Columbine memorial
Brian Rohrbough has seized upon this tragedy to prozelytize rather than to commemorate. His words condemning abortion and a “Godless school system” for taking his son’s life are highly inappropriate and were rightly questioned by the committee planning the memorial.
The inscription opens with a half-real, helf-imagined question: “Why?”
I have an answer to that question: Columbine happened because people like Rohrbough tried to ram religion, school prayer and Bible reading at study halls down the throats of the public school system.
It was no mistake that the killers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, made that group its first target. The school had been involved in a religious lawsuit prior to this event—-one that resulted in pupils praying and reading Bibles during their free time, prior to school and in study halls.
It was also no mistake that the library was destroyed in an attempt to remove the major scene of the crime——as if this could remove the real reasons for this massacre.
High school students mouthing the words of their over-zealous “Christian” parents, particularly those condemning homosexuality, have no place in an environment where there might be students questioning their own sexuality. It was no secret that the killers were the targets of many of these taunts. It was a fact that was played down repeatedly after the incident.
I find the whole Rohrbough inscription terribly patronizing and an insult to the whole idea of this memorial.
This letter has not been edited.
Too many christians, not enough lions.
Posted by on September 29, 2007 03:00 PMMichael: I am sorry you are so upset by the letter from Anthony Palange. It was, as you say, ignorant and abhorrent. To shift the blame from the killers to the victims is sickening.
While I am an athiest, it is my strong belief that the father had every right to memorialize his son any way he wished. I am glad I don't know the grief that man feels and shame on Mr. Palange for berating him.
Not all athiests, agnostics, etc. should be lumped into one category... especially one that has Mr. Palange as a member.
Posted by Sheila on September 29, 2007 04:09 PMMr. Palange;
Look at the bright side --when a loved one in your family is violently slaughtered, you'll have the opportunity to inscribe your rebuttal.
In the meantime, you can be content to stew in your narrow-minded bigotry.
Posted by on September 29, 2007 05:05 PMIf schools became godless in the 60`s, how come it took 20 to 30 years for the school shootings to become common?
We also have the term "going postal" and the whole area of workplace shootings.
But taking god out of the schools probably did all this too.
As long as people concentrate on their agendas for an explanation for the violence, it will continue.
Posted by Sharon B. on September 29, 2007 05:29 PM"...how come it took 20 to 30 years for the school shootings to become common?"
TYPICAL OF MODERN PUBLIC EDUCTION, SLOW LEARNERS!!!Posted by on September 29, 2007 06:58 PM
Iraq-NAM. Brought to "U" by crazed members of the God-Squad and wanton Bible-thumpers.
Posted by draftdodgingisntafamilyvalue on September 29, 2007 07:25 PMAnthony,
WHAT in the hell are you and why are you spewing this trash?
Columbine happened because two nut cases who had NO parental supervision decided to murder innocent people to make a name for themselves. They were mentally deranged individuals who were obsessed with violence and acted on that obsession.
What planet were you on when you decided that Dan Rorbaugh tried to jam bible reading, religion and prayer in study hall down the throats of public schools?
What Mr. Rorbaugh did was insist that he have the right to memorialize his son the way he wanted to, WHICH HE DID. He knew his son better than any jerk like you.
Students who prayed and had bible groups, etc. were not forced to do so, they did it by choice, away from other students who did not want to participate.
And by the way, Anthony, who did the MAJORITY of kids turn to on that day? GOD. Did you happen to watch any of the coverage on that day or are you spouting off because religion makes you angry?
Whatever is soothing and healling to Dan Rorbaugh is OK by me.
Posted by c on September 29, 2007 08:06 PMAnytime someone uses phrases like:
matter of fact
the fact is or
It was a fact that was played down repeatedly after the incident.
It is almost always an opinion; I don't think this is factual either.
I am trying to imagine Harris and Klebold being sincere bible reading christians and still doing what they did since religion in school is why they did it.
No Mas! "We are all Columbine" bumper stickers. WRONG ANSWER! Blacks don't own any part of this masscare. For the past 400 years, America has been steeped in HATE. America has also taken hate globally, forcing their views in religion and politics, down the throats of foreigners. Columbine, return on investment (ROI).
