The main thing I will always wonder, is what was going through their minds when they realized that the bombs weren't going to go off? What did they think when they looked out the window and saw all those students outside, people they intended on killing? Were they furious? Didn't care? They are infamous to this day, but killing practically everyone at Columbine would have made them legends for life. Their names would have been recognized well into the far distant future. They knew that, and they wanted to be above and beyond all of the previous school shooters that only murdered a handful of kids at most.
Even though they "only" killed 15, including themselves, they certainly made their mark. Eric and Dylan knew how to make people remember. They, especially Eric, made sure that plenty of material was left for us to work with. Trying to figure out a great mystery that will always be just that, a mystery. Like everyone else, the only thing I can ever do is speculate. And I will for many years to come because unlike the usual dull and detached murderers out there...Virginia Tech dude ring a bell?...Eric and Dylan drew us in permanently. 12 years and counting.
In columbine by Dave Cullen, he mentions that if they had gone into the school right when they realized that the bombs hadn't went off, they could have killed virtually most of the people the bombs didn't kill. But they decided to stay outside for 5 whole minutes, and pretty much alert everyone inside what was going on. I am not sure if they just didn't care, or if they hadn't though about the fact that they would be lowering the body count by staying outside.
ReplyDeleteAlso, yes, even though they only killed 12 students, 1 teacher and themselves, they definitely made their mark on the world, seeing as even though the Virginia tech massacre holds the American record for most dead in a school shooting, his story is way too dull. Now, the story of Eric harris and Dylan Klebold is a much better one. Two boys with similar background, who's thought processes were completely different still ended up doing the same thing in the end. Eric just wanted to kill, to have power. Dylan just wanted to be loved. Eric couldn't care less if he was loved. And Dylan, during multiple occasions questioned his actions. Tis set the boys apart, but something tied em together, something made them want to kill. And this is the reason that people are more interested in columbine. Because it is, and will always remain, a mystery.
By the way, I enjoy reading your blog :) (I wrote those other comments too)
I have that book but for whatever reason haven't read it all yet. I was a little disappointed when I read that a few things weren't true, like his fling with the 23 year old. But there's a lot of good stuff in that book from what I did read. I keep meaning to read other books on the topic, but I put things off a lot lol. But anyways, I had to refresh my memory, and see that they were waiting in their cars for the explosions to take place.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if initially freaked out, and considered calling it off with all the thoughts going through their heads. Just for an instant. Like thinking they could go back in, gets their bags, perfect the bombs. That would be ridiculous I know lol, but I wouldn't be thinking straight if it were me. It would feel so surreal, to actually be on the brink of going through with it. I can totally picture Dylan having second thoughts right at that moment. Eric seemed so calm and collected though, like nothing would get in the way of his mission. Maybe he was disappointed but not panicked or discouraged.
But anyways, it sucks to over-think the whole thing, when it will always just be a bunch of "what ifs". I'm glad you liked the blog by the way. ^_^ Now that I know someone actually likes it I might update more often lol.
That's great :) I'm looking forward to your posts :P and yeah, I've been looking for other books about columbine, but my local library doesn't have them. I'll have to look in the book stores around where I live.
ReplyDeleteI am always disappointed when people say things that are untrue about it. Like for example, someone told me that Eric and Dylan were both psychopaths, and I laughed. That person was either misinformed or doesn't know what the definition of a psychopath was. I have also had people say things like, they killed like 50 people, right? I almost always think to myself that people really need to use the Internet, or read a book more often.
And I'm glad someone else enjoys the story behind columbine as much as I do. Some people think of it as an unhealthy obsession, like my mom, but I cant help it. I am obsessed with Columbine and Eric Harris xD
Yeah, it's annoying when people gets the simplest stuff wrong. Like a lot insist that they were never picked on at all, that they were the actual bullies. I don't know or remember if they ever bullied other kids, I think I remember reading that Eric admitted to picking on some freshmen. But to say they were the assholes and never got any shit from anyone is dumb. I admittedly need to brush up on my own knowledge of Columbine because even though I've read a lot over the years, it's been a while since I really got back into the articles and stuff. I try not to make any claims myself unless I know it's a fact. Or I'll say that I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteAs for the unhealthy obsession thing, I've been told in the past that I'm strange for being so into it. I don't discuss my Columbine obsession with many people anymore, because some really do take it too seriously and blow it out of proportion. I don't mind being "weird" and think that true crime is a hell of a lot more interesting than some baseball game or reality show, lol.
ps my mom would think the same thing if she knew :-D
Well they actually did pick on younger kids, but they were picked on themselves. But when people say something I know Is totally untrue, i find it hard not to correct them. :P
ReplyDeleteYou should post more stuff :P every day I look back and there is no new posts :P it makes me sad xD
ReplyDeleteAw sorry! There are times when I think about posting something, but then I feel the post sounds lame or without a point. Or I feel it's something people have seen a hundred times before lol. Do you know of some other blog sites about Eric that are any good? I've looked around but not very hard. But I will try to post more, even if I think it's not that great haha.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what it is about Eric Harris that is so fascinating but after just a week of research on Columbine I am enraptured by him. Everything he wrote, all the videos, he is just a mystery to me. I find myself referring back to the death photos in the library and just breaking down in tears asking, why? Wishing they would just come back or wishing that I had been there days before to change Eric's mind.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I thought it was strange. I felt it was wrong, but the further I explored it all, I knew I wasn't alone. I know Eric himself was a victim. He should have never had to do something like this, it's almost like he had gone too far, the point of no return, and he couldn't go back, even if he wanted to.
