Columbine 17th anniversary

Well guys its here again. Its been 17 whole years since the madness. Just think: This year Dylan will have been dead longer than he ever lived. Its been an interesting year in terms of information. Sue's book completely changed the way I view Dylan. I feel like her book could help prevent this stuff from happening in the future. We've also got the Rachel Scott movie "I'm Not Ashamed" releasing later this year. I'm pretty sure we've all got some strong opinions on that..

Put some time away on the 20th and take stock of all the good in your life. Tell your family members you love them. Give them a hug and savor that affection. Be grateful you're here and appreciate what time you have here on earth. Most of all though remember those who aren't here. Those bright minds we've lost not only at Columbine, but from every senseless act of violence.

I want to remember with love the 15 beautiful souls that we lost on this tragic day 17 years ago.
The hole you all left can't ever be filled or measured.Your memories are and will always remain clear and bright.You are so missed and loved by your families ,friends and people who never knew you while you were here but somehow have come to feel as if they did.May all 15 families find some comfort and peace on this day.


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PaintItBlack wrote:

I want to remember with love the 15 beautiful souls that we lost on this tragic day 17 years ago.
The hole you all left can't ever be filled or measured.Your memories are and will always remain clear and bright.You are so missed and loved by your families ,friends and people who never knew you while you were here but somehow have come to feel as if they did.May all 15 families find some comfort and peace on this day.


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That was beautifully put PaintItBlack. It really tears me up thinking about all the loss that came from that day. I too hope the families have as happy and peaceful a day as possible. I can't imagine losing a family member or friend in a nationally recognized crime like this. I'm sure its a unique kind of Hell to see your child's death be a part of the always running 24-hour news cycle.

Nirvana92 wrote:

PaintItBlack wrote:

I want to remember with love the 15 beautiful souls that we lost on this tragic day 17 years ago.
The hole you all left can't ever be filled or measured.Your memories are and will always remain clear and bright.You are so missed and loved by your families ,friends and people who never knew you while you were here but somehow have come to feel as if they did.May all 15 families find some comfort and peace on this day.


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That was beautifully put PaintItBlack. It really tears me up thinking about all the loss that came from that day. I too hope the families have as happy and peaceful a day as possible. I can't imagine losing a family member or friend in a nationally recognized crime like this. I'm sure its a unique kind of Hell to see your child's death be a part of the always running 24-hour news cycle.

Thank you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
I know that some will likely not like that I spoke about 15 beautiful lives instead of 13 beautiful lives lost but I feel very strongly that E &D and their families should be included in an Anniversary remembrance too as E &D did die on this day and their parents lost so much today just like the other parents.

As time goes on, I do think classes should be allowed on April 20 in the future at Columbine High School. It is just a day that can still be remembered without cancelling classes.

Unreal how time flies

I was thinking. Say there is a law that 20 years after an investigation closes, the state or county can auction off weapons and items from said investigation, just like they auction off cars that were part of crimes or drug busts.

What would you place a bid on? You have the guns they used, their trench coats, certain parts of their clothing, the REAL journal writings (not copies), along with the actual video tape their projects and rampart were taped on, all the way down to empty ammo shells. I'd personally like to get "Arlene" Eric's shotgun. A page out of his journals would be cool too. I really don't have a reason why, just for the factor to have something that will stay in history forever basically.

PaintItBlack wrote:

Nirvana92 wrote:

PaintItBlack wrote:

I want to remember with love the 15 beautiful souls that we lost on this tragic day 17 years ago.
The hole you all left can't ever be filled or measured.Your memories are and will always remain clear and bright.You are so missed and loved by your families ,friends and people who never knew you while you were here but somehow have come to feel as if they did.May all 15 families find some comfort and peace on this day.


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That was beautifully put PaintItBlack. It really tears me up thinking about all the loss that came from that day. I too hope the families have as happy and peaceful a day as possible. I can't imagine losing a family member or friend in a nationally recognized crime like this. I'm sure its a unique kind of Hell to see your child's death be a part of the always running 24-hour news cycle.

Thank you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
I know that some will likely not like that I spoke about 15 beautiful lives instead of 13 lost but I feel very strongly that E &D and their families should be included in an Anniversary remembrance too as E &D did die on this day and their parents lost so much today too.

I agree 100%. Eric and Dylan may have been victims of their own hands, but they're still victims none the less. Idk if youve seen this article or not, but it talks about how the memorial missed an opportunity by excluding E and D:

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I completely understand why the community doesn't want them remembered. If my child was murdered I'd probably want the killers names buried in history as well. At the same time though neither Eric or Dylan chose to have mental issues. They were victims of biology and its time we stop automatically lumping all killers into the monster category. One of the biggest keys to ending these kinds of shootings is pulling back the curtain. I feel like there would be less copycats if E and D were viewed through a sympathetic lense instead of the "genius masterminds" angle the media loves to push.

