Ok, to those who quoted me. You obviously
clearly missed the point of what I was saying.
First off, the percentages are low because the incident took place over 7 years ago and I can't quite recall which reporter or broadcast had which specialist on to give those figures but I can assure you they were incredibly low, under 10%.
Secondly, I never said that the years of bullying didn't effect them. What I said was:
Remember Columbine when reporters said it was violent video games that influenced Eric and Dylan? Remember what the Prez wanted to do? Abolish violent music and games and movies? Too bad the gaming business on it's own is a multi-BILLION dollar industry. Can't abolish something that's inevitably paying you. lol
If you're going to quote me, don't quote only a partial bit in which you can use to twist the words around for your own agenda.
The games Eric and Dylan played and the music they listened to did little to make them take action. What made them take action is :
1 - I'm sure they had some sort of mental illness.
2 - They were tired of being bugged, harassed, bullied picked on, humiliated, dehumanized, terrorized etc from other kids.
3 -They were frustrated that their cries for help, their reports to those in power (school administration) fell on deaf ears.
They did what they did because
to them it was the last resort.
Not once, did I ever insinuate that video games influenced their decision. Not once did I imply that violent music, movies or games was the single cause of what they did.
So again, before you quote me, put your personal agenda aside and quote me in entireity.
The media went into a frenzy when it found out that Eric and Dylan listened to Marilyn Manson. Why? Because he's untraditional. His music is questionable to the parents trying to raise kids. He doesn't fit in with the norm. Which is why the reports attacked his reputation by saying that his lyrics cause children to become violent. That his lyrics and his stage performances and the performances of people like him (Ozzy Ozborne, Twisted Sister, SlipKnot, etc) are the soul cause of the sudden incline of school shootings that the years 1997-present are seeing.
The President, Clinton if I belief, vowed to ban violence in video games, in movies and in music. They, the government and media,
believed they had a quick solution a very deep seeded problem. Only problem is:
The video gaming industry is a multi-
BILLION dollar industry. And lots of that money gets trickled back to the government.
The movie industry is the same, creating jobs for many people who each pay taxes resulting in money going BACK to the government.
Music industry? Same. People buy cds, pay tickets, buy merchandise all of which a portion goes back to the government.
So you see why the government couldn't possibly had made all these things banned. How many of you would spend $70 on a video game entitled "Happy Harry and his Little House of Candy".. or some other such drivel?
In a time of crisis, people will look for the easiest answer. The easiest answer during Columbine was not that these boys had been terrorized at school and inevitably been ignored by the teachers, the easiest answer was that Marilyn Manson and violent video games were the problem. A much easier answer to dish out then saying "yes, our school system screwed up. The teachers failed to listen and/or act against the bullies" or "yes, we screwed up, we knew what was going on but we wanted to maintain a good image so everything was swept under the rug"
That was exactly what MY school did when I was the one going through the same problems that Eric and Dylan went through. Small town, only 200 kids in the high school. Every day I was terrified to go to school.
These are some of the things I encountered while going to school there.
-I was almost run over in the parking lot by a guy who had seen me about to cross and gunned it intentionally.
-I had frozen beer bottles thrown at me from a passing car while I was walking home at the age of 13 with the words "You're going to die *****"
-I was strangled until I passed out on school property when I was in grade 2.
-Every day in classes I was tripped, kicked, punched, laughed at, spat on, insulted, demeaned.
-My head was slammed into lockers more times then I can remember.
-When I was on crutches for an ankle problem I was cornered in the hallway and they were taken from me. I was then beaten over the back with them.
-I had chemicals thrown at me in science class.
-Gym class; Lacross was another way to see who could break my fingers and get away with it.
-I was terrorized in the girls change room by girls who held me naked, in the shower, under cold water and then stole my clothes.
-Two boys came into the change room once and a group of girls were threatening to hold me down. The guys chickened out.
-I had teachers telling me to my face that I was stupid and it was a waste of their time even trying to teach me.
And you know what happened with the police were called in? The teachers and the principal all went "We never heard a thing about it...she's never complained." I made several complaints, and many of the incidents happened in class infront of the teacher. When my parents were brought in they were told by the teachers that it was THEIR fault for raising a daughter who was easilly picked on.
That's the problem with schools during incidents like Columbine. They look for a scapegoat. One that the population will turn to and put the blame on. They need a scapegoat because no one will say "yea, we messed up. We didnt listen to their complaints, we didn't take it seriously so on and so forth"....
Blah, now I've really babbled.
My point was:
Violent video games and music are not the cause to these problems. The problems existed long before they even came into the picture. It's how adults and specifically adults in power want to deal with them that is the cause of what happens. Instead of fixing the problem head on, society wants to find the easiest way out. The one that involves the least work. Which is why they blamed video games/movies and that's why the Pres said he'd ban them. He knew he couldn't, but it would sate the peoples thirst for an answer. This was much easier and cheaper then dealing with the teachers, principals and school staff who sat on the sidelines watching the assaults and teasing happen.
~Mari
Forgive me?
