A 10-Year Memory: Columbine

April 20 – Columbine High School massacre: Two Littleton, Colorado teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, open fire on their teachers and classmates, killing 12 students and 1 teacher, and then themselves.

It was my daughter's senior year in High School and these events gave a tension and surrealism to her last month. A couple other seniors were expelled for making threats or threatening remarks. The long tradition of an outdoor graduation ceremony in the local park was ended for security reasons. We probably changed our whole perception of safety in schools.

A recent book seems to undermine some of what we thought we knew about Klebold and Harris. Among other things they were not the poor victims of bullies. One was probably a psychopath and the other a follower. They were smart and sly and sneaky and downright dangerous and it had nothing to do with how others treated them.

There have been other school shootings since then, of course, including Virginia Tech and one at a reservation school in northern Minnesota. Each time they happen they shock us. We are- thank God- still not immune to our reaction of horror. Regardless of the reasons or underlying events that cause the final, fatal, awful outburst, they are immensely sad.

Columbine, sadly, stands as the paradigm. The one that woke us up to the horror lying beneath the surface in some very sick people. May we always remain in prayerful vigilance for those around us.