What happened at Chardon School is a tragedy. It's absolutely awful and it bothers me when people call the shooter a victim, it's insulting to the families of those with children in the hospital fighting to live. I'm not saying that bullying is ever OK, please don't misunderstand me. I know that kids can be cruel and it's wrong. At one point or another I think every child has been picked on, myself included. You're not going to be friends with everyone and not everyone is going to like you - just like there will be people that you don't like. That doesn't justify mistreating anyone, to any degree. It's not right and we need to fix it, but the truth is there are lots of kids who are picked on every day who would never dream of killing someone because of it. This wasn't a feud, the shooter didn't go in the school and confront a bully he's had issues with or repeatedly been abused by, he walked in and shot recklessly at groups of innocent students. This was premeditated, he bragged about it online and he wanted people to fear him. He wanted attention and to be remembered. What these shooters don't think about is the aftermath. They don't think about it because they don't care. Until they are sitting in cell at 17 and it hits them that they will probably never live outside of a cell again.
I heard a spokesman for the family of the shooter this morning on the radio state that he was "remorseful". Yes, I'm sure he is.
His actions speaks volumes to what damage he wanted to inflict. What is the progression from being picked on to wanting to be a murderer?
Another interesting thing about this student is that he has good grades, he wasn't struggling there, in fact he was known as a smart kid. He was also "Gothic", which by interpretation is usually someone who wants to be seen as different, and separate. On December 20th he wrote this chilling post on Facebook:
"Now! Feel death, not just mocking you. Not just stalking you but inside of you. Wriggle and writhe.Feel smaller beneath my might. Seizure in the Pestilence that is my scythe. Die, all of you,"
I find this very disturbing!
He lived with his grandparents who, I'm assuming but can't say for sure, were not aware of this posting, so where were his friends who saw this? The spokesman this morning also made a statement that there was no way this could have been predicted. I beg to differ.
There has got to be more courage in young people today, why didn't they inform the school? A counselor? Their own parent who could have contacted the grandparents and let them know or warned someone of how potentially dangerous this young man was BEFORE he acted on his threat.
A posting like this is not normal. It shocks me that no one was alarmed enough by it to do something. Whether it be reaching out to him, to his grandparents, to a school official, to the local police, ANYONE.
I hope that schools and students everywhere will learn from this and past shootings and realize that putting metal detectors in the entrances and sending a grief counselor in AFTER an incident are not enough. There needs to be communication and awareness before something tragic happens and before more lives are lost and ruined.
I hope you will keep the students and families of those hurt in this incident in your thoughts and prayers. I cannot imagine what they are going through. I cannot begin to understand all that is happening but I hope that this does not become a familiar headline. There has to be some prevention steps taken.
A Hero in the Midst of Terror: http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/133622/chardon_high_school_shooting_already
The Daily Record's article on the media being to blame (GREAT article!!):
WOIA News Report:
**Update: Current status is that three have passed away and one is home with her family now, there is only one remaining student in the hospital.
