I can't wait to graduate!

The BBQ Pit
1

Something to think about and maybe comment upon.

Darrell Scott, the father of
Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in
Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee’s
subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special
session of Congress was painfully truthful. It needs to be heard by
every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every
psychologist, and every so-called expert!
These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful,
penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God
sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a
portion of the transcript (which you surely didn’t see in our liberal
media):

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good and
evil in the heart of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or
the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter,
Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other
eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out
for answers.

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his
brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.
Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was
Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart.
"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA.

"I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not
even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because
I don’t believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death.
Therefore, I do not believe that they need to be defended.
"If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel’s murder,
I would be their strongest opponent. I am here today to declare that
Columbine was not just a tragedy - it was a spiritual event that
should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame
lies herein this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing
fingers of the accusers themselves.

"I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my
feelings best.
This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here
today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs
Your words are empty air,
You’ve stripped away our heritage
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms
And precious children die,
You seek for answers everywhere
And ask the question “Why?”
You regulate restrictive laws
Through legislative creed,
And yet you fail to understand
That God is what we need!

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of
body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of
our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to
rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual influences were present within our
educational systems for most of our nation’s history. Many of our major
colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact.
What has happened to us as a nation?

"We have refused to honor God, and in doing so, we open the
doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as
Columbine’s tragedy occurs-politicians immediately look for a scapegoat
such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive
laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties.
"We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would
not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can
stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre.
The real villain lies within our own hearts. Political posturing
and restrictive legislation are not the answers. The young
people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking
place that will not be squelched!

"We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy
television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not
need more million dollar church buildings built while people with
basic needs are being ignored. We do need a change of heart and a humble
acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle
of simple trust in God!
“As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library
and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes - He did not
hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that
right!
I challenge every young person in America, and around the world,
to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School - prayer was
brought back to our schools.”
"Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in
vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard
for legislation that violates your God-given right to
communicate with Him.

"To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA - I
give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart
before casting the first stone!

“My daughter’s death will not be in vain. The young people
of this country will not allow that to happen!”

All that said, I can’t wait to graduate! I go to school everyday wondering if some looney who was mad at somebody will think it’s their God-given right to come to school and kill me and my friends, or my teachers, or somebody just because they are mad at somebody else.

At our school, since the shooting, nothing has changed. We have racial problems and plenty of violence. Kids attack other kids and the teachers and principal do little about it. Some of us think that it is only a matter of time before someone gets shot. No metal detectors, no more hall monitors than before, nothing.

I worry about this everyday and so do some of my friends.

2

Prayer has never been removed from the public schools of the U.S.

What has been prohibited is the act of the school authorities prescribing a specific prayer to be recited by the pupils in the school. This (where the schools actually comply with the law) prevents school authorities of one denomination from foisting their beliefs onto children who believe differently (either in the nature of their religion or in having no religion). The alternative to denominational prayer that imposes beliefs against the will is non-denominational prayer that is so free of content as to be worthless as prayer in the eyes of anyone who truly believes in God.

Personal devotion is always protected. The ACLU has defended several students who chose to bring bibles to school and were forbidden to do so by overzealous school administrators.

What is the wonderful history of having prayer in schools? It includes the riots that occurred in Philadelphia and Baltimore, leading to several church burnings and a few deaths when Catholics requested that their children be allowed to pray from the Douai-Rheims version of the bible instead of the King James Version. It is manifested in the Fundamentalist Protestant family in Tennessee who have been shunned by their whole community and branded as Satanists because the mother asked the question “Why are prayers being recited in our public school?”

Prayer in school is a panacea for people who want easy, unthinking answers to complex problems.

Tom~

3

That was the best post I have read from you, Tom. But I noticed you didn’t talk about MY concern. I will pray whenever and wherever I feel like it, but probably the kids at Columbine prayed to God not to die, they did anyway. I would like to graduate. I would like to go to school and not have to worry about getting killed. I wish the teachers were able to spank the kids, but the law says no no don’t touch! Look at the heritage of THAT TOM! Wake up dimbulb! People like you probably think taking away the guns is the answer. The kids in the gangs have guns illegally and will always have them. I heard from friends that even if they destroyed all the guns, the gangs know how to make them.

I am afraid, Tom. Do you get that? Do you care? Would you like to see me and my friends shot down because we went to school?

My dad owns a gun and if anybody EVER tried to get in and hurt me or my brothers or sisters or our Mom he would shoot them, and so would I!!! You would probably take our guns away and make us victims.

4

Look, this is a GD waiting to happen. Maybe if I pray to the Lord hard enough it will move there.

