Has It Really Been Ten Years?

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The Columbine massacre happened ten years ago yesterday. The multiple murders by rampaging troubled teens was going to change the way we lived our lives, wasn't it? The nation was shocked by the violence, and vowed that it would never happen again.

We've had three similiar massacres in the past month, haven't we? Certainly it wasn't a high school and there weren't kids involved this year, but what about the Virginia Tech massacre?

As usually happens on the anniversary of such a horrible atrocity, we are forced to relive it all. Yesterday the circumstances were spelled out again - Hitler's Birthday, Trench Coat Mafia - didn't their parents notice that something was awry? Were there warning signals to the school administrators?

Going into schools these days there are metal detectors and security guards on duty. All doors are locked, as they should be, and parents are forced to hold their breath when they put their kids on the bus in the morning. Have we learned anything? I remember that the biggest scare when I was in school was when one of the idiots put a cherry bomb in one of the toilets.

Not anymore.

I supposed we have learned a little about living in a society that certainly has elements of a 3rd world country, but all the anniversary did for me was make me sad again.

To those students and staff members who lost their lives that day (Can you name even a single victim) - I'd liked to say the world has changed because of the tragic event, but has it?

Are we in position to ever stop it from happening again?

Comments

Carrie Lynn Fazzolari said…
Your brother Jim was one of the idiots who put a cherry bomb in the toilet... fun stuff!
21 April, 2009
deafjeff said…
Of course we can't stop it, it is human nature. Every superhero needs a super villian.
21 April, 2009
John said…
The world hasn't changed but the world of school has. Some for the better and some for the worse. I don't like locking the place up, but that is how we have changed for the worse. Schools and kids have become more aware of and responsive to bullying and victimization. We are much better off for that.
21 April, 2009
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