Nirvana92 wrote:

PaintItBlack wrote:

Nirvana92 wrote:

PaintItBlack wrote:

I want to remember with love the 15 beautiful souls that we lost on this tragic day 17 years ago.
The hole you all left can't ever be filled or measured.Your memories are and will always remain clear and bright.You are so missed and loved by your families ,friends and people who never knew you while you were here but somehow have come to feel as if they did.May all 15 families find some comfort and peace on this day.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That was beautifully put PaintItBlack. It really tears me up thinking about all the loss that came from that day. I too hope the families have as happy and peaceful a day as possible. I can't imagine losing a family member or friend in a nationally recognized crime like this. I'm sure its a unique kind of Hell to see your child's death be a part of the always running 24-hour news cycle.

Thank you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].
I know that some will likely not like that I spoke about 15 beautiful lives instead of 13 lost but I feel very strongly that E &D and their families should be included in an Anniversary remembrance too as E &D did die on this day and their parents lost so much today too.

I agree 100%. Eric and Dylan may have been victims of their own hands, but they're still victims none the less. Idk if youve seen this article or not, but it talks about how the memorial missed an opportunity by excluding E and D:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I completely understand why the community doesn't want them remembered. If my child was murdered I'd probably want the killers names buried in history as well. At the same time though neither Eric or Dylan chose to have mental issues. They were victims of biology and its time we stop automatically lumping all killers into the monster category. One of the biggest keys to ending these kinds of shootings is pulling back the curtain. I feel like there would be less copycats if E and D were viewed through a sympathetic lense instead of the "genius masterminds" angle the media loves to push.

Thanks for the article Nirvana.I agree with most if not all of it.
Eric &Dylan and their families will never be included in any official remembrance of any kind although I've always believed they should be.
When a church planted two trees for them along with 13 for the other victims and their families, two of the victims families and 50 protestors showed up and chopped them down while people yelled up signs with Biblical verses and shouted "Praise the Lord!!!" ,which I find strange because what was done there was not a Christian act in any form. This was 6 months after the shootings so emotions were still very raw, but I am not sure something like that wouldn't happen today ,if not with any victims families involved, still the same sort that held the signs, cheered and yelled praises to God.
Ironically, the two trees that were cut down turned into large bushes and are still there as far as I know.

That is the most common reaction for a community to have but it's not the only reaction a community could have.
When the Amish school shooting happened, even many of the parents who lost children reached out immediately to the shooters widow and befriended her.
They acknowledged her pain and loss was as great as their own.
To this day she and the shooters children are invited to memorial events.I thought that was wonderful and the ideal of how a such a tragic situation should be handled.
I realize though that's probably the only place that such a reaction will ever happen.

Today I will say a prayer for 13 lost people and 15 families.

my thoughts are with all 15 families. they all lost someone they loved.

As I'm reading through this thread I glanced up at my clock...11:10 am right now where I live in Maine. To think of what must have been going through E&D's minds at this moment 17 years ago...to think of those 13 who were just carrying on with a normal school day, to be dead nearly 30 mins later. Lots of good stuff on this thread. I think it's great that us as a "Columbiner's" community can try to piece this massacre together like a puzzle, digging into all the gruesome details, pictures, reports...because we have a vast interest in this event, yet we can take the day it happened and be respectful, sorrowful and almost grieve in our own way for all involved. Kind of a strange feeling huh?

It's a surreal feeling. So long ago.

TaylorsMom wrote:

As I'm reading through this thread I glanced up at my clock...11:10 am right now where I live in Maine. To think of what must have been going through E&D's minds at this moment 17 years ago...to think of those 13 who were just carrying on with a normal school day, to be dead nearly 30 mins later. Lots of good stuff on this thread. I think it's great that us as a "Columbiner's" community can try to piece this massacre together like a puzzle, digging into all the gruesome details, pictures, reports...because we have a vast interest in this event, yet we can take the day it happened and be respectful, sorrowful and almost grieve in our own way for all involved. Kind of a strange feeling huh?

philosopher_king wrote:

As time goes on, I do think classes should be allowed on April 20 in the future at Columbine High School. It is just a day that can still be remembered without cancelling classes.

Honestly, I think about 20% of the reason classes are cancelled are to prevent possible copycats. We live in a very dangerous time. It's not too surprising that even this far into the future, people would still have the possibility of a follow up/copycat attack on Columbine itself occur on the anniversary of the attack looming in the back of their minds. Be honest, it's QUITE possible that alot of people over there are probably afraid of that happening.

If it helps to deter some asshole/assholes from attacking Columbine a second time on the anniversary, then I don't see any reason to not continue doing the whole "shut down classes" thing.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Did you get down to the memorial today?

May they all rest in peace, knowing that they are thought about every day by their families, friends, and by us here. Let 4/20/99 never be forgotten.

Draw_It_White wrote:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Did you get down to the memorial today?

I did.. 12:30 MT I was able to visit. Just posted two nice 360 photospheres as well.