you in life? Pissing in your pants feels warm and cozy? I find what you write disturbing - all of it. Now I feel compelled to help you even tho I don't know you. Heck, I'd light a candle for you, say a prayer for you...it's what we humans call human.
It's clear you've never lost someone close to you.
What an obscene statement.
I'd like first of all to ask how many of the folks who posted live near Columbine? I for one live less than 3 miles from the site. I think unless you are here and were there 10 year ago, to simply say get over it is rather crass and is an insult to the people who died senslessly. If we do not remember our past, the good and the bad, we can never learn from it. I can appreciate that thjose who are removed from the "emotion" of the event want not to see or hear about it any longer but please don't try to speak for all of us.
I, for one, don't live near Columbine. However, I do live near Philadelphia where it seems to be open season on police officers---all of which have died senslessly. Yes, I feel we should all mourn those that are killed needlessly and we should all learn from it. However, there has to be a point in time when people move on.
I will always be moved by that day, the young people lost, their teacher, and the simple heroism of so many; how can you not be touched? And to see how so many students and their families have thrived, tho some better than others, reminds me just how resilient we are and can be in the face of such tragedies. To the critics, let me say that I think those effected by Columbine have moved on, so don't worry about them; there's a nation, a world out there who will gladly give a moment, give a prayer to remember the victims and the survivors.
On this 10th anniversary of the Columbine schools shootings, once again, we are reminded of the link between antidepressants and violent behavior. As one observer recently wrote:
At that time we knew that those students were on antidepressant drugs, but the rest of the world didn't take any notice of it. The rest of the world said, "These drugs are completely safe. They keep these kids happy and in a normal state so they don't feel depressed." What they actually do, though, is detach these kids from reality to the point they can go on shooting rampages and not even have a clue that they're affecting the lives of real people. It basically transforms the world into a video game that these kids play out.
It makes it very easy for them to cross that threshold and begin to display violent behavior. We've seen this in the studies and finally, after years and years of pounding this issue, some of it has started to come out in the popular press. We're seeing a lot of warnings now about antidepressant drugs and their ability to cause violent behavior. We're seeing some of these drugs pulled off the market. And slowly we're beginning to see the general public recognizing the link between antidepressant drugs in our youth and violent behavior, including school shootings.
Back in 1999, they blamed guns. So if the students had picked up knives and stabbed people to death, it would have been a knife problem? Give me a break; it's not a knife problem, or a gun problem… it's a medication problem. These schools are supposed to be drug-free zones, and yet half the kids are doped up on antidepressants and Ritalin. How is that drug-free?
If you're going to alter the brain chemistry of these children, you had better be prepared for the results. The result we're seeing now is mass killings. Elsewhere around the world, where children aren't doped up on all these drugs, we don't see this kind of behavior. This is what happens when you change children's brain chemistry; you get these results.
I think we should honor the memory of the fallen and injured, but not dwell on it. More importantly, we should strive to dig up the truth about what happened. So many things are now revealed about what really happened that day and days and weeks before.
Sadly, these egotistical thugs that murdered the innocent were not brought to justice, but rather took a cowards way out. May they suffer and their names be stricken from all written words.
Today is NOT a day to focus on the perpetrators. Today is a day to take a moment and remember the innocent victims...
Cassie Bernall
Steve Curnow
Corey DePooter
Kelly Fleming
Matt Kechter
Daniel Mauser
Daniel Rohrbough
Rachel Scott
Isaiah Shoels
John Tomlin
Lauren Townsend
Kyle Velasquez
Coach Dave Sanders
Sadly, most people can name one or both of the murderers. How many of you can name the victims???
If we do not closely examine our history and seek to understand it, history will repeat itself. And none of us can afford to let that happen.
Maybe the best way to remember the victims is by enacting legislation to making our nation's schools psychiatric drug free and then see if the shootings continue at the same rate.
The following school shooters have been verified as being under the influence of one or another of psychiatry’s drugs at the time of the shooting.
April 29 1999: A 14 year old boy shot two children, killing one, at W.R. Myers High School in Taber Alberta. He was student of the school who was seeing a psychiatrist who prescribed him Dexadrine just prior to the shooting.
