Memphis Vs Columbine

Some of you may be aware that the Memphis City School System suffered its 2nd school shooting in a little over a week, leading many to speculate on the current state of societal values, morality, and parenting as the root of these issues. While these problems are valid in their own respect, they are merely accomplices’ after-the-fact in regard to their relation to the crime happening in our schools. What can be learned from these terrible events?

By comparing the nature of the crime we can get a better sense of what may have led these children to act out in such a violent manner. The shootings in Memphis differ from those across the country in a few distinct ways. Take for example, the Columbine shootings. These were a group of kids acting out of revenge and contempt toward society as a whole. They went on a wild rampage, shooting basically anything in sight. When it was coming to an end, rather than facing justice and dealing with the families of the victims, they committed suicide. They were well aware of what they had done and how it would affect those involved. They killed themselves because they knew how wrong and heinous their actions were and the very thought of owning up to those actions was more than they could bear.

When you compare the events in Columbine to those in Memphis, you get a much different picture. A boy walks up to a fellow schoolmate, pulls a gun from his waist and puts three bullets into his neck and chest. Then calmly walks to the teacher and hands him the gun. Standing over his victim, he remarks, "It’s over now". As if to imply they were playing a game of tag in the school-yard. Ha-ha, you're it, no take-backs. Only this game of tag is played for blood and the loser pays with his life. In comparison to the Columbine perpetrators, this kid did not flee, fret or panic as a result of his actions. He was like cold steel. "Here's my gun teach, take me to jail or whatever." Not exactly the response you would expect from a young man who had just attempted to murder a classmate.

Local media outlets are full of pundits, parents and know-it-alls ready to give their $0.02 about how society has failed the kids or government has failed the kids or the teachers aren’t doing their job or parents aren’t disciplining their kids enough, etc....And while all these gripes may have their place on some branch of the tree, none of them adequately assess the problem at the root. All of the previously mentioned problems are merely accessories after-the-fact.

What causes these kids to place so little value on human life? What causes them to shoot each other over minor disagreements? Well, I can tell you this, it starts at home and it is not usually taught or learned. It must be given and it must be received. What these kids lack is love and compassion, someone to care about them and someone for them to care about. How else do you explain a kid having no regard for his victim or his family? Or for his own family for that matter? Because he is not capable of understanding what it feels like to lose a loved one, or be the one loved who is lost?

All these talking-heads spew out the same redundant banter about what you can do to save these wayward kids. They tell you to go to PTO meetings, vote for better legislators, practice more discipline at home, fund better schools, etc....If you really want to help at-risk youth, buy a random kid some ice-cream after school, offer them a ride home, give the kids at the park a new basketball. Give these kids a reason to believe that someone out there cares about them. And then, maybe, they will start to care about other people. Love is a powerful thing and I think a lot of people would be surprised by how much it can quell the violent nature of the youths in this city.

Love beats the Demon

-Spread the Love to Defend Memphis