School Shootings

[TheDeathKnight]

So when you were in High School, did you ever want to shoot up your school? What was your experience? I wanted to, but I was able to realize that there was some kind of life outside high school. So all I had to do, was finish, and then I could escape that world. And it worked. When I went to college, I was able to start over, and none of the stigmas followed me. It was pretty cool. I'm just wondering about the mentality of people who hate their lives, and think about violence. Did you feel pain? or anger? What was your emotional state? What were the things that kept you sane? What were the things that would have pushed you over the edge? If you feel that way now, what do you feel? Angry? Sad?

[devilmutt]

can't say that i did, i had a friend bring a gun to school once. he called me over to his locker, showed it to me and said "if that asshole bothers me today he's dead" he was a small kid and was always getting picked on when i wasn't around him to act as a sheild. he reached in his locker to grab it and put it in his back pack. i pinned him against the wall took the gun out to my car and threw it in my trunk, so he wouldn't get him self in trouble, then went and found the guy that was picking on him and beat his ass and got sent home for the day, but he didn't bother my friend any more..

[ForrestBlack]

Although that is a reasonable question DN, my feelings are a little divided. I honestly think that apologist Gothic people were too quick to accept any connection to the Columbine situation and caused the entire subculture to get a bad rap for something they really had dick-all to do with. I think it's hurt a lot of people, and I put a lot of that blame on the folks that came out of the woodwork to explain that 'we all were not like the ones that shot up the school...' when in fact those guys didn't have anything to do with us at all. They had brown mullets for god's sake.

So, to some degree, I don't really want people coming over here and seeing that those weirdo gothic people sure like to shoot up their schools and maybe we should make some more rules about how they are allowed to dress and what they are allowed to listen to. Does that make any sense?

[TheDeathKnight]

I agree 100%.

I just know I was picked on, and I felt that way, so I was wondering if my feelings were at all similar to other people's. I am actually helping on a screenplay that has a school shooting scene, and I was going to use my experiences as the basis of the psychology of the character, but I wanted to make sure my expreiences and feelings were similar, or if other people had vastly different experiences. Because I want the scene to ring true, not seem contrite or cheesy. So I was looking for realistic outlooks and experiences, to see if I am on the right track or not. I was not trying to give the goth/punk subculture any more pressures or hassles. More interested in people's feelings about bullying in general. Did they feel sad, or angry? For me, I was pure hate, and coldness. I shut down. I did not feel sad. So that is how I was writing the character. But if other people felt sad, or depressed, then maybe I should add more of those elements... I just want to know if I am in the right ballpark. I could just as well ask the question on any message board, but face it, we goths and punks were probably picked on, so it seemed like a good place to start...

[Kidthorazine]

i never wanted to shoot up my school however i was expelled from boarding school because i threatned to crucify my roomate on the lawn in front of the church... im not kidding either...

[MidniteCliche]

Some people are pretty cruel and judgemental. Most spoiled suburban twits are shallow and entirely focused on image. Thus, I really can't blame the kids that eventually losing it. Still, shooting up a school, you might hit the wrong person(s), as not everyone is like that. There are many innocent kids, dealing with similar issues and turmoil inside. Besides, even if one is at thier limit with thier peers, is death really a suitable "punishment"? Ignoring, educating or general non-life-taking revenge is always sweet. Let them live to suffer ...and we all (almost all) grow up eventually. Assholes often become saints! Haha!
Bottom line...eye for an eye. Don't just shoot everyone

[Morning Glory]

hey shit happens. I am kind of opposed to violence, but people need to learn that they are not untouchable. if it makes people treat each other decently, even if it's out of fear of getting thier asses wasted, it could be a good thing. We are an entire culture that uses violence to solve our problems, even if it's not on a physical leval, it's on a leval of abusive degraded relationships, teaching people that no matter what they do, they are nothing but their status in this sytem. You have a boss, teachers, politcians, parents always comanding you and barking orders, how can you not help but feel inferior? and it's no wonder that people feel helpless and can see no other way to take out thier anger and disgust than through violence. It's so ironic that while Columbine is happening, the United States is dropping bombs on residential areas of Serbia, and no one cares, but when these kids start killing each other, we say, oh my god, how can we have come to this as a society?

