Tag: Dylan Klebold

  • Did computer addiction cause Columbine?

    Study links computer denial to Columbine:

    This is one of the more sensible explanations for Columbine I’ve heard in a long time.

    Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on a killing rage at Columbine High School in 1999 because they were abruptly denied access to their computers, an Oregon psychiatrist says in a published study.

    The two young men relied on the virtual world of computer games to express their rage and to spend time, and cutting them off in 1998 sent them into crisis, said Jerald Block, a researcher and psychiatrist in Portland.

    “Very soon thereafter – a couple of days – they started to plan the actual attack,” Block said.

    Block published his research in the current issue of the American Journal of Forensic Psychiatry, a peer- reviewed journal.

    The paper is likely to generate debate, said Cheryl Olson, co-director of the Center for Mental Health and Media at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

    Block sifted through thousands of pages of documents released by Columbine investigators and said he believes both Harris’ and Klebold’s parents banned them from their computers after the two were caught breaking into an electrician’s van in 1998.

    Harris and Klebold had each previously been temporarily kept off computers at school or at home, and after each incident, Block said, the boys’ writings or behavior became more violent.

    Block said he worries about people immersing themselves so deeply and also about cutting them off cold-turkey.

    “How do you pull them out, without triggering homicidal or suicidal behavior?” he asked.

    Personally, I don’t think that was the only reason but it very may well have been a major one. However, those two cowardly scumbags were so selfish and spoiled that Dr. Block may be on to something.

  • Beware of anti-bullying laws

    VIEWPOINT ~~ Beware of anti-bullying laws:

    This is a great editorial on why anti-bullying laws are ineffective. Here’s my favorite part of the article.

    Government regulation of offensive speech opens the door to any complaint of being offended, by anyone, for any reason. The Columbine killers have often been described as victims yet they themselves routinely rejected and harassed all classmates who did not share their antisocial beliefs and behavior. Then they ironically protested of being bullied when their offensive behavior did not endear them to their peers. Had speech laws been in effect at Columbine, students like Klebold and Harris would have made numerous frivolous bullying complaints just to punish everyone they didn’t like.

    So wouldn’t that be anti-bullying laws being used to bully?

  • Love letter from Hell

    Love letter from Hell

    Dylan Klebold in Love:

    When the Columbine documents were released, the mutant reaction was one of apathy. Most of the reactions went along the lines of “Well it’s bad that Eric Harris was a racist and a homophobe but look at how cute Dylan Klebold was for writing love letters”. I think this article has a much more realistic perspective…

    We don’t know whether Klebold ever summoned the nerve to deliver the love letter. We just know that, mixed in with the grotesque torments that impelled Klebold and Harris to slaughter their schoolmates, there dwelt (within Klebold, at least; experts now believe Harris was more clearly psychopathic) recognizably human torments more typical of the adolescent male. To some, this may make Klebold seem more sympathetic. To me, it makes the very notion of love, or at least teenage infatuation, seem much darker and creepier. This is not to say that I would recommend that school officials across the country mobilize en masse to expel all young swains who declare their love to unsuspecting schoolgirls. (The high schools would be emptied within a week.) Judging from the text of Klebold’s letter, it shouldn’t be as difficult as many suppose to spot the distinct warning signs that a young man is seriously deranged. Still, I’m not sure I’ll ever think the same way about what it means to have a secret admirer.

    Even monsters are capable of love, but it never stops them from killing the villagers.

  • Of God and the Psychopath

    Of God and the Psychopath

    The Columbine Diaries: Old Wounds … New Passions:

    I’m usually not one to force my religious beliefs on others, but I don’t hide the fact that I’m a Christian. And by Christian, I mean one who tries to follow in the teachings of Christ and believes that Christ is the son of God. Not, “bible-beating zealot who thinks you’re going to hell because you don’t believe in the same things I do”. Now having said that, let me share this article with you about a youth pastor from Littleton, Colorado…

    I was a youth pastor in Littleton with a youth group made up primarily of Columbine students. In fact, for a time the Bernall family attended our church and Cassie attended some of our meetings. I had made an appointment to meet a student on the Columbine campus for lunch on April 20th, but that morning I woke up feeling very sick and decided to stay home. At 11:30 I got a phone call from one of my interns who was sobbing and urging me to turn on the television.

    At first the images struck me as a fire at the school, but within seconds the cold hard reality of what was really going on sunk in to my conscious mind.

    The unthinkable was happening. If you were old enough to remember that day, you know what I’m talking about. A quiet suburban neighborhood was transformed into a war zone, except instead of soldiers being shot, there were innocent teens going through hell on earth.

    Over the next several months I met with each of my students who were there to let them pour out their anger and grief, and somehow try to answer the unanswerable question of why God would allow this to happen.

    Now seven years later the old wounds are reopened with the release of over 900 pages of documents from the killers. Inside you’ll find what you probably expected…angst, hate, vitriolic diatribes, and even a glimpse into the thinking patterns of a psychopath and a depressive.

