Columbine, Santee, and El Cajon



I have a question: What the HELL is up with our schools?
It seems like every time I turn around, there has been another violent incident at a school. Most recently (and most publicized) were Columbine, two years ago, the March 5th Santee, CA shooting, and yesterday(3/22), a shooting SIX miles south of Santee, in El Cajon California.

As quoted by CNN: "He just got out of the car, he got down like in a sniper position and just started opening fire," Chris Weston, a junior at Granite Hills High School, told a reporter. "It seemed to be a shotgun."


It's the media coverage. Kids are seeing what others are doing, and seeing the attention they get, the infamy lived by these shooters. Consciously or not, they want that attention. Or, more likely in my mind, They are seeing the way others are seeking retribution, and are seeing how effective it is. This is the whole "monkey see, monkey do" type thing in use. Kids see this as an option. And it's

PISSING ME

OFF!



Poem:

Mommy, Johnny brought a gun to school,
He told his friends it was cool,
And when he pulled the trigger back,
It shot with a great crack.
Mommy, I was a good girl,
I did what I was told,
I went to school;
I got straight A's,
I even got the gold!
But Mommy, please don't cry.
When Johnny shot the gun,
He hit me and another,
And all because Johnny
Got the gun from his older brother.
Mommy, please tell Daddy;
That I love him very much,
And please tell Chris, my boyfriend,
That it wasn't just a crush.
And tell my sister,
That she is the only child now,
And tell my dear sweet Grandmother,
I'll be waiting for her now,
And tell my wonderful friends,
That they always were the best,
Mommy, I'm not the first.
I'm no better then the rest.
Mommy, tell my teachers;
I won't show up for class,
And never to forget this,
And please don't let this pass:
Mommy, why'd it have to be me?
No one deserves this.
Mommy, Warn the others.
Mommy, I left without a kiss.
And Mommy, tell the doctors:
I know they really did try,
I think I even saw a doctor Trying not to cry.
Mommy, I'm slowly dying
With a bullet in my chest,
But Mommy, please remember, I'm in heaven with the rest.
Mommy, I ran as fast as I could
When I heard that crack,
Mommy, listen to me if you would,
I'm not coming back.
I wanted to go to college.
I wanted to try things that were new.
I guess I'm not going with
Daddy on that trip to the zoo
I wanted to get married.
I wanted to have a kid.
I wanted to be an actress.
Mommy, I wanted to live.
But Mommy, I must go now.
The time is getting late.
Mommy tell Chris I'm sorry, but I had to cancel the date.
I love you Mommy, I always have.
I know you know it's true,
And Mommy all I wanted to say is,
"Mommy, I love you"


I really like that poem. It really hits home. I just wish that these kids would read it!
Listen up: Shooting doesn't solve CRAP! It does do two things though:
1)It guarantees you will NOT be accepted, happy, or appreciated.
2)It guarantees that you WILL NOT enjoy the rest of your life.

You will get one thing from it though: you get the privilege of spending a long time within four walls that only a small percentage of human society ever gets to see. You get to go to prison, possibly for the rest of your life, or longer. Or maybe you will just follow those that you have harmed...to hell, or to be reborn as a dying cockroach, or whatever you may believe. There will be NO good come from your actions.

I just wish there were more I could do... That I could make you understand. If you EVER need to talk, about ANYTHING (I mean it...green boogers and space martians) I will be there. I don't care WHO you are. I'm available whenever...
Email Sconners@Albertson.edu, or 34309314 [Deman] for ICQ, or DeuceTrinal on AOL Instant Messenger. Just reference this page. Anytime, Anywhere. I'll talk.

Come back soon, I'll update. (Media vs. coverage (trials) and punishment)

 

Alright - I said I'd update, and here I am. You know, it's been a while since this stuff happened. I'm in college. And guess what? It still irks me! When I said (media vs. coverage (trials) and punishment) I was reminding myself what I wanted to write about. Here is what I meant. When this stuff happened, what was all over the media? The helicopter shots from when the kids were running out of the school. People discussing motives and reasons for doing this. Discussing exactly how to do these things! And want it or not, the media was exposing a lot of vulnerable kids to a new way to express themselves. Do you think the copycats and such would have happened if this wasn't turned into such a huge event? No way! NO, the real issue that gets to me is this: I saw coverage of the shooting for hours and hours, day after day, following the event. But what about the trial? What of the verdicts and punishments handed out by the courts? Can you recall what happened to those kids? Sure you remember the shooting, and you assume something bad happened to them...but do you know what it was? Of course not. The media didn't make that into a big event. They should have though! If kids were to see the Columbine shooters, in orange jumpsuits, being led away in handcuffs to spend years behind bars, perhaps they might think twice! Instead of this being seen as something that other kids are doing, and therefore in some twisted way acceptable, it would be seen as a crime with a major punishment. Kids might think about what those two looked like, listening to their lives drain away as the judge's sentence dropped on them like a load of life-wrecking bricks. That's what the media should be covering, with at least an equal amount of ferocity as the shootings, if not more! THAT is what is going to make a difference. I have said my piece. If you want help, or rights to this, or anything else, Email me.

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