Understanding Columbine

While riding on a side street a few days ago, I observed some teenagers. One of the girls, quite maliciously, was ridiculing one of the boys. I truly felt his humiliation. How he, at that moment, wanted nothing more than to hide in a cave until he was 21. The look on her face struck a chord inside of me. I hadn't felt this since high school, but there it was, still in my stomach. The bitter taste of hatred. The girl had no clue what she was doing, otherwise I'm sure she wouldn't have continued.

As an adult, I don't advocate violence, unless in self defense. That said, if I could have gotten my hands on a gun when I was 13 or 14, I can name at least a dozen little bitches and bastards that would never have seen 15. I've seen the interviews on TV, and heard people cry, "How could this have happened? She was so sweet; everybody loved her." Of course the person talking is usually either a parent or one of the girl's close friends. Ask the kid whose nickname is "Penis Breath" and gets his lunch money stolen for his take, and you'll probably hear a darker reality. It's not hard to know how or why these things happen. Not if you've been there.

Most of the pretty little girls and the jocks won't have a clue as to what I'm saying. If you were a rude and obnoxious little prick in school, you probably don't know either. But for those of us who kept mainly to ourselves, early to mid teens was a constant hike through neck-high shit. Being in any way different was a sure invitation for some little smart ass. It might even lead to a permanent new nickname. This, by the way, was the mid-70's, when everybody had long hair. Everybody except me. My parents made sure I looked like Ritchie Fucking Cunningham.

I killed them all many times in my head. The worst possible deaths. I wanted to be Kwi Chang Kain, kicking all their asses. Or Billy Jack.

How can you be sure your kid won't be killed in a school shooting? Teach them manners and respect, even for people who look, act, talk, or think different. Let them know it's not OK to poke fun at people. Well, at least not to their faces, but most of us don't learn that until much later.