Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of Columbine High School massacre in which a dozen students and one teacher were killed during a coldly-calculated assault…
Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of Columbine High School massacre in which a dozen students and one teacher were killed during a coldly-calculated assault with high-powered firearms. The images of the horrific event, broadcast live via satellite trucks and captured on the school’s surveillance tapes, have remained fresh in the minds of Americans even after so many years. The anniversary is not only an occasion for remembering the victims, but for contemplating Columbine’s legacy.
There have been other school shootings with staggering body counts. But none has had quite the same impact on our collective consciousness nor such a prominent place in popular culture.
The hour-long killing spree has been chronicled in countless books, spawned movies of various genres, and is tastelessly recalled through tee-shirts, action figures and a role-play video game. It has also inspired copycats.
A particularly troubling legacy lies in boundless fear of school shootings. A cohort of youngsters — students forced repeatedly to participate in so-called “Columbine Drills” — have labeled themselves the Columbine Generation for their ever-present concern for surviving school.
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Not to disregard the significant impact of any school shooting, the level of fear is inconsistent with the risk.
