On April 20,1999 Columbine high school in suburban Colorado became the site of the states largest massacre to date. Two crazed teens, armed with semi-automatic pistols, sawed-off shotguns, and an arsenal of pipe bombs, entered the public high school and opened fire on their classmates. The paranoiac pair of teens, who targeted athletes and minorities, turned their weapons on themselves, however not before they took the lives of 12 students and one teacher. The two were part of a self-proclaimed gang that they called the "Trench Coat Mafia," but the two were perceived as misguided loners by the rest of society. However, these students were only loners in the sense that they had very few personal contacts. Even though they were not organized, they were participating in a group of juveniles that follow in the "gothic" or "alternative" culture. Growing up in Denver Colorado, and attending a high school less than five minutes away, I was exposed to this underground culture.
Within the youth of American society, a new culture has developed. In the past decade, certain groups of juveniles have decided to "express themselves" through types of music, clothing, and activities. This is little different from past generations where groups in high school that were divided as "jocks", "nerds", or the general "popular" crowd. However, changes in society have transformed these stereotypes. A youth in today's society may cite groups in his or her high school as "druggies", "stoners," "gothic/alternative", or even in some cases, "gang bangers". The "jocks", "nerds", and "popular" crowds have weathered the time, but these new, primarily degenerate groups have changed the face of high schools leading into the new millennium.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the two students responsible for the Columbine shootings, fell into this new "gothic" or "alternative" genre of cliches. This group can be identified by a group of characteristics that seem to remain constant throughout different regions of the United States. The most conspicuous characteristic of this group is their insipid wardrobe. The juveniles traditionally dress in black, or very dark colors. In addition to their coloration, the clothes also tend to be characterized by oversized pant legs, chains, and combat-style boots. It is also common practice for the youths to dye their hair, usually black or purple. The majority of these students explain their style of dress as a form of self-expression. However, as will be discussed later, I believe that these youths are begging for attention that they fail to receive from other, more conventional practices. As a high school student in Denver I was exposed to those who chose to dress in this fashion.
The members of this gothic culture can also often be identified by their music selections. The vocal artist, Marylin Manson, is popular with this group of kids. The wardrobe that Marylin Manson wears during his performances closely parallels the new gothic fashion. Manson is known for pushing the envelope on what society has deemed appropriate and conventional. These rebellious youths recognize the attention that Marylin Mason has received and use it as inspiration for their lives. They are enamored with the attention Manson seems to receive and mimic his unconventional style in hopes to produce the same results. The other form of music that the gothic juveniles seem to ally themselves with is "techno". "Techno" is the type of music most commonly played at underground parties called raves. Raves are associated with heavy drug use and other illegal activity, and such parties have become very popular with kids of the gothic culture. These "dark" parties occur secretly in the night and fit perfectly into the image of the group.
Another common denominator in the majority of the gothic students is that they tend to play video and card games that deal with gory death and destruction. In the case of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, both were avid players of the computer games Doom and Duke Nuke 'Em. "The two friends used to play against each other, in what is known as a death match, for hours at a time."1 "Magic", a intricate card game, is also very popular in this alternative culture.
In many cases the students who ally themselves with this alternative culture feel a great deal of animosity towards athletes, and those who receive attention from the media or community for excelling in "socially acceptable" activities. They often feel like social outcasts, and therefore pitted against those who conform to society successfully. In an effort to improve their self-image, they downplay and mock the achievements of their classmates.2
This new culture within the youth of America has not developed independent of other variables. Changing views in parenting have played a large role in what privileges the teenaged kids are allowed. Many parents in the 1990's have become preoccupied with the idea that children have the right to express themselves in the way that they feel most comfortable. In this sense the parents have taken a much more passive role, allowing their kids individuality and a chance to become their own person. However, there is a very fine line that needs to be drawn between giving children space and allowing them to grow up delusional murderers. This problem is different than those faced by previous parent generations. In the 1960's, parents dealt with kids who wanted to grow their hair long to emulate The Beatles. In the 1990's parents are forced to deal with kids who wear all black clothing, use synthetic drugs, and build pipe bombs in their garage. The stakes involved with raising children seem to have risen, yet the level of active parenting, in many ways, has decreased.
