April 20, 1999, at Jefferson County, in the state of Colorado, a very tragic event occurred. At Columbine High School there was a massacre of 12 students and one teacher. The massacre was all in the hands of two seniors. The two seniors, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, then committed suicide after the incident.
But from tragedy springs community growth. One student, Rachael Scott had a strong feeling she was about to die soon. Her beliefs soon became a reality when she was murdered by two very violent seniors who also attended the same school as she did. Rachael made a diary just as she was shot to death. She could be compared to Anne Frank because their diaries both contained something which is very valuable like her life story. In this case, Rachael’s own death was very valuable within the diary.
Because of Rachel’s diary, a website soon grew in support of her ideas and a very important essay she wrote about how some people’s actions can impact the feelings and reactions of others. The essay expressed a strong belief that treating others with respect and compassion can change their thinking and sometimes save them from making bad choices. Since her murder in the Columbine school massacre, members of her family have created an assembly program, bringing her message on bullying to high schools, in the hopes that they can counteract the possibility of future instances of school violence. Such an assembly came to Pitman High School on September 20, 2011, where mostly juniors and sophomores attended. At the assembly, we learned a great deal about her life and the consequences of how people’s treatment of others can cause both a negative or positive chain reaction.
Rachael Scott came from a fairly large family whom she loved and cared. She was born on August 5, 1981, the third of five children of Darrell Scott which was born in 1949 and Beth Nimmo. Her older sisters are Bethanee which was born in 1975 and Dana who was born in 1976. Her two younger brothers are Craig who was born in the year of 1983 and Mike whom was born in the year of 1984.
The massacre encouraged debates regarding gun control laws, the availability of firearms in the United States, and gun violence involving youths. These discussions also focused on the nature of high school cliques, subcultures, and bullying, as well as the role of violent movies and the video games in American society. The shooting resulted in an increased importance on school security, and a moral panic aimed at social outcasts, the gun culture, and the use of anti-depressants by teenagers. It also emphasized violent films and music, teenage internet use, and violent video games.
Exactly who were Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and why did they attempt a massive massacre? These two young men were brought to the world’s attention when they brought attention to Columbine High School the morning of April 20, 1999. Before that day, they were just a couple of American high school seniors only two weeks away from graduation. For well over a year before the shooting, the boys had been brainstorming plans to attack their school and the innocent students who attend it. According to what they said in the journals and videos they left behind, they wanted to take revenge on the people they accused of picking on and bullying them.
The Columbine High School massacre was no funny matter; it was a tremendous loss of family and friend. Above all, Rachael Scott’s tragic story seemed to catch the most attention. Rachael decided to set forth and write down all of her life stories up to the day she had died. Because of her diary and her positive outlook on life, the school assembly program dedicated in her memory now works diligently to ensure such a catastrophe never again reaches an ordinary high school.
