Although the Colordo shooting was terrible, I can't stand the fact that they are tagging all goths as murderers. I am a Goth. I am proud of that fact; it is a very interesting culture. Yet today while going around town with my mother, I was looked down on and had several snide comments made on my all black attire and oversized army jacket. I did not kill anyone, nor do any of my gothic friends wish to kill anyone. We were as shocked a horrified over the shooting as everyone else. Sterotyping people is how they racist thing came about, yet while everyone looks down on the fact that they were racist, they are being racist in there discription of these kids. Racism must stop in all forms.

as subcultures go, to say the least, "goth"(as the term is being used this week) hasnt been around long enough to be perceived seriously, much less taken as a societal threat, anymore than "the munsters" were...this is kids playing halloween; a more recent generational subgroup's efforts to be different...being a beatnik or hippie or punk rocker or skinhead has been done...


let us not ever forget that these american kids grew up in the most sordid and pervasive media/cultural bombardment civilization has ever known. and i'm not talking about silly freak shows like marilyn manson...


similarly, let's not forget that bill haley was once "taken as a societal threat", much less elvis presley; and we can take that back to concerns over the waltz...


decades of corporate advertising (which all contemporary americans have grown up with) has exhausted all their adjectives; the lowest common denominator gets lower, while the bar for "sensation" ratchets upward...i think of the lab experiments where the rats hit the "gimme cocaine" button to the exclusion of food until they die...because they want that RUSH...


the bloodshed and horror evinced this week was absolute; the bar has ratcheted higher.

While I appreciate what President Clinton and others in postition of authority have stated about violence in the schools, let's not forget that preventing more tragedies like the Colorado School shootings, begins in the home! We need all the help we can get to prevent these tragedies, but the government, the schools, and the social agencies can only go so far. As parents, we don't just need to listen to our kids, we need to "hear them".

I am a parent of a 13yr. old boy who loves all sports, and I am scared to death to send him to school tomorrow because there were rumors that kids were going to bring guns to his school today, but thank God someone told someone else about the rumors and the principal had police at the school before the buses even arrived. But what if the guns show up tomorrow or the next day when the police have gone. I feel the need to do something to try and help prevent things like this from happening but I don't know where to start. My son is my life and I need to feel like he is safe at school but I don't. Parent's have got to get involved more because just a few parent's can not do it alone.

Just wanted to let you know that I have placed my own personal ramblings about this whole subject. I would like you folks to read it and make your own responses. the URL is
http://www.stormweb.nu/articles/child-violence.htm
Thank you.

Hi. I am sorry for what happened to your school. I too am a parent of two boys. One already likes basketball, and swiming, and is learning how to roller skate. I was an out cast in my school all through the years, and was scared of high school, because of the racial violence that went on.

We had unmarked security guards on campus, that was 19 yrs. ago. And it seemed to help. Maybe more schools should do that. And have a school uniform policy so all kids will be treated equal.

I know speaking as a college student with little money, that is very expensive. But, may be worth adopting in all of our schools, if it will save our childrens' lives. I moved back to Illinois, from California, mainly because it was worse in most of those schools, as far as the violence goes, because of the types of clothing children wear.

I don't think a child should be put down, just because they're not athletic. They have enough pressure just to make good grades. And please their parents. I agree, we need to listen to our children more. And tell them not to be afraid to tell someone if they are being made fun of, or beaten up daily. preferably a grown up. It may help save their lives in the future.

I agree with Dr. Dobson, too. Pronography needs to be out of reach of our children, and violence needs to be out of reach of our children on videos, and t.v. programs. I try to watch what my children watch on t.v. They know if they are watching something that is not allowed. They tell me ahead of time when I am at home.

This world is becoming way too dangerous. These are just kids, trying to act like adults. We need to be a better example for them. Carmen a Christian song writer and artists, has a song called Revival in the Land. That is what we need now. A Revival in the USA. And God back in our schools. I hope Miss OHara is enjoying what she did to our schools, by removing the Bible, and Prayers, because I am not. We need it back again!

Sincerely;


Laurie A Downing
Danville, IL USA
laurie_a_downing@Yahoo.com

To Columbine and the world,
You are in our prayers, in this time of pain. We express our sadness to you, and pray for your community. How to cope with a situation like this is very hard, with the love of god, family and friends you will mend your broken hearts. You can never forget the horrid of that day, or the fact that you or your community will never be the same, but you will prevail.