In addition to not evolving without other variables, the behavior of these teens did not take shape all at once. The transformation of a youth into the gothic culture is a gradual process. Students do not go from average junior high students to mass murderers over night. The parents must constantly monitor the development of their children, and take an active role in the direction of their child's life. When their children begin to act out against conventional practices, they must insure that the actions are not harmful to either themselves or to those around them. This lesson is exemplified by the recent shootings in Colorado. It is impossible to believe that the parents did not have knowledge of what was taking place with their children, and deplorable that they did nothing to prevent it.
I attended a private school that was in close proximity to Columbine High. Our schools were often grouped together for certain activities, and therefore I was exposed to this alternative culture. As part of the football team in high school, I was classified into the "jock" group, and it was from this perspective that I interacted with the gothic culture. I believed that these students were starved for attention. In my experience, they were loners, and seen as outcasts by the existing groups around them. But although they were unorganized as a cliche', they were grouped together by their common wardrobe and activities. In this sense they did distinguish themselves from the crowd, but not as individuals but rather a group, "freaks". With increasingly more radical actions and clothes came increasingly more separation of identity. Therefore the incentive was for these students to act and dress as radically. I was neither the student who befriended them not harassed them, and the relationship that I had with these students took place from a distance. My experience with this gothic culture was uneventful. Although these students were a part of my high school experience, my connection with them had no effect on my life. And had it not been for the shootings on April 20,1999 I may have forgotten about the group entirely.
Therefore, first, what are the reasons that students join the gothic culture, and second, what is the impetus between those who simply take drugs and dress in black and those who massacre 12 fellow classmates and one of their teachers? In efforts to answer the first question, I would argue that the reason these students act out against the norms of society is in efforts to gain attention. In most cases the students do not have any way to differentiate themselves from everyone else. They are jealous of those who receive attention from society, and it is these insecurities that cause them to act out violently. In extreme cases like that of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, the students were ultimately successful in their pursuit of attention. However, they had become so caught up in their own insecurities and inadequacies that they lost sight of what kind of attention they were receiving from their actions. In their insatiable quest for attention, even horribly negative recognition became more appealing than no recognition.
Therefore, where do parental and societal responsibility fit into the equation? Parents are the first to blame when children act out violently against society. Again the case of the Columbine shootings comes to the forefront as a salient example. The parents of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were obviously aware of the way that their sons dressed, but it is understandable that even the most rational parent when faced with their child choosing a new style of dress would allow the practice. The two teenagers were avid players of violent computer and card games, and again this practice is not something that should necessarily cause concern. However, it is the combination of many subtle clues like these should lead a parent to be suspicious of what their teen is doing. In the case of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold the signs were grossly unmistakable. The two were enamored with Adolf Hitler and his teachings. They also created their own website that in addition to autopsy pictures, and numerous death threats, contained a Hitler memorial. Finally, Harris and Klebold were building and stockpiling an arsenal of pipe bombs, semi-automatic weapons, and sawed-off shotguns inside their parent's garage. The parents are accountable for not noticing and preventing such practices.
However, regardless of who is to blame in the tragedy, the state of Colorado and the entire United States is left to deal with the aftermath. In this case the aftermath has manifested itself in two different ways. First, there has been an anticipated mourning process that has followed the shootings. 13 lives were taken in the tragedy. People throughout the United States felt the agony of the families and friends of those associated with the school. In my case, growing up in such close proximity to the shootings, I felt an special connection with the tragedy and those who have to endure the feeling of anguish that has followed.
The second part of the aftermath is a number of lawsuits being brought against various groups and organizations with affiliation to the shootings. The first legal action is a suit being filed against the parents of the two gunmen. The families of those who were killed are suing for $250 million dollars, claiming that the parents of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were negligent in their raising of their children. Monetary reward is not the driving force behind the lawsuit. The
parents of those who were killed want to set a precedent for parents in the future in the hope that they will pay closer attention to the actions of their kids, and take a more active role as parents.
Another lawsuit has been brought against the manufacturers of excessively violent video games. Again it is the parents of those who were killed that have brought lawsuits against Sony, Playstation, and Sega. The suit has been set at $130 million.3 The parents argue that the video games have lead to the rise of violence in young Americans. My belief is that the video games are inconsequencial in whether or not these children act out violently. Millions of kids play similar games every day. It is not the violence of the games that breeds a cold-blooded killer. Banning violent material will not have an impact on violent in children. The problem needs to be addressed at the parenting level. It is my opinion that the Columbine tragedy could have been avoided if the parents of Harris and Klebold would have fulfilled their responsibility as parents.
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