Columbine's Chilling Legacy

I admit it is chilling.

These kids are pathetic. "My idol is Eric Harris. I think I just see myself in him." The fact that the North Carolina shooter went so far as to buy a Hi-Point and call his plan "Operation Columbine" is just so fucking sad. They're the lowest form of virginal fanboyism. Some people cosplay as their favorite fictional character, while others pretend to be Eric Harris and shoot up their own school. What the hell is the world coming to?

"Remember columbine" shirt...

Yeah. You know, I actually asked Jenn a few nights ago to add a new emoticon to the forums, which I thought would come in handy in such an occasion.

Here it is:


Space-mokeys, each and every one. :/

I'd be embarrassed if I was arrested in a "Remember Columbine" shirt. I understand that Columbine is a big deal to these shooters, but why waste your life to copy someone else? Castillo made a trip to the school like it was Mecca or something. I guess E and D didnt need the world to see the BT to become the idols they wanted to be. Its really sad how they've become martyrs to a select part of the population. I'd be willing to bet there wouldn't be nearly as many (school) shootings had NBK not happened. Hell Adam Lanza supposedly had his shooter score board. The only recent shooter I can think of who didnt mention Columbine was Elliot Rodger, and he went on to inspire Chris Mercer in Oregon. Its like a self spreading social disease.

I've done about more research on this Alvaro Castillo guy. Here's some of the ways he obsessed over Columbine when carrying out his shooting (of which only his father was killed):

*Took trip to Littleton to visit Blackjack Pizza, Columbine HS, and Eric Harris's' old house.
*Filmed himself to mimic the Basement Tapes.
*Prepared for shooting by watching Elephant and Zero Day, claims Bowling for Columbine caused his obsession with the massacre
*Sent email to Principal DeAngelis stating "Its time the world remembered Columbine. I do."
*Wore black long coat and one fingerless glove
*Bought Hi-point carbine and 12 gauge shotgun, he named the shotgun "Arlene" and taped pictures of Eric Harris all over it


The guy was crazy and I had no idea Columbine was such an obsession for some people. I know we like researching the facts, but this is a whole other level of crazy. Just thought someone might find this interesting.

This is not the majority opinion, but I believe that anyone who gets to the point in their lives where they are willing to kill themselves and others deserves at least some sympathy.
If you think about it, its one of the worse places in your own mind a person could ever be in.

I completely agree, but there is definitely a line that has to be drawn. This guy used his obsession with Columbine as an excuse to shoot his supposedly abusive father. He says he feels he needs to help people by "sacrificing" them to God. However the way he's able to roll off facts about Columbine while stuttering Nd fumbling words when explaining his own reasons for the shooting show its all bullshit. He shot his dad and went to his former highschool, injured two students, then promptly gave up. Yes its terrible he killed his father, but he only played the shooter thing as an excuse for attention.

The problem with the way the media in the US handles these shootings is it brings about more. Its not unnatural to cope with stress and anger using violent fantasies. I'm sure there are way more teenagers who plan these types of shootings than who actually commit them. However Seeing the fame past killers like E and D get give them one more reason to go through with it. It adds an incentive to a heinous act that usually ends in just death or jail. Some kids and ill adults are willing to overcome the fear of killing simply because they know they'll be infamous. Those who do it for fame don't deserve sympathy. Getting back at bullies or trying to get suicide by cop is one thing, its another to try and "live" forever by taking others one life. Its pathetic.

Eric spoke of how he hoped his attack on Columbine would spark a revolution. Well, it may not be the revolution he had hoped for, but it's amazing how so many school shooters use Eric and Dylan as inspiration. Eric had succeeded.

Nirvana92 wrote:

I'd be
He had aembarrassed if I was arrested in a "Remember Columbine" shirt. I understand that Columbine is a big deal to these shooters, but why waste your life to copy someone else? Castillo made a trip to the school like it was Mecca or something. I guess E and D didnt need the world to see the BT to become the idols they wanted to be. Its really sad how they've become martyrs to a select part of the population. I'd be willing to bet there wouldn't be nearly as many (school) shootings had NBK not happened. Hell Adam Lanza supposedly had his shooter score board. The only recent shooter I can think of who didnt mention Columbine was Elliot Rodger, and he went on to inspire Chris Mercer in Oregon. Its like a self spreading social disease.

Lanza had made a whole spreadsheet for spree killers. I don't remember seeing it, but I think Reed mentioned that Lanza posted in on the old forums and the cops found it on his HD.
If there was one autistic trait I se in Lanza, it was his fondness for excel spreadheets, organising stuff in tables etc.

And yes, its certainly a "gift that goes on giving". Cho mentioned columbine, now subsequent shooters mention Cho.

PaintItBlack wrote:

This is not the majority opinion, but I believe that anyone who gets to the point in their lives where they are willing to kill themselves and others deserves at least some sympathy.
If you think about it, its one of the worse places in your own mind a person could ever be in.

It sure is. And to this day I wish someone would have intervened and gotten both of them some help. High school kids think that what they are living through presently is how the rest of their life is going to be. Do you know how many kids from my high school that I still see or talk to? Zero! I graduated 10 years ago and I was bullied half the time and invisible for the rest of the time (I don't really know which one was worse).

Somebody has to let people know that once high school is over, life gets SO much better for those of us who did not have an easy time there. I only wish that kids who go on these rampages would understand this, but their brains are not finished developing yet so the reasoning area doesn't comprehend this in most teens.