March21, 2005:Red Lake Indian Reservation,Minnesota:16-year-old Native American, Jeff Weise, reportedly under the influence of the antidepressant Prozac, went on a shooting rampage at home and at his school, killing nine people and wounding five before committing suicide.
May 21, 1998: Springfield, Oregon: 15-year-old Kip Kinkel murdered his own parents and then proceeded to school where he opened fire on students in the cafeteria, killing two and wounding 22. Kinkel had been on Prozac.
On April 16, 1999: Notus, Idaho: 15-year-old Shawn Cooper fired two shotgun rounds in his school narrowly missing students; he was taking a mix of antidepressants.
On April 20, 1999: Columbine, Colorado: 18-year-old Eric Harris was on the antidepressant Luvox when he and his partner Dylan Klebold killed twelve classmates and a teacher before taking his own life in the bloodiest school massacre in history. The coroner confirmed that the antidepressant was in his system through toxicology reports while Dylan Klebold’s autopsy was never made public.
On May 20, 1999: Conyers, Georgia: 15-year-old T.J. Solomon was being treated with a mix of antidepressants when he opened fire on and wounded 6 of his classmates.
On March 7, 2000: Williamsport, Pennsylvania: 14-year-old Elizabeth Bush was on the antidepressant Prozac when she blasted away at fellow students in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, wounding one.
On March 22, 2001: El Cajon, California: 18-year-old Jason Hoffman was on two antidepressants, Effexor and Celexa, when he opened fire at his California high school wounding five. Hoffman had also undergone an “anger management” program.
On April 10, 2001: Wahluke, Washington: 16-year-old Cory Baadsgaard took a rifle to his high school, and held 23 classmates and a teacher hostage while on a high dose of the antidepressant,Effexor.
Nice piece, for the most part. Only one glaring correction.....Columbine was NOT the "bloodiest school massacre in history". It was nasty, but a little research will show you that it was only one of several massacres. The worst in US History happened in Michigan, back in 1927, where over 55 kids were killed. I think it was called the "Bath School Killings", or something along those lines. Columbine was horrible, without a doubt, just not what you titled it.
I have to wonder if antidepressants are really the cause, as Larry seems to think, or if they are just evidence that efforts have been made to treat the problem for a while. They don't work for everybody in every situation, and definitely need to be closely monitored by a medical professional that knows what they are doing. I feel that it would be a great injustice to the kids that are helped by antidepressants to outlaw them.
How about the names of the innocent men, women and children whom our armies have slaughtered in Iraq? Imagine bombs, rockets, as well as mere bullets, raining down on you and YOUR neighborhood (and schools)?
Americans holler and scream bloody murder when it happens here.
How fitting it is that one of biggest corporations and suppliers of Washington's death machines are located in Littleton, Colorado.
I wish not to be disrespectful of the families than mourn today, I do wish however we could stop wadding in the shallows with our hands toward the sky, hoping for some invisible savour to save us.
The answer is in our hands.
I live in Columbine Valley and have family that went to Columbine during this tragedy 10 years ago. I do believe that 98% of our community has moved on. There are some that want to keep the spotlight on them and their families, thus the reason for the vigils and the press interviews etc. As for my family, we have moved on. Yes, 15 died that day and yes we will never forget. I have been to the memorial, it was at sunrise on a weekday. The only sounds were birds chirping as I read each and every quote. It brought peace and closure for me. Yes, I have moved on, just like 98% of our community.
I cannot even begin to understand what those who lost loved ones that day are going through. But, if the yearly memorializing of this event gives them strength, so be it.
Well said
Hendy, I respect your wishes to keep the total to 15, but in truth there were IMHO 13 true victims who died that day. They were just there for school and didn't want to harm anyone. Also, the two killers took their own lives - that is suicide, which is not a victim - that is a choice.
As far as vigils, I can understand ones at a 10th anniversary and such. It's a way to remember the past and see where we have gotten to since - and can enlighten us on what we need to do to avoid another Columbine. As in the article - there was a point that some of the students would have a "lie-in" at the capitol to protest guns. It shows that we haven't necessarily moved forward to avoid things such as Columbine.
Does this mean I support yearly videoed and reported stories - no, and even with Columbine this is the first time in at least 5 years since I've read a story on the incident with a memorial service. However, I can understand them doing it this year, and hope that the families will consider doing a private one for themselves in the future so they can still mourn but not look - as you say - as though wanting the publicity, which is not a good thing to do as it keeps those wounds from healing and allows them to be reopened.