[GasmaskGirl]

grew up in small towns.

kicked out of one highschool for too much fighting.

switched to new school where i was tormented for looking different, called a "dyke" and "freak" every day, shoved into lockers (who knew - i thought that kind of stuff only happened on tv?), had a beer bottle smashed across the back of my head because someone thought i was a lesbian.

i fantasized about killing everyone in my school. i had the sense not to, though. But every day I would sit in class, and as the football jock next to me in english would call me "morticia adams" i would be visualizing his head on a platter.

now i'm in my 20's and i look back on my highschool days... i had good times and bad times. I would never want to live through it again though. There were times i thought i would run away, or blow up my school, or even kill myself. I'm glad i wasn't that stupid though. Because really, highschool is just a blip in your life. After high school's over, your life is really only just beginning...

[GasmaskGirl]

and we all (almost all) grow up eventually. Assholes often become saints! Haha!

very true.

i was at a concert once when i was about 22 years old. A guy came up to me and said "hey i know you, i went to highschool with you. i just wanted to apologize for being such an asshole. my friends and i used to call you a freak and stuff all the time. i just wanted to say sorry because it really makes me feel bad now. i'm a father now and i'm changing my life around," etc... I was stunned.

[Nautilus]

I think my saving grace in high school was that I didn't go much and that most of what I considered my life was out-side high school--friends, work, volunteer work, hobbies, family etc.. We segregate our society WAY too much, kids need to see what life is like out side of school and adults need to see what life is like in school. I work with the elderly and am appalled that they are shut off from everyone else in society, even though they have so much insight to offer. We are a hugely ageist society, separating people into age classes (elderly, retired, working class, young adult, teen, child, pre school). We are worst with children as we separate them by grade level--they rarely get time with people just a year older!

[Nautilus]

grew up in small towns.

kicked out of one highschool for too much fighting.

switched to new school where i was tormented for looking different, called a "dyke" and "freak" every day, shoved into lockers (who knew - i thought that kind of stuff only happened on tv?), had a beer bottle smashed across the back of my head because someone thought i was a lesbian.

i fantasized about killing everyone in my school. i had the sense not to, though. But every day I would sit in class, and as the football jock next to me in english would call me "morticia adams" i would be visualizing his head on a platter.

now i'm in my 20's and i look back on my highschool days... i had good times and bad times. I would never want to live through it again though. There were times i thought i would run away, or blow up my school, or even kill myself. I'm glad i wasn't that stupid though. Because really, highschool is just a blip in your life. After high school's over, your life is really only just beginning...

Wow, it's amazing what can happen in just four years! It's funny that some people say they are the best four of you life. Thanks for the story.--Nate

[Nautilus]

can't say that i did, i had a friend bring a gun to school once. he called me over to his locker, showed it to me and said "if that asshole bothers me today he's dead" he was a small kid and was always getting picked on when i wasn't around him to act as a sheild. he reached in his locker to grab it and put it in his back pack. i pinned him against the wall took the gun out to my car and threw it in my trunk, so he wouldn't get him self in trouble, then went and found the guy that was picking on him and beat his ass and got sent home for the day, but he didn't bother my friend any more..

Another great story Devilmutt!

[CPRB]

My life in Highschool scuked eben the supposed oucast kids didn'e like me thank go d for my love of punkrawk and my abilty to listen to lyrics and have faith yeah I did want to ame those bastards suffer but all cam to a wonderful end our Valid Victorian who was most likely to succed was 3 months prgenet and where was I ? I a Mosh Pit watchin' The Swinging Utters Reapeat Offender and the LunaChicks....College was a a blast...and most of the people who were jerks got what the deserved karam wise so I am not complainig I just laugh my ass of and realize how even though it was tough....I did better in the end