Find other ways than violence...
On April 21, 1999, as a naive high school senior, I wrote a song about an event that happened the day before. In light of certain recent events, I wanted to post the lyrics here:
"Littleton"
Pressure won't stop the bleeding
The bodies strewn across the hall
And students that were reading
Executed against the wall
Nowhere to run for cover
Bullets fly, the bombs explode
The trench coats spy another
Raise their weapons and unload
How can we ask their reasons?
They're just some of the insane
Exhausted from the teasing
Driven to a sick and twisted game
What the fuck is this world coming to today?
I can't turn off the television and expect it all to go away
They couldn't hold the pain inside
They bled the souls until they died
And now a nation's horrified
By their attempted genocide
Burst through the doorways screaming
There's two boys firing shots in there
Just pray to God you're dreaming
This must be just a fucked-up nightmare
Asking so many questions
But will we ever know the truth?
And will we learn our lesson?
Or drive more of our sons to shoot
Shortly the millions mourning
These messages that we can't send
How could we see no warning?
Happiness brought to a sudden end
Can we put a stop to all the fear and hate?
Can we learn to accept one another or is it just too damn late?
Using the guns they were supplied
They felt their acts were justified
The normal lives they were denied
Ended up in suicide
Years later it's all history
It was just fifteen, and life goes on
But still it remains a mystery
I can't believe all hope is gone
Gangs are still running wild
The weapons that we're forced to wield
Mean every single child
Is born onto a battlefield
Teenagers live in fear
The scene has warped their troubled minds
To think the coming year
The world could see another Columbine
See the children as they walk around with guns
Can we find other ways than violence and avoid more Littletons?
Laughing with demented pride
Morbid thoughts their only guide
Time has passed and though I've tried
I can't forget the kids that died
I didn't know them, but still I cried
How long before the pain subsides?
The rise and ebb of every tide
Brings with it more homicide
Pressure won't stop the bleeding
The bodies strewn across the hall
And students that were reading
Executed against the wall
Nowhere to run for cover
Bullets fly, the bombs explode
The trench coats spy another
Raise their weapons and unload
How can we ask their reasons?
They're just some of the insane
Exhausted from the teasing
Driven to a sick and twisted game
What the fuck is this world coming to today?
I can't turn off the television and expect it all to go away
They couldn't hold the pain inside
They bled the souls until they died
And now a nation's horrified
By their attempted genocide
Burst through the doorways screaming
There's two boys firing shots in there
Just pray to God you're dreaming
This must be just a fucked-up nightmare
Asking so many questions
But will we ever know the truth?
And will we learn our lesson?
Or drive more of our sons to shoot
Shortly the millions mourning
These messages that we can't send
How could we see no warning?
Happiness brought to a sudden end
Can we put a stop to all the fear and hate?
Can we learn to accept one another or is it just too damn late?
Using the guns they were supplied
They felt their acts were justified
The normal lives they were denied
Ended up in suicide
Years later it's all history
It was just fifteen, and life goes on
But still it remains a mystery
I can't believe all hope is gone
Gangs are still running wild
The weapons that we're forced to wield
Mean every single child
Is born onto a battlefield
Teenagers live in fear
The scene has warped their troubled minds
To think the coming year
The world could see another Columbine
See the children as they walk around with guns
Can we find other ways than violence and avoid more Littletons?
Laughing with demented pride
Morbid thoughts their only guide
Time has passed and though I've tried
I can't forget the kids that died
I didn't know them, but still I cried
How long before the pain subsides?
The rise and ebb of every tide
Brings with it more homicide
So it goes.
