I have a problem… I was asked to write a note/blog about the horrific shootings at Northern Illinois University, but I’m not exactly sure of what to say…
You see, sadly I’m apart of the school shooting generation. The age group that knew that bullying could lead to more than a fist fight at the bus stop. There have been school shootings for more many years: Often with one or two people dead, random gang violence that spilled into the school yard, or a random protest gone wrong. But then came Columbine: A violent, senseless day of mass hysteria. The nation was shocked not only because of the tragic loss of life (23 dead) but also because of how much detail went to into the planning of it all. Systematically deciding where to go, what questions to ask, which weapons to use and ultimately who to kill.
I was in 7 grade when Columbine took place and I remember the fear and the warnings that were placed in the hearts and minds of students around the nation; “be fully aware of your surroundings”, “never assume someone is joking if they mention having a weapon”, “be nice and stop bullying other kids or they may bring a gun and kill you.” These are the mental tools they equipped us with. We heard the media tell us to “watch out for the strange kids,” “the kids that loved violent TV shows and video games,” “watch out for the outcasts” etc. Pretty soon all of our schools began to beef up the amount counselors and take all threats seriously, and as we stood in the parking lot for the bomb threat in one semester, sweating in the heat of the sun and singing Nelly’s “It’s Getting Hot in Here” at least we felt safe. And for a while it seemed like we were.
There was little nationwide coverage of school shootings and we were back to the isolated “one to three” dead type of stuff, you know a normal shooting. But last year a seemingly “normal shooting” erupted into a killing spree that spread across Virginia Tech, ripping through seemingly peaceful campus like a terrorist missile. The “Columbine Generation” had gone to college. Another massive loss of life, another planned killing spree, this time complete with a homemade videotaped manifesto. The killer fit the description; quiet, angry, violence loving, loner with a history of mental illness and disturbing behavior. We talked about it in all of my classes the next day. We asked “What could be done to keep us safe in case of a similar attack at USF?” One of my professors even had us come up with a safety plan (two plans actually one in case the attacker was in the room and another in case the attacker was outside of the room).
So there we were again, this time as adults, once again following the warnings; “be fully aware of your surroundings”, “never assume someone is joking if they mention having a weapon”. These are the mental tools they equipped us with. We heard the media tell us to “watch out for the strange kids,” “the kids that loved violent TV shows and video games,” “watch out for the outcasts” etc. Only this time we were told to sign up for university “safety alert” text messages, and Facebook notifications. I also made it a point to sit near the doors of certain classrooms just in case I needed to run. So the Universities were boosting security, there were protests for more police on campus and we believed that we’d figured out the profile of the typical school shooter. We knew the signs, we’d heed the warnings and by the end of Spring Semester we all felt safe again.
But last week’s shootings at NIU have once again shattered our sense of safety. When I first heard about it, I fully expected this guy to fit the “School Shooter” description, and in some ways he did. He had a new interest in guns and disturbing tattoos, a history of mental issues and he’d stopped taking his meds but other than that he led a pretty normal life. He had a girlfriend (whom he sent a “goodbye letter” to on V-Day”), good grades, award winning and led two student organizations. His former professors claim they “enjoyed” having him in class. He wasn’t even a student at the school anymore having transferred to a more “prestigious” nearby University. The Firearms he used were his; he’d purchased them legally in Illinois a state with strict gun policy. By most accounts the warning signs were there. His personality hadn’t changed and according to the girlfriend, he stopped taking the meds because they “made him feel like a zombie.”
So what to do? Do we ban everyone with a mental or emotional issue from going to high school or college? A move this drastic would be outrageous and only serve to worsen the stigma involved with getting help for mental illness. As a society we should encourage people to seek as much help as humanly possible when struggling mentally or emotionally. Do we get tougher gun restrictions? I’m sure this is something that people are going to argue with me about, but that’s not the answer either. Statistics prove that when gun laws get tough crime goes up making the average sane person more susceptible to violence. Why? because a person that’s willing to break the law in any way is willing to have a gun illegally. So why/ would a person who is bold enough to kill a group of strangers and then kill himself, be stopped by a rinky-dink gun law? So what is there to do in order to stop shooting like this from happening? I still don’t know. All I can do is pray. Pray for the victims’ families, the killer’s family and the students. Pray for students and employees and of any place that may be vulnerable to such an attack. And pray for everyone’s safety and mental health so that things like this can become a thing of the past.
Maybe soon we’ll all feel safe again.
I’ve notice ton of Valentines Day Articles. One thing that caught my eye was this article about finding your “Soul mate.” the article was right next to another piece about surviving “Valentines Day Alone.” Soul mates are a beautiful concept, the idea that you can connect with someone so deeply that your souls are matched. It’s an idea that many people, particularly women believe in whole-heartedly. I do too, just not in the traditional sense.
Shannon the Tampa Diva
mrkeyz