I'm just wondering why this grand memorial wasn't news last year? or five years ago? The last couple of days, MSNBC's headlines have been about nothing but past acts of "domestic terrorism" (or desparate nutjobs, whichever you prefer).
Let it go folks, or is there another angle?
The memorial ring wasn't even finished until a couple of years ago. And if you lived in the Denver metro area, it is a big deal.
I live and have lived in Littleton for 21 years. This is a sad day for the community. That being said I do not think we have learned anything from this tragedy.
Since 1999 the schools, starting in elementary through high school, have "bully proofing" classes. But I do not think they do any good and though they tell the students to "tell a teacher" nothing really gets done unless the bully has a weapon, and even then I don't believe the consequence in severe enough. My daughter a few years back went to a different high school and another student that she knew in passing had been suspended, but showed up at the school. He made some comments to her and a friend and went into the school. He was not supposed to be there at that time due to the suspension. My daughter was very uncomfortable about what he had said to her so she went in and spoke with the principal, also letting them know that the student was on campus. They called police and the student was found, pulled over in his car and the vehicle searched. They found guns and over 100 rounds of ammunition in the car! He was arrested, but apparently struck a plea deal. My daughter was supposed to go to court to testify, but about 2 weeks before court they said she did not need to show up and we have seen the student around town on several occasions. So really, what have we as a nation as well as a community learned??
Another thing that bothers me about all of this is the sentiment "We are Columbine". Nobody really lives this mantra. Being one as a community does not happen, not in Littleton or in any other major city in this nation. You may be close with your friends and neighbors, but to me it really is so much more than that. It is about how you treat the person checking you out at the grocery store, or behind the counter at the gas station, or the staff at your doctors office. It really, to me, should be about how you treat people, all PEOPLE. No matter what their "status" in life is. I am not saying even if they are rude to you, but that does not mean you need to justify their bad attitude with a comment. I guess waht it really comes down to is don't be so self involved, look at the world around you and the people around you and be nice.
today is my birthday and every year I wake up to this story and it SUCKS , and my mother's b-day is 9-11 , she is always thrilled as well .... it is a shame we have to relive these moments in history , keep the tears local .
A triumph over tragedy? Ok, this simply does not make sense. To triumph over this would be to celebrate successes of those who lived through the experience and made a better world for themselves and others, not to keep memorializing a date that losers made famous with destruction. Time to stop focusing on dates like this and 911. People will never forget without all time spent focusing on the date of tragedy.
bigbadma, starting with the young people who were students at Columbine in 1999 and are now teachers at the same school.
I was bullied during my high school years. Yes, I know first hand the deep hurt both physically and emotionally that comes from being on the "receiving end" of bullying.
Did I feel angry? Yes
Did I feel rejected? Yes
Did I have a low self esteem? Yes
Did I get over it? Yes
Was I on medication? No
Did I play video games? They weren't around when I was in high school. but if they were I would play them.
As I grew older and matured into adulthood, I realized my high school years were growing and learning years not only for me but for my classmates.
My point is that Klebold and Harris didn't experience anything different than me or any person who has been bullied. I like many others got over it.
Klebold and Harris and only Klebold and Harris are responsible for the murders at Columbine.
Celebrating the gift of life is perhaps the best way to put the tragedy of Columbine in perspective.
I feel terrible for the victims and the victims' families, but lying down on the pavement seems more of a mockery to me.. I don't know it just seems a little creepy... I understand that is not how they meant it, but look at the picture... I don't know...
On the positive side, at least no one who showed up for the rallys today in Colorado had to miss work.
Typical left wing liberal tripe.. Instead of reporting on the memorial the story immediately mentions the "70" people outside and the "13" laying down as a gun control rally at the state capital.
Yet last week when 10's of thousands of americans rallied at Tax Tea Parties acrossed the country msnbc was no where to be found, and only pocked fun at those attending afterwards.
Way to go MSNBC no wonder Fox is so much more popular and wider viewed then you and CNN put together. How about some reporting and less left wing agenda.
Commonsense, you are right, those guns used at Columbine were legally registered to the parents, but used by the children.
My prayers go out to the families still in pain.
