To
check out the Cartoon of the day, click on the button below.
|
|
  The
Columbine Crisis in Review
by
Artem Kholodenko |
 The
previous year has been one full of tragic and exciting
events. Ranging from entertainment to politics, the
people have experienced a non-stop roller coaster ride
of events. One of the most shocking has been the Columbine
Massacre of April 20, 1999. That day the gunmen [Eric
Harris and Dylan Klebold] took lives that they had no
right to take. Students with promising futures were
buried all due to mental instabilities of a pair of
Hitler-worshipers!
The violence began at 11:30am of that gruesome day.
News reports covered the television and radio stations,
and the nation was in shock! At the finally of the destruction
over a dozen students and teachers lay slain within
the school halls and rooms. Some of these were teacher
Dave Sanders, and students Isaiah Shoels, Rachel Scott,
Lauren Townsend, and Kyle Velazquez.
Reading the 911 conversations between the dispatchers
and victims brought tears to my eyes. The images of
helpless people begging for help came to my mind; people
who didn't deserve to die. Scenes that were projected
over our television sets are ones that are commonly
seen in action movies, not in real life. Students covered
in blood and tears should not have to be seen, especially
in a first world country like the USA. May be other
countries don't have as many human rights as America,
but at least they value their education system. I don't
think we will ever hear about a school shooting in China
or Israel. Their students know and have respect for
freedom. They don't take it for granted and exploit
their guaranteed rights to hurt others. Even when a
building a blown up in the Middle East, it is done for
freedom and religious beliefs.  Although
inexcusable, the idea of a genocide murderer such Hitler
to be praised by citizens of a country that stands against
all of his ideals is just shameful. The parents of Eric
and Dylan could deny their responsibility for the actions
of their children as much as they wish; yet it is at
least in some part their fault. Everyone is born the
same, with a clean slate, and the ideas put in their
head are dependent of their parents - directly or indirectly.
It is whether they parents allowed them to view and
participate in activities that corrupted their minds,
or they just didn't care enough to watch out for their
kids' and their mental states; either way it is still
their fault. 
With the conclusion of this year, century, and millennium,
I only ask you to remember tragic events of such caliber
and make sure that the new millennium brings peace and
love, while keeping violence out of our homes, schools,
and lives.
For more information click
here.
|
| |
|
