Going Beyond Columbine

There are often a numerous amount of arguments that an author would try making about a nonfiction novel. I argue against this statement. I feel like there was no argument that Dave Cullen was trying to make in Columbine. I believe he wrote this book as a prevention for future mass shootings. People often write about historical massacres to keep them from happening again; it's like learning about the Holocaust. Why? To make sure that people in the generations ahead don't have to go through it. It's needless to say that the Columbine shooting was a huge atrocity all over America, but we can't go back in time and take it back. What we can do is have educational sources to show people signals of depression, anger, etc., like Eric and Dylan suffered from. We can also develop school plans. Today, we have a lock down drill we practice for these cases in particular. Books like Columbine help prepare for tragic shootings so we know what to expect and how to protect students/teachers from being injured/killed again.

I also feel like Cullen wrote the book to show the different signs that people might give off that signals some sort of distorted thinking within a person. Eric and Dylan, the murders of the Columbine shooting, started out with criminal records. They had broke into cars, vandalized houses, and set off/made bombs. All these events were soon put on their records, but were thought of as minor. The boys also kept journals that clearly stated that they would rather die, or they wanted to kill people. Eric kept a blog for a long time, which was updated frequently with threats and new adventures him and Dylan went on. Generally, Eric supplied viewers with new concoctions to make dangerous bombs and with new people added on his "to kill" list.  

http://abcnews.go.com/Archives/video/april-20-1999-columbine-shooting-9541833

This link is a news piece from ABC news showing clips of many rescued kids and distraught teens as they were interviewed. Many of the kids thought they had a good idea of who Eric and Dylan were, but the two boys weren't part of the "Trench coat Mafia" like one boy said in the video. Regardless, this video supplies legit information and good clips to give readers a better idea of how the shooting actually went.

http://acolumbinesite.com/quotes2.html#420

This script was from the last video Eric and Dylan shot in their basement. It was roughly 30 minutes before the two boys took their positions in front of Columbine High School to begin the mass shooting.

http://acolumbinesite.com/profiles2.html

This is Eric Harris' screen shots of his blog. He made multiple threats to people on here and often told very vulgar information about himself and other people. 

Responses to responses?

In blog #4, my class has been asked to respond to other responses of classmates who have commented on questions posted in people's previous blogs. I color coordinated my blog. :) Questions are in black, people's responses are in red, and mine are in blue! Enjoy the slight creativity I have incorporated into my blog this week! ;)


Mykel asked:
What kind of affect does fast food have on your everyday life?
Emily responded:There are so many ways that fast food plays into your everyday life.  Whether it is sitting at home watching T.V or driving through town going by all of the restaurants.  There have been many times that I have wanted to stop by and grab a bit to eat at one of the fast food places since their food and drinks are so cheep.  I try and stop myself by realizing how bad it is for you.  It is also very convenient  if you are in a hurry and are needing some food just to pull into one of the many restaurants along the side of the road. So yes fast food does effect me everyday, and I know that it effects many other people in the same ways it effects me. 
My response:
I do agree with Emily. Fast food is so delicious to me! It's hard to turn it down, especially when in a rush. Because I am an athelete of our high school, we stop to eat almost every time we go to away games or matches. This becomes a problem because we want FAST FOOD! I'm always so hungry after my events so obviously I'm going to buy a nice four dollar meal from McDonalds. This can lead to many issues for me though. I know Emily is a runner and she can relate because we both have to stay in shape for our sports. Eating these kinds of food doesn't help the cause. Sure, the food is quick and tasty, but it's extremely unhealthy and definitely affects my every day life.

Macayla asked:
Have you ever done something just for the popularity?
Sam responded:
I my self have not done something just because I thought it would make me more popular/give me more popularity. Sadly, many people in todays generation do however.  I think that they need to realize being yourself will make you a lot more friends than you trying to be someone else or by acting different. 
My response:
Sam, I think that's a very good point you brought up about being yourself. Saying this, I feel like everyone has a point in their life when they feel like they want to fit in so bad that they do things they wouldn't normally do to "fit in" or to "be popular." High school might seem like a popularity contest, but it's really not. Nobody really cares about what you wear, who you hang out with, or even what sports you play. I'm not saying I'm innocent of not doing things for popularity before, but as time goes by, you start realizing that you need to let the little things stay little and you need to find happiness within yourself instead of relying on a popular group to make you happy.


