Diana

Countless people, from Joe and Betty America to their politicians and commentators, have waxed gravely about what the Columbine murders "say about us." A Utah state legislator said it all started when "they took prayer out of schools." Rosie O'Donnell ranted angrily that we must "stand up to the NRA." A minister at a Denver memorial service said "gun manufacturers must be held accountable for this tragedy." For two days on my radio show I have heard from people who blame abortion, poor parenting, a lack of personal responsibility, Bill Clinton, liberals in general and a growing lack of spirituality in our society. Each of them has seen some great flaw in the American heart that gave rise to the butchers of Columbine. And each of them has been wrong. Because to see the two murderers and the evil they did as a product of our national soul, and then to simultaneously ignore the hundreds of heroes and the goodness they did is to misrepresent the truth. If the tiny evil minority is a product of this society, so too is the overwhelming good majority. If you look at our failures, you must also look at our successes.

I'm humbled to belong to a society which produced a hero teacher who, shot through the chest, his lifeblood glugging away, led a group of students to the barricaded safety of a classroom. For three and a half hours, as he knew he was dying, he calmed the students, and gave them direction. I am proud to know that my country raised the youngsters who clustered around that teacher, tending his wounds as best they could, keeping him conscious, using a cellular phone to call paramedics for advice. I am honored to share citizenship with the boy who thought to pull out the teacher's wallet so that he might look upon pictures of his family as he fought to stay alive.

It was this culture which produced another teacher, his charges hiding in a room, brave enough to stand with nothing more than a fire extinguisher to drive away a threat to his students' safety.

The teen-agers who knelt to shield and comfort their wounded classmates grew up in this society. As they carried the injured to safety and stopped to pray with the frightened, they were acting out of a set of values they learned as Americans.

One boy in the library threw himself on top of a fellow student, whispering to her to be calm, saying he would protect her body with his own. That boy, that hero, grew up in a world with legal guns, violent video games, hateful rock'n'roll, no prayer in schools, countless abortions, grizzly movies, Bill Clinton in the White House and record divorce rates. Yet he, and hundreds of others, acted with the purest of human virtues and in a noble and selfless fashion.

What does that "say about us?"
It says we are a good people. And while we have weaknesses and challenges, we are fundamentally strong. Our heart is essentially good, our children are raised with natural decency.

Lunch ladies shouted directions for students to flee, ninth-graders organized into groups for protection, children's cell phones told cops where the shooting was and when it had died down.

And in the wake of it all, children with shattered lives stood before cameras and politely and clearly told a nation what they had seen. Strong enough to care, strong enough to endure, strong enough to witness.

As the tears are wiped away and the shock and grief begin to fade, Columbine will leave me with pride. Pride in the students and teachers of that suburban school, one little community that represents us all. With dignity, compassion and courage.

The America those kids grew up in helped them to be some of the best and strongest people in the world. They are not the product of a failed society, they are the offspring of the greatest culture and nation on earth.

The president who saw no flaw in himself is too quick to see a flaw in us. Those who hate our way of life, or who seek to use tragedy to advance their political causes, will see deep trouble in the American soul. But their perception is not true. It doesn't reflect us, it reflects them. This is a good land. We are a good people. The children we raise are overwhelmingly decent and pure.

For us to mistakenly assert otherwise is to deny them and their virtue. It is to deny the testament of the heroes of Columbine.
- by Bob Lonsberry c 1999

ABUSE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR MURDER !!!!!!

Although I live on the East Coast - some 2,000 miles away from Littleton, Colorado, I have been utterly devastated by the Columbine High School massacre. Never have I cried so hard and slept so little since the 1988 Kentucky drunk driving bus crash that killed 27 kids during a church youth group trip to an amusement park.

I have family that lives in the Denver metro area. My brother works in Littleton not far from the school. I am the uncle of a niece and nephew at neighboring Douglas County High School. I am jubilant to report everyone's ok and safe despite being next door to "ground zero". My niece graduated from Douglas High on Saturday, May 22nd.

The Columbine Massacre has re-opened some old wounds in me of how I was abused in my high school days. I have written to debunk the excuses of abuse that some are using as justification for Eric's and Dylan's murderous rampage through Columbine High School.

