# In Total Effin Denial--School Shooting Averted--No Colombine Today.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [May 20, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416 "2003-05-20T22:55:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/21 "2003-05-22T20:51:33Z")
Two things really bother me about stories like this.
First, the fact the Columbine was some kind of bellweather. It wasn’t. The only difference between Columbine and things that have always (and sorry to say WILL ALWAYS) happen is that Columbine was the first high body count event of its type that got live national coverage and saturation follow-up. Not that is wasn’t a horrible event, but it’s no worse than events that have gone on since time began. As a result, every oversight body in the country, from Congress to local school boards, severely over-reacted and zero-tolerance became the way of the land.
Second, I hate the “guilty until proven innocent” mindset that attaches to the accused in these cases. Yes, the person made the utterance, but that is not the same in any way, shape or form to yelling “fire” in a theater, as it puts no one in any kind immediate physical danger. It’s impossible to prove a negative. The kid can’t prove that he WASN’T REALLY going to shoot up the school; so he’s guilty from in front. I think the majority of people, particularly in their teens, have said, “I’m going to kill ‘X’,” and even thought about it. Most of us didn’t do it, though, and never would, but now if you say it out loud and anyone hears you, it’s almost a guaranteed sentence.
It absolutlely sucks.
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### Author:  [@Daoloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daoloth)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/22 "2003-05-22T20:54:04Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by FallenAngel \*
> \*\*Two things really bother me about stories like this.
>
> First, the fact the Columbine was some kind of bellweather. \*\*
A pet peeve of mine is when some pundit deems Columbine the worst incident of school violence ever in the US. It’s only about halfway there.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/23 "2003-05-22T20:56:25Z")
Again, would someone please answer me-Is it, or is it NOT illegal to make threats to kill someone-whether or not one is serious?
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### Author:  [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/24 "2003-05-22T21:17:51Z")
I wass looking around on the web to refresh myself on all the particulars of Columbine and I found this site:
[http://www.datvis.net/fi/columbine/](http://www.datvis.net/fi/columbine/)
Now, if you look down the menu list, one of the sections is called AFTERGLOW.
Is it me, or is that fucked up and wrong?
It made me think of the killers cuddled together under a blanket in post-coital bliss.
_ICK_
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### Author:  [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/25 "2003-05-22T21:20:34Z")
I believe threatening someone is called assault and is indeed, illegal.
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### Author:  [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/26 "2003-05-22T21:28:21Z")
[Defense Attorney Mode ON]
Well, Guin, a quick reading of the article said that he was going
to “shoot up the school.” Last I checked, a school isn’t a living being.
[Defense Attorney Mode OFF]
Beyond that, however, this kid needs help. Give him some counselling, tell him that he doesn’t need violence to get back at the bullies, and then observe him for a while. Then get him back to school (a different one) and let him get on with his life, hopefully with a greater degree of rationality.
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### Author:  [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)
#### Post date: [May 22, 2003, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/27 "2003-05-22T22:21:36Z")
Doesn’t there _have_ to be some pre-judging in cases like these? I don’t mean that he should be considered guilty without a trial. But the _situation_ should be pre-judged in order to insure prevention.
> [@](#):
>
> "The teenager’s father, Carl Hagerman, said the incident was blown “way out of proportion.”
Better the “incident” than the school.
I do not recall incidents similar to Columbine happening prior to 1960, but I could be mistaken. Certainly, they happen more often now.
And what will happen to the bully?
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/28 "2003-05-23T01:06:46Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by SPOOFE \*
> \*\*[Defense Attorney Mode ON]
>
> Well, Guin, a quick reading of the article said that he was going
> to “shoot up the school.” Last I checked, a school isn’t a living being.
>
> [Defense Attorney Mode OFF]
>
> \*\*
Sophistry.
And I am compelled, ads an honest man, to rebuke you for it.
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### Author:  [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [May 23, 2003, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-total-effin-denial-school-shooting-averted-no-colombine-today/176416/29 "2003-05-23T02:03:13Z")
Indeed,[this is the worst school violence incident in the USA ever.](http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/bath/index_1.html)
It happened in 1927, and it wasn’t a student of the school that commited the atrocity. ☹
I think that people need to quite denying the need for counseling/therapy/anger management. I think if more parents quit denying that their kid could use some form of help to cope with stress and anger, some incidents like this would be “nipped in the bud”. The same idea should be applied to anyone who is having trouble dealing with stress/depression/anger. I know it won’t cure all the problems, but it should cut down on the smaller crimes at least.
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