Teachers Do Lie.

As an assignment for my upcoming Senior year, and many years prior in my education. My school assigns "Summer Reading" assignments this year my given topic is: An event that changed your life. I am to write an essay then explaining why and how this event shaped my life.

I chose the Columbine Shooting. For an odd reason that event has always stuck with me since learning about it in my early teens, during health class. Many of the details had been fuzzy and I honestly thought my teacher knew nothing about what had taken place when I was five years old, on April 20th, 1999.

Today I set out on looking for a book on the event and I came across, "Columbine" written by Dave Cullen. When I began reading immediately, my teacher had been proven wrong on more than one account.

The two gunmen were not victims of bullying nor were they loners. They were the ones who had bullied other kids. They were popular, normal looking teenagers. Who had an everyday job in strip mall at a local pizza place.

What had shocked me most were these kids weren't even provoked! When I read through the first few chapters, I was angry. Angry for the deceased angry for the wounded, angry for those who have to live with that terrible memory for the rest of their lives.

No one had done anything to these boys, in yet something in their warped minds convinced them to go through with the ruthless massacre. When I began reading the actual of events of the shooting, I began to cry. Cullen's portration on the students, faculty and staffs's fear were so eerie and heart wrenching my tear-ducts were working over-time.

When I had read Patrick Ireland's story, how he became paralyzed on the right half of his body and had permanent brain damage the tears began again. Ireland now has difficulty pronouncing his whole name, let alone everyday speech.

When I had finished part one of the novel, I had found myself oddly angered with my teacher. She had lied and said that these killers were loners, picked on and bullied. She knew absoutely nothing! The boys were actually well liked.

The fact that these murders were based on a sick thrill, only to end in suicide. Hurt me, Anti-Bullying has always been something near to my heart. For as long as I can remember I've helped those who needed an extra person to back them up because the other bystanders are to nervous or shocked to do anything.

And she lied. Lied to an entire thirty plus kids, about two teens who only had a psycho's mentality. If I were to ever see her again, I wouldn't be able to keep the frown off my face knowing she had lumped those murderers in with victims of hate-crimes, assault and constant snide comments.

The difference between the two are huge, One group doesn't want the pain, the suffering and emotional scarring they just want to be left alone. The other group intentionally causes pain, chaos and hurt.

Bottom Line: Columbine has changed my life in many ways, it's made me see that the bullied aren't always the ones linked to such hateful-crimes. It's made me cautious, careful. Definitely more observant. But it's definitely taught me to speak up, and help others. You never know if someone will just snap one day, and pull out .9mm and wreck havoc across my school.

I guess you could say it's even enstilled fear in me.