One decade ago today, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold challenged the idyllic ideology of Americana, awakening a generation caught sleepwalking through the throes of life.
As the pair descended upon Columbine High School, armed with assault rifles and propane-tank bombs, the scene was set in which every parent's worst nightmare would come to fruition. Thirteen deaths later, along with the suicide of the two gunmen, viewers across the nation religiously followed coverage offered in real-time by CNN - even grieving "alongside" the friends and family of the victims. But, like with any modern massacre, the media fell guilty to a gross fascination with the killers, deeply curious and inquisitive, wondering how two young teens could engage in such horrific behavior.
With the masses crying for 'round-the-clock updates and schools around the country questioning their own safety, the media worked feverishly to meet the public's insatiable demands. Peppering wide-eyed Americans with a bombardment of sounds and images, much of the media overload would prove to be inaccurate by new information reported in USA Today mere days ago. Back in '99, the media wrongfully framed Harris and Klebold as members of the "Trenchcoat Mafia," who in reality cut an image of normalcy in spite of previous reports.
In the wake of the massacre, students and teachers were sent into a frenzied fear - looking over their shoulders for anyone and everyone bearing any resemblance to the portrait of the two killers that was mistakenly painted by commentators and talking heads. As recent data revealed by the FBI dismissed the notion of a "loner" or "bully" profile for the two Columbine gunmen, the question must be raised asking what the federal government has done to prevent future school shootings over the course of the last 10 years. For the Editorial Board, a snap reaction to such an inquiry would a response of "nothing."
With incidents such as Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois and Binghamton (though outside the traditional classroom), an unspoken sense of fear exists in America questioning the safety of college and high school campuses across the country. The obvious answer to remedy the threat of future violence in the classroom would stem from the passage of federal legislation banning assault weapons - a solution currently being skirted by the Obama administration.
According to an article in Newsweek, economic reform and universal health care have taken precedent over restricting guns - leaving $2 billion in stimulus package money for increased law enforcement to serve as but a small step in the right direction.
Additionally, the fear of a strongly mounted lobbying effort by the National Rifle Association has worked to deter efforts by staunch administration proponents of a weapon ban, such as Attorney General Eric Holder and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. An extremely sensitive topic over the course of the first 100 days of President Barack Obama's term, the issue of banning assault weapons extends beyond schools and even international borders.
With a brutal drug war in Mexico currently claiming the lives of innumerable cartel members and innocents, a degree of culpability can be placed on the accessibility of guns across America. Acquiring an assault rifle in Mexico is as simple as having the necessary funds to pay one of the many smugglers bringing the guns across the border from America.
As bloodshed continues to stain the streets of locales such as Juarez and Tijuana, we wonder how long "politics as usual" will continue to trump our country's sense of moral accountability.
The 10-year journey from high-school teenager to 20-something knocking on the door of adulthood marks a decade of incredible change. For the 13 victims whose lives were cut far too short, dreams of college, companionship and family disappeared in the matter of an instant at the hands of two clinically sick individuals. Today and every April 20, we must solemnly reflect on the passing of the young men and women from Columbine High School and gain a deeper appreciation for the countless blessings present in our own lives.
