RE: RAT COLUMBINE

["Sylvain, John" <jsylvain@station.sony.com>]

The turn that this thread has taken is disturbing, offensive and
disrespectful.

Its about time.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	InTheLime@aol.com [SMTP:InTheLime@aol.com]
> Sent:	Friday, April 23, 1999 11:38 AM
> To:	rat-list@whirl-i-gig.com
> Subject:	Re: RAT COLUMBINE
> 
> In a message dated 99-04-23 12:21:58 EDT, you write:
> 
> << This was their art, and whether I approve of their actions or not,
> whether 
> I am
> horrified by their aesthetics or not, I feel like what they're saying
> needs
> to be heard.>>
> 
> YES!!!  This is a revolution citizens - it's only been a hundred or so
> years 
> in the making - since we started forcing the tribes into what we call
> "high" 
> schools.  And this revolt is not unprovoked. This is what hurts me: that I
> 
> understand why those self-proclaimed soldiers went ballistic on their own 
> soil.  That I knew these boys when I was in school (15 years ago). That I
> was 
> part of them in mind and consciousness.  There is no them, we are only us.
> 
> I so want to feel complete sorrow for the people who were shot...because I
> do 
> not want violence to be the only answer - because I do not want to blame
> the 
> victims.  But there were victims on both sides of this conflict, weren't 
> there?  And I see these graduating seniors on the screen accepting no 
> responsibility for the hatred they helped to create.  Saying "sure we
> hated 
> them...sure they weren't welcome...but..."  BUT?  I cannot simply shrug
> this 
> off as two "crazies" who went psycho.  This revolution was clearly
> provoked. 
> 
> I perceive Columbine as a long seige of terror brought to an end by 
> violence...and unfortunately the perpetration of terror was two-sided.
> How 
> can the media miss the hatred that was thrust upon the backs of those
> black 
> coats?  Or when back-handedly noting the possibility of its existence, 
> quickly conclude with a "but..."  The responsibility here is transparent.
> 
> Everyone is to blame. 
> 
> We want to blame the teachers...the video games...the teleivion...and oh
> how 
> we want to blame the parents... we want to blame anyone but ourselves.
> But I 
> am completely responsible.  I take it on my shoulders.  I blame myself for
> 
> perpetuating the myth that I believe everyone is equal.  We aren't all 
> equal...we're all different...which is a much more obvious truth to hold -
> 
> and makes for a much more wonderful world.  What I regret is that we truly
> do 
> not believe as a society that it is good to be different.
> 
> Those young budding adults hated the the black coats for being "different"
> 
> long before the bombs were set. And the shy loners who banded together
> found 
> power in their plans of revenge.  It's a return of hatred for hatred.
> There 
> was an admitted "war" going on between the "jocks" and the 
> "trenchcoats"...even the "jocks" are saying that now.  If there was a war,
> of 
> course it was going to end in violence.  That's one of those anticipated 
> results of being at war.  And these soldiers were not subtle...they 
> advertised their intent, and made their threats, and were completely
> IGNORED. 
>  The worst insult of all is when you tell the truth and those around you 
> ignore it. Yes?
> 
> Youth warring is not new, though, folks...teenagers have been waging war 
> throughout history - because until this century, you were rightfully 
> perceived as an adult as soon as you could take care of yourself.  Look
> back 
> over hundreds of years and you are going to find that ADULTS between the
> ages 
> of 13 and 30 were involved in most military battles...it's just that in
> the 
> last 100+ years we created a myth that we are "more civilized" than our 
> ancestors and civility means treating young adults like children.
> 
> I am saddened and afraid because I understand the resultant violence so 
> completely.  I wore all black in High School.  My nerdy brother (so like
> his 
> big sister) just got out of high school this year...and guess what...he
> wears 
> a black trench coat.  I punked out.  I helped to publish an underground 
> newsletter.  I was threatened by jocks (we even called them that back when
> I 
> was "in the days...").     Every now and then I'm still bullied by a
> "jock."  
> 
> But I'm lucky...I had art even then as my expression.  I was a writer and
> an 
> actress, and I could channel my frustration. I too plotted my revenge
> against 
> what I perceived as a society of hate which surrended me.  My revenge was
> to 
> be the BEST ARTIST I could be.  To create art in such a way that my enemy 
> would laugh at himself when he laughed at my performance.  My revenge was
> to 
> succeed where I knew they could not.  
> 
> These young men, also did what they knew they were good at.  They had no
> idea 
> of what success they could have in the future utilizing their skills - the
> 
> ability to effectively maneuver a war machine...and boy they were really
> good 
> at that weren't they?  -  So they wanted recognition for their skill and
> saw 
> only one alternative... with 18 days left before graduation, they could
> see 
> no societally accepted way to revenge themselves on the perceived hatred
> they 
> had suffered at the hands of the majority. 
> 
> And hell, why would they want society to approve their mode?  It was
> society 
> that was pissing on them with regularity.   They did what they were good
> at 
> and this is the result.  A few hundred years ago they would have already
> been 
> in the military having that aggression channeled for the good of the state
> - 
> being trained in the ways of war by someone who would also tell them when
> to 
> use those skills, and when it might be better to write a letter. The 
> trenchcoat mafia did not see enrollment in the military as an option -
> though 
> - because they were embroiled in a perceived civil war.  To these
> boys...the 
> enemy was here at home.  
> 
> Another novel from --
> --Aileen McCulloch,
> Managing Artistic Director
> The Vagabond Acting Troupe
> Philadelphia, PA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>