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Post by Cassiopeia on Aug 17, 2002 0:03:02 GMT -5
^^^ I don't think they deserve the money though. What exactly are they being compensated for? I can understand if the kid was injured and was taken to the hospital. Then the money would cover medical bills, which is fine. But otherwise, it seems like the parents are just being greedy and suing innocent people. And yes, the parents *were* innocent.
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Post by RebDoMINe on Aug 17, 2002 0:03:40 GMT -5
^^Naru and Cass, agreed. And do you know something? According to multiple interviews with students there, things didn't stay changed for long. People were back to hurting each other's feelings again soon after.
You'd think of all schools, Columbine would have learned. Everytime I hear the students yell, "We are Columbine" it makes me want to cry--it's just unfortunate that they still can't learn a lesson.
The fact that they died in vain wasn't as much because they were killed as the fact that no one understands or truly cares. If anyone really cared, they'd offer kindness and support to anyone they can in order to prevent it from happening again. If people can't take a lesson from what awful things happened that day, then those children did die in vain.
People CAN make it so that their deaths were worth something. I'm not saying it was good or that we can make it good--but good CAN come from it.
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Post by NaruNarusegawa on Aug 17, 2002 0:05:08 GMT -5
"Hey you know what, if that is how they plan to gain closure that is none of my bussiness. The noble thing to do would be to donate all monies ganed in any such suit to charities, but I doubt that is what would be done."
Yeah, if the money was for charities to help prevent violence, and stuff for teens. I'd understand that, but I doubt that's what this is for. However, I don't understand how these people can put a price on their childrens lives.
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Post by RebDoMINe on Aug 17, 2002 0:08:09 GMT -5
Pettyluv, honestly, why should they take from people who have already suffered more than they have?
I don't see a possible greater pain. Having your child killed is horrid, I know, but having your child BE the killer, and then die at his own hand, is just as bad, if not worse, because YOU feel responsible.
How are the Harris and Klebold families responsible? Their boys had minds of their own. Eric was 18, Dylan was 17. Do you think they were naive or unintelligent and relied on mommy and daddy to tell them what to do? Suing them is vendictive and wrong--because they didn't do anything. They are not responsible. What a shame that they can't get to Eric and Dylan...but going after their parents is ridiculous.
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Post by NaruNarusegawa on Aug 17, 2002 0:10:05 GMT -5
"You'd think of all schools, Columbine would have learned. Everytime I hear the students yell, "We are Columbine" it makes me want to cry--it's just unfortunate that they still can't learn a lesson.
The fact that they died in vain wasn't as much because they were killed as the fact that no one understands or truly cares. If anyone really cared, they'd offer kindness and support to anyone they can in order to prevent it from happening again. If people can't take a lesson from what awful things happened that day, then those children did die in vain.
People CAN make it so that their deaths were worth something. I'm not saying it was good or that we can make it good--but good CAN come from it."
I totally agree with you guys. I think that's a good point, you'd think they'd learn, but they don't. I don't understand why, what fills these brats heads full of crap to make em think their shit don't stink, and that other people don't matter.
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Post by RebDoMINe on Aug 17, 2002 0:14:23 GMT -5
^^Naru hit the nail on the head. They don't understand why. Why is the only question anyone needs to ask. Why did it happen? Everything else fits into place.
What drove two boys to commit such a crime? What hurt them so much? Who deserves what, who is right, who is wrong...
It all pertains to why. It's all I'll ever need to know. I will always look for the answer to that question. I will develop opinions on the way. This is what answers are made of. Why Columbine?
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Post by LisaRocksYourWorld, yo on Aug 17, 2002 1:40:44 GMT -5
I do feel sympathy for the school shooters, as I do for those who were killed, but my sympathies are in two completely different forms.
I've been fortunate, I've never been the victim of constant harassment, but I've seen the effect it has had on my peers. No one, under any circumstances, should have a reason to have that much anger. Obviously, the entire social scene is in school, which is why these problems aren't always obvious in the home.
As RebdoMINe said before, Eric and Dylan were someone's children. They lived a normal life, they went on fishing trips with their dads, they had birthday parties and spent time with their families. They were like everyone else, until they got to school. Instead of talking about girlfriends and football games and school dances, they were talked down to, they were tormented, they weren't accepted. People have different levels of sensitivity... What barely affects one person can completely crush another. It's obvious that these boys didn't take this lightly, and every time someone made a bad remark to them, the weight on their backs became heavier and heavier until one day it just... broke. They decided THEY would be in power for once, THEY would get all the attention... They were blinded by this anger so much, they became evil and incredibly violent. They got what they wanted, they never had to suffer again.
Of course this was a shock to the parents. They had a normal life at home. Imagine hearing that your little boy, the one who would make you cards on Mothers' Day, had just killed himself along with 13 others. As if you don't blame yourself enough, you have all of America blaming you, too.
Parents are not fully responsible in the shaping of their children's character. They play a big part, but once you send your children out in the world, everyone they come in contact with effects who they are.
Eric and Dylan were not treated fairly by their classmates, they reacted in such a way that 13 people were killed. We have all been angry, but for most of us, it is hard to imagine what it feels like to be hated THAT much. Who's to say if we were put in the same situation we wouldn't react harshly?
Of course, it is unfortunate that the other 13 had to die. Maybe if each student had made an effort to be a little more caring, they would all be happy young adults today. It's an unfortunate way to learn a lesson, isn't it?
It's obvious no one has learned anything from this, except to stick some metal detectors at the entrance of every school. The violence is a result of the anger, the anger is the result of the tormenting. Stopping school violence starts at the root of the problem. Teachers and faculty are usually quite aware of what students are being harassed and who is doing the harassing. They pretend as if they don't hear anything-- a lot of times the students doing the teasing are the ones who are liked by all the teachers and popular amongst the higher social circles. Sometimes, I've seen unfortunate cases where the teachers actually find the tormenting amusing.
Pettyluv, you had said before, "I mean what happens when the kid gets out into the real world? I mean you cant outlaw dominant behavior."
Having stronger punishments against harassment would not just be to benefit those who are being the victims of the bullying, it could possibly teach those who are making the lives of their classmates a living hell to have a little compassion, and therefore help THEM in the real world.
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Post by Cassiopeia on Aug 17, 2002 12:10:37 GMT -5
I actually completely understand why Eric and Dylan did what they did. I don't think that it was the right thing to do, but it makes sense why they did it. They planned on killing themselves because they hated their lives, and they decided that since they were already going to die, why not take down a bunch of people with them? It's not like they were going to have to serve time in prison, because they were going to take their own lives.
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Post by RebDoMINe on Aug 17, 2002 15:29:12 GMT -5
Well said, Lisa.
No one COMPLETELY understands what went through their head, but anyone with half a brain can get the gist of it. No one will ever fully understand what they were thinking--they probably didn't even fully understand it. But what they did know has been taken with them to the grave, and it's up to people who care to figure it out.
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