Calli asked:
How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?
Morgan responded:
If I lost a family member, I would be very upset and probably be in a stage of not knowing what to do anymore. Eventually, I would start to accept the fact and move on. It isn't easy losing a loved one, but sometime, you just have to let go and go on with your life. It would be tough, but we have to realize they're in a better place. To deal with the pain, I'd think about all of the good times we had together and then start to move on because there is nothing I could do anymore to make them be with us still.
My response:
I can see what Morgan is saying, but I honestly can say that I don't know what I would do if I lost a family member. Psychiatrists always say that people go through a phase of disbelief, then denial, depression, anger, etc. but I really can't say that stage would come first for myself. I do believe people's grieving processes are different, but I'd probably just have to take things day by day and surround myself with my friends. This is a very difficult question to answer because no one really knows what they'd do until the time comes.


Emily asked:
"When they talked about how kids used their parents to get to go to McDonald's, do you ever remember doing that to your own parents?"
Ben responded:
Yes i do. I would always ask to go to McDonalds because of the Playplace. And then inevitably i would say "im hungry" and we would get food. And thats how McDonald's makes their money.
My Response:

Ben, it's funny you say that, because I know kids our age that go to McDonald's just for the play land... STILL. It's kind of ridiculous, but yes, that's how that corporation makes their money. I was never one of those kids who cared for the play land, but I absolutely loved McDonald's food when I was younger, and I still do!! I remember pitching fits and having my sisters join in on it just so we can get a small fry from the McDonald's drive through. I think that all kids have attempted this scheme at least once in their lives!

Blog Post #3: QUOTES!!

In class, we have been practicing DED questions. In my blog, I will continue to ask these questions, only connecting them through interesting quotes throughout the text. In my previous blogs, I've informed readers I am reading the novel, Columbine, by Dave Cullen.

• ""The crosses ask an implicit question," Rocky Mountain News columnist Mike Littwin wrote. "Are you ready to forgive?"

In this quote, I see a question that I feel was asked numerous times among the community after the Columbine shooting. Cullen constantly explains the hurt, permanent physical damage, and trauma many of these students attending Columbine High School still feel. Because the community was so religiously based, many people depended on forgiveness to move on. Saying this, the quote written above asked just this. I find it a decision that had to be made by digging deep and finding it in your heart to forgive, because I don't know if I could've.

• ""There was this one couple, they just poured out their hearts," he recalled. "Their sons used to play with Dylan when the boys were little. They loved Dylan.""

I found this quote a bit disturbing and sort of upsetting. Dylan was one of the two shooters. Although he is described as the more calm killer, I still feel like signs of a killer should show early and nobody picked them up. I also find it strange that Dylan didn't show many signs at all when he was young. You would think that an adult would pick up on out of the ordinary actions from a young child.

• "Length of severity and exposure increased their odds of mental health trouble down the road, but long-term responses were highly varied, depending on each individual. Some kids who had been in the library during the shootings would turn out fine, while others who had been off to Wendy's would be traumatized for years."

This fact in the text was very interesting to me. Many psychiatrists studied the Columbine students over the years after the mass murder. Although this may seem bizaar, it's nothing less than the truth. I was extremely absorbed in this not just because the truth of it but because how strange people seem. You would think it would be the other way around, but respecting how people are different is so important in cases like these. It's good to see that the school is so understanding, especially with the severity of the situation.

On Calli's blog, she asked:
1. How would you deal with the pain of losing a family member?I would respond to this question with very few correct words to say. I feel like I would probably just take things day by day because there isn't an actual healing process that's the same for everyone. The question is kind of personal, which I understand because Columbine is written in a very personal view. I really don't know what I would do if I lost someone in my family. I can imagine I'd be angry at the person who took them away from me, but everyone's greiving process is different, and I couldn't tell you until I was actually put in that position. Devistated is probably the most accurate word to use to decribe how I'd feel.