A grizzly anniversary

[norsegirl]

Media vultures all seem to be enjoying the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High massacre today. I was annoyed by one reporter's comment that the shootings were committed by two seniors who "saw themselves as outcasts". Question to all the outcasts out there... did you "see yourself as an outcast" or would you say you "were an outcast". Is your social status something purely in your own mind, or did others outside your head share the assessment of your social standing? Seems to me saying they "saw themselves" that way absolves everyone around them of any possible guilt, like this was all in their head, and there's no way that the way others treated them could have lead them to that conclusion. Heaven forbid that when everyone treats you like an outcast that you identify yourself as one.

And no, I'm not saying that this is an excuse for what they did, I'm just saying that pretending that the way everyone treated them had no influence at all on the eventual outcome is pretty short-sighted and frankly, dishonest.

Comments

Influence & Media Vultures

[firefred.livejournal.com]

Of course there was an influence. In my view (and it is limited), they were made to feel like outcasts because their schoolmates did not respect them. Just guessing, but I think they felt isolated. I am not defending what they did. This is not even the issue. The issue is access to guns. I still think this country would be in a better shape if it had some kind of gun control. But nah. - As for the media vultures on this 10th anniversary, they always hitch on to something when they can't find any other compelling news (latest gossip: Britney Spears in bed with Kevin Federline - ouch!!!). It is just boring, and the next mass shooting will be coming up before we know it. This is a country that is founded on things I just can't believe in. The Land of the Free. He, he he. I also still don't get their urge to spread their version of democracy in the middle east, when it is so obvious that all they want is oil. I think this country is a very hypocritical state. It does not know how to take care of its own citizens. It does not know how to improve basic services, healthcare and infrastructure come to mind. Playing world police does not cut it. Aside: I am not an American citizen. Nor will I ever become one. Unless things change. I hope that this president can do something, but perhaps I am just dreaming here.