    I’ll be honest, I wasn’t excited about the release of these diaries, I don’t enjoy reliving the feelings of that day. Yet as I have processed things the past few days, I was given an insight that hadn’t occurred to me before.

    Perhaps sometimes when old wounds are opened, new passion is born. And that is the case with me today. I work with a ministry that is trying to reach every teen in America with the life changing message of the gospel, and we believe with all our hearts that the message of Christ is the answer to violence in the schools.

    One of saddest entries in these diaries is from one of the killers who hoped to find peace in the afterlife. The tragedy of that is that the peace he sought was available to him in this life, and perhaps if he would have found it, 15 families would still have their loved ones. Our hope and prayer is that God will take the calamity and heartbreak of Columbine and use it to reach thousands, even millions of anger ridden students who may simply be looking for peace.

    Say what you will about religion, but maybe if Harris and Klebold had a little more “Thou shalt not kill” in their lives, we wouldn’t even be discussing this.

  • Or maybe one family will appeal

    Or maybe one family will appeal

    Klebold’s parents forgo challenge:

    I guess we’re going to have another lesson in journalism. Previously, it was reported that neither parents of the Columbine killers would appeal the Columbine evidence being released. Now the Rocky Mountain News is saying that for right now only the Klebolds are not appealing…

    The parents of Columbine killer Dylan Klebold have decided not to challenge the release of more than 900 pages of documents taken from their home and that of fellow killer Eric Harris, their attorney said this morning.

    Gary Lozow said that Tom and Sue Klebold hope that their decision will help bring an end to the litigation that has surrounded Columbine since the two seniors opened fire on April 20, 1999, killing a dozen students and a teacher and wounding more than 20 others.

    “I think one of the kinds of thoughts that was important was simply to put an end to all of the litigation,” Lozow said. “Hopefully that will be part of what happens here — we’ll have to see.”

    The documents are expected to be released Thursday, the Jefferson County sheriff said.

    The Harris family has not yet filed any challenge to Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink’s decision to release the documents.

    Today is the deadline.

    As of what time today remains unknown.

  • 5/24/06: From the Mail Sack

    5/24/06: From the Mail Sack

    It’s been a while since we read the mail from the mutants so let’s get started, shall we?

    This one is from my entry on the Columbine Rampart Range Tapes

    jacob Says:

    fuck all u white haters out there im not that racist but when it comes to niggers tryen to get at us that pisses me off u niggers have enough problems so fuck off…. by the way that was are ancestors thatdid that shit to you so dont pull that shit on inasent ppl by the way ur not african americans its africans in america

    o and marcus and dante get a fucken life.. you stuped ass niggers probaly have an ique of 50 u fucken idoit and come in to my school and pull that shit ill fucken but ur thick skulled head in u bitch ass niggers

    If they have an ique of 50, it’s about 50 points higher than yours, Klanboy. And I love how he says he’s not a racist except “when it comes to nig**ers”. I hate to break it to you, Spunky, but that is the textbook definition of racism.

    Then we have this comment about the Columbine RPG designer being outed

    Lay-Z-Boy Says:

    This may be off topic or whatever but i dont give a fuck. Anyways i just wanted to say that Eric and Dylan what they have taught me is that i can do anything i want. They may have been bad guys to you but to me they were in a way heros they opend my eyes and took my mind to another level beyond all this do what society tells you sheep bullcrap. And what the hell all your post are really stupid all you see is a couple kids that killed some people. I think that you gotta open your eyes and take a look at the world around you and not always see things just for what they are. It’s something youll never understand. To me your the fucking mutant and your the one that should be non existent. Mutants? You are a fucking asshole,it’s people like you bringing everyone who has differnt veiws down.
    Your just a fucking number your useless i dont evan see you as the same species. You got alot of evolving to do buddy,suck my balls.

    REB and VODKA thanks for showing me that i can do anything whether it be good or bad.

    I remember when I was young and idealistic, and I thought society’s rules didn’t apply to me. Then I grew up and got a job. With that whole “I’m the rebel, and you’re all sheep” bit, I see only one option of employment in your future…

    (more…)
  • 5/5/06 From The Mail Sack: A Survivor’s Opinion

    5/5/06 From The Mail Sack: A Survivor’s Opinion

    I received comments today from someone claiming to be Columbine survivor Richard Castaldo on my entry about Dylan Klebold’s car being up for auction. I have no reason to doubt that claim. Here’s what he had to say…

    i saw some shit on the news about people having websites paying tribute to the assholes that did this shit, and it bothered me for obvious reasons. so i hope people would be disuaded to do fucked up shit by this site and others like it. And its completely fucking ridiculous to admire what they did in any way. In contrast to popular opinion a lot of people that were shot didn’t do a god-damn thing to these fucks (me included). I have no idea why you’d admire dipshits wwhod kill people over absolutlely nothing. snd what thy did was definatley in no way noble and in no way brave, as they claimed. it doesn;t take shit to kill someone who isn’t expecting ir and with no armor. so i dont know what the hell that proves other than what pussies they really were. REal men would never think of doing something like that. And they brought being nade fun of on themselves, i saw them a couple times and they acteed like they were above it all. oh, and its also moronic to blame games and music and whatnot. cause i play and lisen to the exact same stuff, and am not negatively effected in any way.