You are in our hearts, and our prayers. We are a community still trying to mend the pain of the murder of a class mate. It was not in a situation as devestating as yours, but the pain will always be there, close to our hearts. But this pain can not hold us back, as a community we have coped, with support from friends and family we have prevailed.

The phrase "It will never happen here". Has been said all to much. After this it is proven, it can happen anywhere, at any time. As we enter the year 2000 we need to make change, It is not right that the people of this, the great United States has to feel afraid. Why does it have to be this way. We are afraid to go to school, church, even a stroll in the park. The world has faced change, is it for the better? No one will ever know.

The time has come to open our minds to the fact that there are people who are like walking time bombs, ready to explode. You need to talk to others when you are angry or sad, deal with it in a non violent way, this experience, and other violent acts of human kind should be a lesson, something to learn from.

You should not get pleasure from another's pain.
Believe in god, as he beleves in you,
You will be alright, in our prayers you
will be.

We are so sorry that something that terrible could happen at a school of teenagers just like us. We send our respects to all the friends and families of the victims. We are truly sorry that this has happened. This also includes the parents of the two boys that has done this. I do not beleive that it had anything to do with yall.

Why.... a three letter word that often leaves the world wondering.... It is a terrible shame that those young boys could hatefully take the lives of their school counterparts. The beautiful lives that were taken from them can never be restored. It would have been better for them to have turned the guns on themselves before taking them to school and killing innocent people.

To the parents and family members of those who have been lost, on behalf of my family-- we are truly sorry and prey that God will give you strength. Even in this-- your darkest hour, God has a way of letting his light shine on you. Be assured he hasn't forsaken you. He hears you in the midnite hour. May God bless you real good, and give you strength.

I think that this shooting has nothing to do with culture and banning guns isn't going to stop all this!! Just because a gun falls into the wrong hands doesn't mean nothing. I think that if a person wants a gun bad enough he or she can always find one! As for those of the Goth culture, don't worry about people looking at you strange, you have freedom and that is your choice....

We just want to say God Bless, and that our hearts go out to all of you who are suffering from this tragedy. It's so horrible that we can not even fathom what it must be like for all the friends, families, students and teachers who were involved in this tragedy. Not to mention all the others who were involved in one way or another. No one should have to go through what you all have been through. Please know that there are many of us out here who hold you in our hearts and prayers, and hopefully in time, you'll be able to get back to living life again. God Bless!
The Camacho Family

My heart is filled with much pain and sadness for the people of Littleton. I pray for the families who have lost their children,and loved ones. For the pain just must be so unbearable. This is just so Tragic!It's really scarey that Our Children have so much anger inside of them! I believe we need to be there more for our children, teach them good moral judgement and values,and to respect one another. What has happened to family values? I just want them to know that prayers are with them and God is with them. He will surround them with much comfort and love. He is walking with them today and always. They are never Alone! God is with you Always! For through Darkness He is Light,through Sadness He is Comfort.
God Bless All of You! I will be praying for much comfort to surround you today and everyday! I just wish there was more I could do for all of you to help you with the pain you are feeling!

To all the parents and Kids who have just lost a child or a friend, Know that the world grieves with you . As your Spring suddenly turned to Winter again,take those snowflakes as a sign of God's frozen tears coming down to mingle with yours. As impossable as this may seem to you now, this pain will lessen in time. No you will not forget,but as you move along and celebrate each person's life who just left us, you r pain will lessen.I do this for my son who died four years ago, in a manner of violence. When you can, plant tree's in there name's.It is life affirming. I send you my tears, and love. A california Mom

I'm 13 years old and I have been watching everything I can on this shooting. I would like to say that I'm tired of listening to the media saying that these kids are bad and theses kids always wanted to kill people and I'm sure but from what I have heard from the friends of Dylan and Eric that they were nice kids.
Also my friend and I went to the mall and we dressed up in all black and wore black make-up (goth) and we got stared down and cruel remarks to us and we usually dress I guess you can say
normal. We did this just to see how eveyone in the "Trenchcoat Mafia" felt, i was getting ready to go tell off those people that said things to us, but Dylan and Eric and all of their friends had to hear two times worse and worst everyday they had to listen to it! I don't see how anyone could kill someone but I do see that they could get that mad that they would be like that.
So all you people blaming it on "goth" and entertainment thats not what it was its the teasing and having to tolerate it everyday, blame it on those people that teased them.

cammie