I don't blame him, i blame life. Life can just be so hard. That cards we are dealt sometimes are unbearable. I also think genetics are at fault, something we have no control over, plays a huge part in who we are and what we think. These are things we cannot choose. I sometimes wonder if Eric had no choice...his mind was telling him one thing and he couldn't control how he felt.
I know that he was human, he was kind, sometimes even sincere in his kindness and wanted to be just like what we all feel is ideal, but he couldn't. My heart hurts for him because sometimes I know how it feels. I want to be a certain way and do a certain thing but i can't. Especially, in social situations. Sure it is not that extreme but still, i can't control it.
Anyways, I'm so glad you are all there and not just like some people (cough cough on youtube cough cough) that are just angry people that use Eric's journal entries as a reason to hate the world. It's funny though, I know half of them will never have the balls to go through with what they talk about (and NO THAT IS NOT A CHALLENGE just proving a fact that you are using his words for the wrong reason) they are just idiots. They have probably never done any real research on Columbine at all.
I know we will never really know WHY he did it, no matter how much we analyze, because only Eric himself knows, but I'm curious to know what others think. Please, if anyone wants to talk about this, or share any opinions, thoughts, whatever about Eric or Columbine please feel free to email me silvermoonsparkling28@yahoo.com or my google account.
PS: Thank you for admitting you have an unhealthy obsession about Columbine, so do I. But again, I feel there is a reason for this.
Yeah, Eric Harris is very intriguing. Even though his journals, videos, IM convos, etc. are limited, you can tell that he was a really complex and interesting person. It's such a shame that he couldn't just stick it out through high school. Sure, if that happened I'd never know who he was, but he could had done some amazing stuff with his life.
ReplyDeleteBut you're right, life is very hard for some people. I think it sucks most of the time. Eric and Dylan must have felt positive that, for whatever reasons, their lives and futures weren't as important as going down in history was. It's only speculation, but I think fame was Eric's main motivation. And of course the fact that he was a psychopath. He had a lot of rage building up and in a way was powerless to stop it.
Dylan was chronically depressed, and like Eric had a wicked temper at times. Those two were a deadly mix, the perfect team. I actually relate to Dylan a lot more even though my fixation is on Eric. Like him, I'm insanely quiet around most people. I go through periods of extreme sadness, I have an explosive temper, and I used to crave love more than anything (at his age). Eric is a whole other thing. Perhaps people with similar traits and personalities can relate to him more.
Thanks for leaving me a comment. I wonder so much of the same stuff that you do. It's so annoying that no matter how much you research and guess about certain things, you'll never REALLY know. :-\
This is most definitely the most interesting conversation I have read in so long. Of course, people talk about Eric Harris and The Columbine Massacre like they know what they are talking bout, when they really don't. But you guys, you have opinions and views and you understand.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, As you said, Jade, people more like Eric would understand him, and I think I fall into that category, although I don't dare say I fully understand him, when of course, I don't technically know him. Although I feel like I do. My obsession with Eric Harris is not merely fascination, as I come to understand your as. My obsession is steaming from love I feel for Eric.
I know how this sounds. But imagine you were very good at imagining things. So good that you could imagine things, and to your, it's really happening. When I imagine Eric Harris, alive, I truly feel he is here, and when I realize he is not, I feel immense sadness. Wow that sounded retarded.
Except unlike you too, I do not cry at the thought of the murders. I am not saying that I would do any thing like that, but I do not wish it had gone any differently. Now I know that sounds bad, but it's the truth, and I'm done pretending I feel sorry for the people who died.
A girl I know, reads the book columbine, and every time she reads about the family of the victims, she bursts into tears. I wish I could feel like that, because it would be so much easier. As you said, Eric was only human, and so am I.
My feelings when it comes to the victims are kinda mixed. It's like when I see their pics and read about them, some of them seemed pretty nice. I'm not sure that any were even assholes, though I know they didn't like Rachel. I don't feel happiness or anything positive about their deaths.
ReplyDeleteBut on the other hand, I don't really care and or feel any real emotions for them. Even at my relatives' funerals(no immediate members), I'm pretty much emotionless and pretending to be sad, secretly wishing I could leave the whole time. I'm detached from family and feel really bad sometimes, but never try to change.
Like in my first post when I start off talking about the victims and how tragic it is, I mainly wrote all that because I was all paranoid about what the initial feedback would be. I didn't want like angry parents leaving comments lol. Glad things didn't turn out that way. ^_^