Thoughts on this?

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I found this surprisingly heartbreaking. Whats your thoughts on it?

Same here...

I can only imagine what was going through both of their heads...

I remember seeing this some time ago, it just feels very sad to watch. I can imagine it being quite a powerful moment.

I saw this before too and I agree it is sad.

I wonder sometimes just how much he still misses Eric, and how he felt about Eric after he seemed to be getting into a lot of trouble before the shooting. He had said before that his goal in life was to raise two good sons. It must have troubled him a lot seeing his youngest son seemingly going down the wrong path.

Yeah, it's sad.

This clashes with the Mausers assertion that Eric's parents seemed to believe and accept the psychopath label that was applied to Eric. I really don't think Wayne Harris believes his son was a psychopath and I can't imagine how hard it is for him. The Klebolds have been able to come out and voice their love for their son and how much they miss him and to ask why. The Harris family has not had the chance to do those same things. I think Why? is probably even harder when you have no one to ask but yourself.

BurnIt wrote:

This clashes with the Mausers assertion that Eric's parents seemed to believe and accept the psychopath label that was applied to Eric. I really don't think Wayne Harris believes his son was a psychopath and I can't imagine how hard it is for him. The Klebolds have been able to come out and voice their love for their son and how much they miss him and to ask why. The Harris family has not had the chance to do those same things. I think Why? is probably even harder when you have no one to ask but yourself.

Maybe at the time they did or that was the only thing that gave them some grasp of how it their son could do something like that. I'm almost positive that they told the Mausers that they would never speak publicly, that they couldn't handle it. I think that it speaks volumes. To me that doesn't sound like people that don't care but people who don't want to kick back up the dust again.

One description Tom Mauser said that I thought was interesting was that he said Mr Harris seemed "haunted" I can only imagine and it fits with what this man is saying about him to. I don't know about other people but I tend to forget that they're actually real people with real emotions and hurts. It's easy to say "you should have done this" or "I don't think that he cares Eric even existed" because we don't know them and we're just words on a computer screen at the end of the day. But that's his son, his flesh and blood. He changed his nappies and took care of him when he was sick, maybe taught him to ride a bike. How can you not care that the person you raised and tried to instill good in, is gone forever? I think haunted is a wonderful description.

I wonder why Wayne Harris chose to attend the signing. He and Kathy have always stayed out of the public eye, yet he attended an event featuring a book written at least partially about Columbine. And Eric is featured more heavily in Dylan, at least in what I've read so far. (Still reading it.) The fact that he decided to make himself known just blows my mind.

I have always wanted to know what was said or done to make the Mausers believe that the Harrises accepted the psychopath theory.

Thoughts on Eric:

Well, there he goes. One of god's own prototypes, a high-powered mutant never intended for mass production. Too weird to live, too rare to die. (paraphrased Hunter S. Thompson)

Thoughts on Wally:

I am DONE hearing about "master manipulators." I am done with the bad-seed rhetoric. TL;DR fucking Christian old fucking greybeard farts.

FredPete wrote:

I am DONE hearing about "master manipulators." I am done with the bad-seed rhetoric. TL;DR fucking Christian old fucking greybeard farts.

Agree with you on the "master manipulators" for sure. And love Hunter S. Thompson.

And also, Wally may have been a bit out of line sharing this with the world when it sounds like a pretty private moment. But that's just my opinion.

Wideawake wrote:

Wally may have been a bit out of line sharing this with the world when it sounds like a pretty private moment. But that's just my opinion.

I like that we have this information, it makes Mr Harris sound a bit more human but I do agree with you it wasn't something he maybe should have shared. He said at the end that he gave Mr Harris his email address and told him to get in touch but isn't sure if he will or not; he certainly won't now...

Maybe he was showing off? Mr and Mrs Harris are very private people and maybe Wally was saying "hey look, my book is so good even Mr Harris came out for it" or something to that effect.

areyoulistening wrote:

Wideawake wrote:

Wally may have been a bit out of line sharing this with the world when it sounds like a pretty private moment. But that's just my opinion.

I like that we have this information, it makes Mr Harris sound a bit more human but I do agree with you it wasn't something he maybe should have shared. He said at the end that he gave Mr Harris his email address and told him to get in touch but isn't sure if he will or not; he certainly won't now...

Maybe he was showing off? Mr and Mrs Harris are very private people and maybe Wally was saying "hey look, my book is so good even Mr Harris came out for it" or something to that effect.

Exactly. While I appreciate any additional insight, it seems like Wayne Harris was reaching out to the author. As you said, they are notoriously private and unlikely to appreciate the attention. If Wally Lamb wanted to advertise the meeting, he could have just said that he met him and that he seemed nice/haunted/emotional/whatever rather than describing the actual conversation.

Wideawake wrote:

Exactly. While I appreciate any additional insight, it seems like Wayne Harris was reaching out to the author. As you said, they are notoriously private and unlikely to appreciate the attention. If Wally Lamb wanted to advertise the meeting, he could have just said that he met him and that he seemed nice/haunted/emotional/whatever rather than describing the actual conversation.