    I hope the mutants were paying attention.

  • Never forget the monsters

    Never forget the monsters

    Letter: Use of names in Columbine column could mislead others into repeating actions:

    This is a letter to the paper of Kansas State University. I don’t know the original article the author is referring to, but it seems like it had something to do with the Columbine anniversary last week. Anyway, this is a person after my own heart…

    Editor,

    I was appalled at Thursday’s column on the shooting at Columbine High School. The apparent lack of respect displayed by the article was very upsetting for me.

    The author states that these individuals were not monsters; only their acts were monstrous. The minute these young men brought guns into a school and started shooting, they became monsters.

    Another misstep by the author was the inclusion of their names. The names have been enshrined on Websites by other misguided youths, and have given them people to rally behind. The acts of those two individuals should never be forgotten, but their names should drift into obscurity.

    I attended a school that was a middle-class, white suburban school just like Columbine, located on the opposite side of Denver.

    My school was hit very hard by the reality of what happened, and how it easily could have been us. I did see the memorial that was set up shortly after the shooting and have never been anywhere so quiet, and yet the expressions of the people said so much.

    On April 20, 1999, our schools felt less safe, and a community was trying to find answers as to why kids were killing other kids. A discussion of the reasons why two kids turned into monsters should be held. The discussion should never not include the great pain a community felt and the terror the students and faculty felt.

    Chris Rude

    Graduate Student

    Animal Sciences and Industry

    I do disagree on one point. The names of Harris and Klebold, scumbags that they are, should be remembered. If you forget the names of history’s monsters, it will only be a matter of time before their crimes against humanity are forgotten too.

  • Evidence Item No. 201

    Evidence Item No. 201

    Hiding in Plain Sight:

    This is a great article about the still yet to be released evidence that was seized from the Harris household after the Columbine shooting. It has the usual information about The Basement Tapes, and Harris’ writings, and an alleged police cover-up regarding their prior contact with Harris. But this article enlightened me to something I had previously not known about what was in that evidence, Evidence item no. 201…

    But the most intriguing, hush-hush item from the Harris home is probably evidence item No. 201, a green steno book found in a desk drawer. The book doesn’t belong to Eric or God but to Wayne Harris, who used it to write down various matters concerning his son’s mental health, errant behavior and interactions with neighbors and authorities. As a result of the confidential settlements reached in lawsuits brought against the Harrises and Klebolds by some victims’ families, virtually everyone who’s ever seen the steno book can’t comment on its contents.

    We do know one thing about item No. 201: It documents more contacts between the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the Harrises over their son’s behavior years before the shooting than the sheriff’s office has ever acknowledged. In 2004, investigators working for the state attorney general’s office used the steno book to track a complaint against Eric that dated back to 1997, a case for which the department paperwork had disappeared. The deputy on the case, Tim Walsh, was the same officer who arrested Harris and Klebold for breaking into a van in 1998; interviewed by investigators after the shootings in 1999, Walsh made no mention of the 1997 case.

    Jefferson County Sheriff Ted Mink said he will make a decision about releasing the materials after the anniversary of Columbine.

  • The Myth Spreads Like Cancer III

    The Myth Spreads Like Cancer III

    Schools learn bullying can plant seed for tragedy:

    Yet another article that’s designed to garner sympathy for school shooters and would be school shooters because they were allegedly bullied.

    While, of course, I think bullying is a problem, there’s a big difference between bullying and killing. And like I keep saying, all these Columbine wannabes are taking the focus away from bullying and putting it on identifying would be school shooters.

    Anyway, back to my main point. As usual, the article is rife with inaccuracies…

    The massacre at Columbine High School outside Denver on April 20, 1999, was the deadliest school shooting on record. Two teenagers, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who dressed in Goth attire and felt like misfits, went on a rampage that left 13 dead and 24 wounded before killing themselves.

    Wrong. They were not goths, they had plenty of friends, and most importantly, they were bullies themselves. One only needs to go as far as this to learn the truth.

    And secondly…

    For instance, a 16-year-old who went on a rampage that left eight dead at a high school in Red Lake, Minn., a year ago fit the profile. School personnel described him as a loner who wore black and routinely was teased.

    Wrong again. Weise may have been teased, but when you’re a self-proclaimed Nazi you’re kind of inviting it on yourself. Not only that, but I read more than one report that said Weise used to bully kids who listened to rap.

    But hey, let’s not let facts get in the way of “journalism”.