Posted by realitycard on September 29, 2007 09:53 PMMichael,
Care to prove your point that school violence has risen as a result of secularity? I posit that it is reporting of school violence that has risen in the last half-century, but that the absolute level has remained largely the same. Of course I can't prove that point without doing a bit of research (and I don't care one way or the other), but I think you should consider it.
I agree that the current lack of parental involvement is largely responsible for the ills of modern childhood. However, I again think this is a matter of perspective and awareness: in your treasured '50s the reason kids were so inclined to "respect authority" was because their parents were free to beat them without mercy; conformity was enforced with corporal punishment. Ultimately the level of violence was likely similar to today, it just went unreported.
If you've read your history books you might have noticed (although you probably ignored) a concrete link between religion and violence. Your level of agitation over Mr. Palange's article further demonstrates the intolerance bred by blind and ignorant faith. You might try reading the Bible sometime, Michael. I think you'll find it differs radically from your world-view. Nietzsche was right: there was only one true Christian, and he died on the cross. Most self-proclaimed Christians are more inclined to stone Harris and Klebold for being infidels, just like your bosom buddies the Muslims.
Truly I believe this is much ado about nothing. The Columbine memorial is a joke. Nobody is actually trying to eulogize the dead, it's just the proverbial political football being kicked around by folk such as yourself. If people actually cared it wouldn't have taken 10 years to fund the memorial. However, if there were a fund to have it demolished I would be the first to contribute!
Posted by Corey on September 29, 2007 10:24 PMThanks, Anthony. Your letter shed some light on, as you say, part of the story that was downplayed.
Holier-Than-Thou "Christians" have done great damage to the mental health of normal people in the last 30 years in their backlash against the authenticity and honesty that surfaced in the 60s.
Their denial of reality, their fantasy-pagan-greek misinterpretation of the Jewish teachings of Jesus, and their pallid narrowing of the joy of life into a one size fits all mold has created all of the sexual disfunction and violence that permeates our society.
They worship a bloody corpse! They invented a pointy-tailed devil, demons, and the Spanish Inquisition! No wonder people are crazy.
The 60s were a rebellion against Puritan pseudo-religious prigs like Jerry Falwell. The liberation from the misconstrued constraints of Calvinistic prudishness was a dangerous brew, and became unfocused and in many cases went in dark directions. Unlearning 1800 years of destructive Roman lies has not gone well.
Without a reliable structure, the new authenticity may not survive, or fully purify itself of the Christian psychosis. We may be facing a new inquisition, if the Republichristians succeed in their attempt to ruin the world again...
Posted by Eric on September 30, 2007 12:31 AMTwo kids walked into Columbine intent on murdering as many people as they could.
Why? Nobody really knows except the killers.
However after Columbine happened there was a state wide change in the bullying rules.
That was one of the reasons they went into the school to kill that day.
Some facts did come out that there was a wide spread problem with bullying at the school from the jocks.It was allowed because the school placed sports over acedemia.
If people want to look for a way to honor dead children who die in school shootings,look at the way Emily Keyes family ,school and friends has handled her death. They might learn what class is.
The Columbine memorial is a joke. It took all this time to be built. There has been so much infighting and words back and forth.The memorial has finally been dedicated. Now let it go.
If anyone whats to know how not to memorialize a dead person, Columbine can be used as an example.Again Columbine has become an example of how not to do something.
Look at VA Tech they had a memorial up before the new school year. Class.
Emily Keyes family has alot of support and they are not sueing everybody on the planet.Yet they manage to honor her life with ,Class.
Colombine has been a mess since the day it happened.They have no class.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on September 30, 2007 09:15 AMSchools also became racially integrated in the '60s. Is that part of the "godlessness" that Michael is talking about?
Posted by Hans Christian Brando on September 30, 2007 09:37 AMMore people have been killed in the name of religion than any othere reason, That has been said and it is right but short of explaining why. It is because of the BELIEF that my religion is right and all others are wrong which, ironically, is claimed by all religions. It is this senseless distain and hatred each has for all others and that distain and hatred is taught in every church there is across the planet, including the U.S. The self appointed spokesman for and teachers of religion are the cause of more people being killed in the name of religion than religion it's self ever was.
Corey-
By your blog I figure you are in your 20's, maybe 30's and don't have a drop of knowledge of what went on in the 50's.