Gypsy: Tom, I don’t get you.
Tom Servo: Nobody does. I’m the wind, baby.

5

Tomndeb: Could you give me a cite for that ACLU item you mentioned? I would like to use that to point out to the Pounders at LBMB who call the organization the Anti Christ League Union that they are not against religion but for freedom, period.

As for the original poster, all I can say is it’s a darn shame what happened at Columbine. But if you claim it happened because God isn’t there, I guess you think that God isn’t everywhere, huh. Oh well, so much for omnipotence… :rolleyes:

Yer pal,
Satan

6

Sandy, I think you are worried overmuch about being gunned down at school. The media hypes these stories way out of proportion. In all actuality they are extremely rare occurrences. Check the statistics.

And this probably won’t help to allay your fears, but why do you think you can quit worrying about being shot when you graduate? Mass shootings occur in places other than schools. But all this aside, you are far more statistically likely to be struck by lightning than gunned down.

7

Sandycane, I am neither a fan of the NRA nor an advocate of banning guns. Most gun issues (like most serious issues) should be addressed to the level of complexity that they represent. The largest section of your post, and the part that you used as a lead, was the “testimony” about prayer having been removed from schools. That is what I responded to.

As to the situation in your particular school: why are there gangs and fights, but no one is making an attempt to get control? Are you going to Youngstown? Steubenville? Are the administrators trying to hide the problem for political reasons? You did not make it very clear why your school has the problems you mentioned and I am not inclined to hand out blanket solutions. If you were having daily fights in the halls of Richmond High (with a guessed-at population of 300 kids), you would have a much different situation than you would have if you were being bussed into the south end of Youngstown.

I am sorry that any kid has to go to school in fear. I think that adnministrations that take no steps to protect kids should be tried on charges of reckless endangerment. On the other hand, I do not recommend the same solutions for every school in the country. (For example, you note the problems with gangs and fights, yet every single one of the mass shootings in schools in the last couple of years has occurred in “nice” suburban settings while the violence in the “tough” schools generally occurs at a more personal one-on-one level. The situations are different and require different solutions.)

Tom~

8

I have seen you around’sandy’, and I dont buy the ‘high school girl’ act a bit.

Save it for your twisted fantasies.

And using the Columbine tragedy for trolling is really fucking twisted. I am ‘praying’ with you Alphagene! To another forum…please LORD!

9

Brian, I’m having trouble digging up the sites. It happened several years ago and I wonder if enough schools got the word that they haven’t had to have that battle recently.

My memory is that the case that went all the way to trial was a fourth grade in the center of the country (Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado?) who was readinga bible when he earned free time for personal reading when he completed his work. The teacher overreacted, the schoolboard backed the teacher, and the ACLU took it up to the USSC.

If I find a link (or find one of my old print copies) I’ll post it.

Tom~

10

Uncle Beer, thank you. I know it sounds irrational, but I am afraid. The news has made such a big deal out of it that a lot of us are scared. The jocks all talk tuff about it, Yeah, I’d like to see them try that here! But I know that they are as frightened as the rest of us. I never thought about getting gunned down somewhere else after I graduate. Thanks, I probably won’t stop worrying now, at all. LOL

Seriously, the teachers and all say the same thing as you said. It is a remote chance, still, not remote enough for me. I suppose some said the same thing in the other schools before they were killed.

I know probably no one here agrees with me on this but the other students, cheerleaders, jocks, get highs, and others like to see our classmates punished when they do something wrong, not just stay after. I think when a student commits a crime they should be punished, and if they kill another student or teacher they should be condemned to death. I would do anything to make it stop.

You sound like a nice man with an odd name. Nice to meet you, Sandy

11

I’m right behind you, Kells. Read the John John threads in the 'Pit to get a better idea. I swear, this board seems to be going straight to hell lately.

12

Satan, FWIW, I also remember hearing of at least one case similar to what Tom is describing with the ACLU. I did a bit of searching and couldn’t find it either.

13

kelli and dirty, I guess I make 3.

“get highs” ???

um…ok.

Ha!

14

Sandycane posted 03-10-2000 04:46 PM

What, anyone against a Theocracy is for gun control? Where did you get this?

See my previous statement, substituting “you getting killed” for “gun control”.

A bit pranoid, aren’t you?

15

It would seem I am in good company.Kinda suprised that Tom & Unclebeer didnt catch the name.

Dirty Devil you are unfortunately right…things are the worste they have been since I started lurking.
<shug> what can you do besides ride it out?

