Re: columbine

Jeremy Green (jergreen@adelphia.net)
Tue, 27 Apr 1999 23:47:00 -0400 

not wanting children because this world is too violent is a problem at the
center of numerous Kurt Vonnegut novels, including quit possible breakfast
of champions and timequake
----- Original Message -----
From: <PAULA090@aol.com>
To: <bananafish@lists.nyu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, April 22, 1999 11:48 PM
Subject: Re: columbine


> Just like everywhere else, at my high school the students have been
talking
> about Columbine since the news broke.  I was in Virginia visiting college
> friends when it came on tv.  One girl started to panic and ran to the tv.
> She was a freshman in college in Virginia, she had graduated from
Columbine
> High School.  Her terror made the tragedy even more real to us.
> But what I really wanted to share, was what has happened in my school the
day
> after the news broke.  One boy,  a senior in one of my classes,  was
expelled
> for saying to his class that "he would have done the same thing (as the
> murderers) if he had the guns" and "those kids (the victims) deserved to
die"
>  he then went on to break into tears and confess that he hated himself and
> everyone, how horrible his family treated him, and that he was an outcast.
> He also said that "you can only treat a person like s**t for so long
before
> they snap".  The ignorant teacher did not stop the scene and the boy went
on
> for much of the class until he was in hysterics.  Two girls ran from the
room
> in horror.  And many people in the classroom were telling him to shut up,
> that nobody cared.  Now everyone has a fear that he will come to the
school
> with a gun.
> Another boy, a freshman, was expelled for saying to a girl "I am going to
> kill everyone here, just like "they" did, but I am going to kill you
first".
> Later on in the day, the power went out for a while, something that doesnt
> happen without a storm usually, many teachers in fear locked themselves
and
> the kids inside their classrooms.
> I am terrified of the violence I see around me.  What with a war, people
> being tortured, a school masacre, three horrible murders of innocent
female
> campers in Yosemite, a fatal train reck in Illinois, this year has been
blow
> after blow to people who just want peace.
> I and many of my girlfriends have decided that we will not have kids.  Not
> because we do not want them, but because this country is not safe enough.
> Where will the children play?