We didn't get beaten unmercifully, but a good spanking on the behind let us know that we had better not pull whatever we did to deserve it, again. You younger ones have this image of daily beatings in your head. NONSENSE.
Parents had control over their children as parents should and I don't mean with a bull whip and constant beatings.
I grew up in the 50's, I was THERE. All my friends were brought up the same way. We had respect for our elders, others and other's property. We felt secure and loved and fortunately, mom's were allowed to be mothers, didn't have to be major financial providers. I know circumstances were different then. But we also didn't need everything YESTERDAY.
Today, kids have the upper hand, believe me. I work with them every day. SEVERE lack of respect, not enough parental guidance, spoiled, slapping their parents in front of anyone who is there to watch. A DIFFERENT WORLD.
So don't knoock the 50's. You shoulda' been there.
Posted by c on September 30, 2007 12:20 PMCorey-
By your blog I figure you are in your 20's, maybe 30's and don't have a drop of knowledge of what went on in the 50's.
We didn't get beaten unmercifully, but a good spanking on the behind let us know that we had better not pull whatever we did to deserve it, again. You younger ones have this image of daily beatings in your head. NONSENSE.
Parents had control over their children as parents should and I don't mean with a bull whip and constant beatings.
I grew up in the 50's, I was THERE. All my friends were brought up the same way. We had respect for our elders, others and other's property. We felt secure and loved and fortunately, mom's were allowed to be mothers, didn't have to be major financial providers. I know circumstances were different then. But we also didn't need everything YESTERDAY.
Today, kids have the upper hand, believe me. I work with them every day. SEVERE lack of respect, not enough parental guidance, spoiled, slapping their parents in front of anyone who is there to watch. A DIFFERENT WORLD.
So don't knock the 50's. You shoulda' been there.
Posted by c on September 30, 2007 12:20 PMI wonder if they have sorted out the bullying problem that played a role in this saga, or whether they figure they are safe for a decade or two before the next kid strips a gear.
I also wonder when they will lower the tone of the violent images in the gym, the militaristic color-guard and winter-guard performances (to name just two), and whether they will see any connection with living in a town known for production of high-tech weaponry.
Nah, couldn’t be the glorification and glamorization of violence coupled with drugs, bullying, and hypocrisy.
Must have been because of the trench-coats
Isn't it wonderful? All these people who have nothing at all to do with Columbine who are such experts in how Columbine should memorialize its own, and/or how someone should express his, or her, feelings about the loss of a child are just amazing. Aren't they?
They turned out in droves to inform the Columbine folks all about whether or not to have a Gospel Choir sing at the dedication event. And now, here they are, bright and fresh, to criticize everything else that was, and is, Columbine people's own business.
Certainly goes to show how much . . . smarter(?) . . . more sophisticated(?). . . oh, well, whatever . . . the folks who have no business at all with something are at minding that business - and other people's business in general - rather than their own.
Reminds me of the Phelps clan, who go about the country making spectacles of themselves by trashing everyone at the funerals for our current casualties of war. It must be wonderful to sit up there, so far above all others, in the rarified atmosphere of playing at being some kind of deity, while looking down on everyone else..
I said before, and will say again, Columbine's Memorial, in all aspects, is Columbine's business. And anyone's epitaph for a lost child is that person's business - not yours or mine - as well.
Posted by Old Grouch on October 1, 2007 09:11 AMWell said Old Grouch. So much hand-wringing over something that doesn't affect anyone outside of the Columbine community. The memorial to the lost children is their own business.
I can't believe how many people are wiling to criticize the grieving parents. Unless they have experienced a similar tragedy, I can't imagine how they can presume to know (and judge) how a bereaved parent should act.
Posted by Michael R on October 1, 2007 06:34 PMThis is a red letter day for me. I am actually in total agreement with Old Grouch here.
C had some terrific points as well. Corey doesn’t seem to know the history about which he tried to teach to those of us who lived it.
I believe that since we cannot get into the minds of the Columbine killers at this point we only have what they wrote before they went on their insane spree. Unless my memory is feeble or unless nothing was said about it, I don’t think they said anything about religion as being a reason for their actions.
Another hard look should be given to the medications they were prescribed. Antidepressants and other psycho-altering drugs have been a common denominator in nearly every school killing in America.
Bangalore Skank, you’ve been watching way too much Bowling for Columbine. You must actually believe it’s based upon accuracy.