Midwestern Belle

Columbine Massacre...10 Years Later

It has been ten years since the Columbine High School massacre, occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999. The perpetrators were Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold -- killing 12 students and 1 teacher, as well as injuring 23 others, before committing suicide. It is the fourth deadliest school massacre in United States history, and the deadliest for an American high school.

When this was going on, I was an awkward 13-year-old seventh-grader at Crestview Middle School. There was a "half-day," or early dismissal at school, due to staff development. I first heard about Columbine on the radio, in the car. My initial thoughts were indifferent about the tragedy, since it never happened to me.

As the years went by, hearing about Columbine reminded me how much I disliked high school. I felt I didn't belong. Even to this day, I think I should have ran away sooner...or begged my dad to take custody so I can leave to Chicago. I believed Harris and Klebold must have felt the same way, but now, I'm not sure. Some people said that they weren't the isolated outcasts as it seemed...and if they were, they at least had each other. Some people have no one. Also, sometimes, they picked on others. So, they reasons for killing is so misunderstood...it makes College Algebra look like first grade math to me.

Anyway, as I am closing this blog and this story is once again being reviewed, I will try to watch Oprah and posted many articles about Columbine. I don't know why these kids did what they did and maybe I'll never know why.

posted by Carrie @ 7:22 PM