According to Wally Mr Harris asked him if Kevin would be able to read the book, for reasons only he knows but did Wally answer him? That is what would sell the book to me, if he told us what his answer was to Mr Harrises question, not a description of him. No shit that he looks like a haunted man, of course he does it was his son!

areyoulistening wrote:

Wideawake wrote:

Exactly. While I appreciate any additional insight, it seems like Wayne Harris was reaching out to the author. As you said, they are notoriously private and unlikely to appreciate the attention. If Wally Lamb wanted to advertise the meeting, he could have just said that he met him and that he seemed nice/haunted/emotional/whatever rather than describing the actual conversation.

According to Wally Mr Harris asked him if Kevin would be able to read the book, for reasons only he knows but did Wally answer him? That is what would sell the book to me, if he told us what his answer was to Mr Harrises question, not a description of him. No shit that he looks like a haunted man, of course he does it was his son!

I'm not clear on why Mr. Harris would ask him that. Like, if he read the book wouldn't he be the best judge of whether Kevin would be able to read it? And if I were the Harris family, I'm pretty sure I would never read any book related to Columbine. There's nothing to gain from it.

Wideawake wrote:

areyoulistening wrote:

Wideawake wrote:

Exactly. While I appreciate any additional insight, it seems like Wayne Harris was reaching out to the author. As you said, they are notoriously private and unlikely to appreciate the attention. If Wally Lamb wanted to advertise the meeting, he could have just said that he met him and that he seemed nice/haunted/emotional/whatever rather than describing the actual conversation.

According to Wally Mr Harris asked him if Kevin would be able to read the book, for reasons only he knows but did Wally answer him? That is what would sell the book to me, if he told us what his answer was to Mr Harrises question, not a description of him. No shit that he looks like a haunted man, of course he does it was his son!

I'm not clear on why Mr. Harris would ask him that. Like, if he read the book wouldn't he be the best judge of whether Kevin would be able to read it? And if I were the Harris family, I'm pretty sure I would never read any book related to Columbine. There's nothing to gain from it.

Maybe he hadn't read it and wanted to find out more about it and that was his main concern? Maybe Kevin wanted to read it but didn't want to go to the place himself or was unsure if he could/would read it? He could have shown up for a lot of reasons. The Harrises do a pretty good job of steering clear of anything Columbine related, this is the only thing I've heard of them having anything to do with it all since, besides meeting some of the families. No they don't have anything to gain from it but I don't know what goes on inside their heads (sometimes I'd love to. Is that morbid?)

I don't think that's morbid, I wonder that so often myself.
I'm not so sure about Lamb being very accurate in his account of the meeting. It seems
such an unlikely thing for Wayne Harris to do.

carrie12 wrote:

It seems such an unlikely thing for Wayne Harris to do.

It does seem unlikely and out or character for a man so private to do something like that, but as I said I'd love to know what went on inside of his head.
I still think it was out of line slightly of Lamb to say what happened, but hey it's good publicity for his book, right?

I also don't consider it morbid either. I often wonder what goes on during their heads and how they are especially during this time of year. I hope they are doing well. From what I have seen it looks like they have moved on. But I'm sure they really miss Eric and think about him often.

My thought is I want to read this book now. Ive been to Littleton, to the memorial and the High school itself. Its the perfect place to raise a family if you ask me, the community never could have seen this coming. The author ask " Why all this rage? Where does it come from." Well sadly I know where it comes from, but many dont agree so it continues and will continue to happen.

I'm surprised Mr.Harris would want to read this book. In it, after the shooting it has a group of Columbine students discussing the awful ways that they thought E &D should have died.I remember one of the ways was they would have liked to have seen E &D drug to death behind a car. Then later on, the title character is sitting around thinking about how he wishes E and D were never born and how much better off the world would be if they hadn't of and how he wishes their parents had never had sex on those nights. I wouldn't want to read those things about my child, no matter what he'd done .

Plus, the book sucks.I think Wally Lamb is a terrible writer. She's come undone sucked too.

Wow that's terrible and it must have been very hard for Wayne and Kevin if they had read the book or knew those things were in it. I've only read a chapter but now I don't want too read the rest of the book.

In my opinion, you aren't missing much.

CatherineM813 wrote:

Wow that's terrible and it must have been very hard for Wayne and Kevin if they had read the book or knew those things were in it.

I agree, that's an awful thing to have to read about your son/brother.

"Would Kevin be able to read this book?" apparently the answer should be no but who knows? Maybe he did read it.

Just saw this video & replies for the first time.

Given the Harris' commitment to privacy, that the book signing was in the Littleton area, that it was 9-10 years after 4/20.. I find it almost unbelievable that Eric's father was in attendance & stood in line to speak with the writer.

Very interesting on many levels. Takes on what Mr. Harris was qualifying in regards to his older son "being able to read it" & what the father thought Kevin could take from it?

CatherineM813 wrote:

Wow that's terrible and it  must have been very hard for Wayne and Kevin if they had read the book or knew those things were in it. I've only read a chapter but now I don't want too read the rest of the book.

I never read it. Is it available anywhere? Really hate to import anythign across EU borders its costly and a lot of fuss.

It is available in Europe, too. My local library has it and I'm in Europe. I read into it a little and didn't quite like it. Full of clichés and pressed sentiments.