Liberal press covers events like this, the real tragic events were never made public and were buried with the truth, how many of you ding-dong Oprah lovers were police officers, ever!!!!!???? And how many have you wanna be armchair idiot police tactical squad members ever went up against an unknown number of assalilants, oh did I mention get off your high horses in case you never served your community. I did for 15 years and I know the gut feelings of every officer on that scene! I also remember that the father of the one Black student that was killed claimed the killings to be racially motivated, yeah right! And you liberal Oprah lovers actually bought that line!
Morn the families of the hundreds of rescue workers, police and sheriff's officers and come back and tell me how you feel!! Oprah should have moved to Africa to start her own schools instead of wasting your money that you pay to watch her shows live! She's the owner of a puppymill pet, and one of the largest tax-base homes in Telluride Colorado that has caused more original citizens to move out of their homes because hers has raised the taxed to high for anyone to afford to live near her house, and she lives their all of TWO WEEKs per year. Of course she will lure anyone who loves Obama into her little house of cards!
If anyone wants to post a rebuttal go for it, but get all the facts lined up!
Oh yes i remember that day well, the behavior signs of the creeps that where ignored. The swat team that took forever to arrive then holding the terrified students as suspects then advancing like snails more concerned for their own safety. Oh then the outcry 4 gun control while the NRA held a convention a few days latter, a documentary by Moore. Here's the punchline, kids r at a all time moral downward spiral, police continue to kill innocent victims with no consequences, the douche baggers wanting to revolt (hiding their prejudice against Obama) rednekkks upset over their rights to bare arms while gun violence is at a all time high. God bless amerikkka ( no need for reply just take it 4 what it worth)
what the naysayers posting here are REALLY saying is:
We wish to be slaves.
we want your children to be slaves.
we want your children to be quiet, uncomplaining, unquestioning slaves.
we want a world where reality is subsumed by unreasoning silliness.
we want a world where violence and death are imaginary.
we want a world where pain and suffering are imaginary.
we want a world where people have no right to defend themselves.
we wish to make incredible amounts of money through our own stupidity.
we want to revel in other peoples' pain and suffering.
we want to be parasites.
And people wonder why I home-school my kids.
have a long and interesting life - you deserve nothing less.
Ya know alot has happened since then things that are even worse!
True the shootings were Horrible!True sadness
but when I see people like this the ones laying on the ground to be like the people that were shot and killed.I realize that You people are truley STUPID!
GET OVER IT.....................10 years .....................................
MY GOD all your doing wanting to be sad....and those people laying on the ground.
***********DRAMA******QUEENS************
You really want somthing to be sad about?
All of you who voted BUSH into office.. because of you how many people have been killed because he went to war?
YOUR FAULT you put him in there...live with that
They not only look stupid - but - the constant reminders of what happened at Tech and Columbine will only serve to encourage more such tragedies.
Schools and Colleges need to take steps to prevent such tragedies - however - these so called remembrance ceremonies serve no good purpose.
These people are hurting...they don't need to forget what happened to prevent it, and they don't need to forget the people who died. Show some sympathy please. They weren't your family members or friends who died, but at least show respect for these people. Ten years, yes...but why forget the people you love. God doesn't forget about you.
SCSlim & Joanna
The post by John - how did you get that his post was some sort of conservative con job? The post doesn't appear to be either conservative or liberal. The post simply describes what appears to have happened in the US over the last 40 years.
Harris has no interest in the Columbine story; he's pasting the same lines across the Vine peddling his book. What he describes is not what happened over the last 40 years, it's what he hates about the last 40 years. He can wrap it any way he wants to make it sound pleasing but, imo, he's selling evangelical voodoo. Check out his publisher then tell me I'm wrong.
The swat team that took forever to arrive then holding the terrified students as suspects
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember their TV interview? Something like - we only had on our lite flak jackets. What did the students have on? And - did you notice the "big brave" swat team forced exiting students to put their hands on their heads. They were too scared to go after the real killers - so they had to act tough.
Plain and Simple Columbine is proof that we NEED gun control.and none of you NRA a$$holes will convince me otherwise.
The guns were registered , big deal.. these 2 boys still got ahold of them and KILLED innocent people.
How many have to die for you gun nuts to get it through youre thick skulls