During my junior high years and the first year of high school, I lived through a hell of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from fellow students. I admitted to my mom just last week, they're are times of physical abuse she didn't even know about. I wasn't popular so I was a loner. I felt I was a "punching bag". I also lived in a dysfunctional family. I even tried to kill myself because I was so disliked.

One day, in high school, during lunch, a guy named Kevin walked to my table and invited me to a meeting that night. It was a night I haven't forgotten some 25 years later. It was filled with laughter, joy, and happiness. There was singing, clapping, some kids dancing too. Then there were hilariously funny skits by the leaders. After all was calm, the leaders got to the purpose of the meeting: A Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ. The leaders were from a youth ministry called Young Life - based in Colorado Springs.

Through my last years of high school, I virtually lived with the "club" as it was known on those Wednesday nights. My parents even let me have 50 to 60 crazy and wild YLer's at our house for a couple of hours of fun, fellowship and prayer. I followed Young Life on summer retreats to Saranac, Windy Gap, and La Vida. I also went on weekend retreats. It was an absolute joy to be involved with Young Life.

My association with Young Life gave me a boost in self-confidence and self-esteem. In my Freshmen Year, I was a member of the Homecoming Decoration Committee. For three years, I was a member of the Student Government Association (SGA) in which I was Home Room Rep. I got to travel to other area high schools for County SGA meetings. I sold candy for the Senior Class. I also played in the annual seniors verses the teachers softball game (I forgot who won, though). I went to the Senior Prom with, get this, a date from our rival high school. With Young Life's help, I graduated June 6th, 1977.

Thanks to Kevin, we are now the best of friends. He is the pastor of an inner city Philadelphia, Pa church. I can call him and visit with his family (wife & three teenagers) at any time I want. I even called him at close to midnight the other night and cried about this wholly unnecessary tragedy. I needed his pastoral counseling to deal with my tumultuous emotions on this bloody massacre that occurred extremely to close to my brother's family.

Today, at 40, I still live with some of those scars of abuse. However, I have a full time job going on 14 years with a Top 10 Corporation. I have earned two college degrees. I have been engaged in politics, protests, volunteer work, etc. Moreover, I HAVE NOT KILLED ANYONE over the abuses I suffered (if I did, I wouldn't be writing this).

What was done to Eric and Dylan was wrong, plain and simple, period!!!! I find it ludicrous some people are using Eric's and Dylan's abuse as justification for murder. If any of you want to be different, an outcast, a loner, then YOU MUST LEARN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND ACTIONS. You will be taunted, looked at, sneered at, gossiped at, made fun of, and so on. It's all-wrong but that is teenage human nature. I know first hand because I experienced them.

Ask yourself why aren't you liked and do something about it. Talk to your parents, a guidance counselor, a classmate you trust, your pastor, whomever. Also, get involved at school, your church, and your community. Pick a hobby. For me, I like baseball cards - I have over 100,000. I'm a baseball fan too. I like the Baltimore Orioles. I implore you, just don't stand around and pout, feeling sorry for yourself.

Finally, I pray the massacre at Columbine High School on April 20th, 1999 sounds a clarion call to America's adult population to take our kids violent threats seriously. We adults are the bridges to their future. When will we take the responsibility to protect them, nuture them and guide them until they are ready to cross those bridges?

The Harris and Klebode parents cannot SOLELY be responsible for the son's murderous rampage. Eric and Dylan are victims too. Both fell through the cracks of bureaucratic indifference of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. They failed to take seriously the violent threats of Eric. Yes, Eric and Dylan murdered 13 of their classmates, but law enforcement and societal apathy killed all 15 persons.

To America's teenagers, I am so sorry for my fellow adults' failure to stop this awful tragedy. How many more dead teenagers and brokenhearted parents, siblings, friends will the toll climb to stop the killing? PLEASE no more Columbine's, Paducah's, Jonesboro's, Springfield's or Pearl's.

To America's adults, our country's future is drowning in our children's blood.

STOP THE KILLING, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

NOTE: I have pasted this same testimony in the Denver Post's online newspaper at www.denverpost.com. It has generated a lot of debate over school abuse.

Lastly, I give everyone who reads this permission to copy and paste on your web-site. Just make sure to give Jesus Christ all the deserved Glory and Praise for all that read this. Also, please e-mail Mark Friis at mrfreeze58@yahoo.com if you do decide to copy and pass it along.

Thanks.

=== Mark Friis
mrfreeze58@yahoo.com

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