16

Tom, our administrators don’t say anything, at least to us. The teachers just tell us not to worry and then let some kids get away with murder. One boy grabbed a girls breasts and wasn’t even suspended! The teachers aren’t allowed to touch us or we can sue them so they are at a real disadvantage when it comes to trying to stop it. The same kids sell dope. The same kids pick on the other kids and the same kids cause trouble. We have a real racial problem with gangs and stuff. Our school is about 80% white and the rest is mixed. Soem of the white kids are prejudiced and some of the blacks. Most of us try to get along but the few keep stirring up trouble, fights at the games, etc. The teachers are afraid too. They won’t say that but they are. They have to be, one of the non-white kids punched a teacher and he was suspended, another made advances to a femwle teacher and nothing was done, at least as far as we know.
The kid just brags and brags about dising Ms. so and so. It makes me sick to my stomach.
What do you think I can do? I have told my dad but he says I’m going to graduate and we are moving so don’t worry, it’s rare, blah blah blah. My mom says she’s going to go to the school board, but she hasn’t yet. What can we do? These kids are getting away with everything but actual murder.

Tom, why is it everybody here is accused of being someone else. I don’t get it? Is it because of what John did? No one ever told me what he did that was so wrong. Nice to meet you Sandy. Oh, and I’m sorry that I said about the meds.

17

Sheesh.

“One of the non-white kids,” eh?

Damn those non-whites. They ruin it for everyone.

  • Rick
18

Sandy,

What’s your best talk back?

  • Rick
19

I am not sure what the solution is but taking away gun rights will not stop violence. People do not seem to care about the consequences of their actions. People say things, do things, even on this board and never give it a second thought. When you say or do something mean someone gets hurt. Why should our children be any better. We allow them to watch killing on t.v. and to play video games that are so realistic it is sick. We are all to blame. One person gets offended by a prayer and the table turns. Even if you do not believe in God, you have to admit having a Higher Authority Figure to answer to makes a person consider their actions a little more.
ROMANS 1-28,-32
‘And evenas they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not covenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness,ect…
without natural affection,…ect…
Who knowing the judgement of God, that they which commit such things, are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.’
Didnt want to waste the space in posting the whole thing but you can always look it up.

20

kelli, there are a couple of things behind my “missing things.”

I do tend to go slowly when identifying a troll or sock puppet. We have had several people come through this MB and the AOL/SDMB who simply had troll written across their first several posts, but, it later developed, had simply shown up with the wrong questions at the wrong time (based on the mood of the MB). It doesn’t hurt me to be “taken in.” (I never let it go on for weeks at a time and once or twice I’ve avoided a flame war by not being too hasty. I’ve also been taken in, once or twice, but it isn’t as though I am personally injured by that sort of mistake. As my wife says, I have broad shoulders.)

A second point is that I probably miss a lot of popular culture references. I’m too old to keep up on “the scene,” my kids are too young to tell me (or mock me) about it, I haven’t been watching TV in the last few years, and I only get to see G-rated movies, lately.

That said, I am curious how a young lady from the boondock hills of Ohio where the high schools tend to have senior classes in the 2-digit range (and there are not a lot of blacks allowed to live among them) is having quite so much gang activity in her school. But I’m willing to hear her out, sometimes I learn something.

Sandycane, the issues surrounding John John are that he has posted to various SDMB boards for a little over two years, getting into fights and being disruptive on several occasions. While engaged in those activities, he has created alternative sign-on IDs on a couple of occasions to post messages supporting “him.” In his current incarnation, he spent four and a half months simply engaging in political debates on the Great Debates Forum. I don’t think he impressed anyone with his acumen, but he generally posted within the accepted boundaries of the format. In the last couple of weeks, the “old John” reappeared. He began posting in this Forum, leading off with personal attacks on a couple of women. (Had he left off all the idiot remarks about Ms. Clinton’s butt, he had the makings for a good, genuine Great Debate as to whether she should follow the Bobby Kennedy method of securing a senate seat from New York. Instead, he chose to keep the whole topic in the gutter.) Since the rules are looser, here, and the name-calling is more tolerated, several people called him by his old sign-on. He responded by denying that he was the same person (utterly foolish as over a dozen AOL regs have recognized his posting style) and by becoming quite abusive. As it happens, while he was known as Cyberian54 he had sent two photos to the lady who runs another site that carries a lot of personal information on various posters from this MB and recently he sent another photo identified as John John. The photos match up pretty well. A number of people are mocking him for claiming to be two different people. Since you appeared to defend a poster who has used false IDs to defend himself in the past, your postings are suspect. (I’m afraid that it does not help your cause that you have posted what appear to be a few inconsistencies, but maybe those will sort themselves out with time.)

Tom~