Columbine High School Essay
On the morning of April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold approach Columbine High School, in Jefferson County, Colorado. Armed with one 10-shot Hi-Point model 995 carbine rifle, one Intratec AB-10 (TEC-9) pistol, two Savage 12-gauge shotguns, and as many as ninety-five explosive devices, Harris and Klebold enter the school near the cafeteria. Upon doing so, they are met with the words that God commanded unto Moses on Mount Sinai: Thou Shall Not Kill. Harris and Klebold tremble in fear and shame for what they have come to accomplish. Dropping their weapons, the boys fall to their knees, bow their heads in penance, and pray to God for forgiveness.
Instead of that scenario the boys fired off an estimated 900 …show more content…
In 1999, an attempt to pass a law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools (not coincidentally attached to a gun-control bill) failed for reasons stated by People for the American Way on their website:
First, posting the Ten Commandments is a solution in search of a non-existent problem. Religious Right rhetoric notwithstanding, religion and prayer have not been banned from public schools; in fact the First Amendment protects students' rights to pray, discuss religious views and read religious texts in school. Second, posting the Ten Commandments would violate the First Amendment by requiring schools to favor one religion over another; the Supreme Court ruled so in 1980.
What is at stake here is not a student's right to practice religion in school-that right is already guaranteed; rather, the Christian Right wants to be seen as doing something about school violence. The Ten Commandments as touted by Tom DeLay become a symbol of spirituality, a means to gauge both the morality of a school population and the pro-activeness of the Christian Right in combating school violence.
Not all in the Christian Right are so naïve as to think that the displaying of the Ten Commandments is a panacea for
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