Columbine Shooting Thesis

“Why would two innocent teenage boys suddenly go on a shooting spree in their own school?” is the exact question that was on every American’s mind after the 20th of April, 1999; the event we today refer to as the ‘Columbine massacre’. The question sparked countless debates in America, mainly regarding gun control, bullying, school safety and various forms of entertainment. This is because every American had made it their mission to create their own answer to the question. One of the most controversial answers stated that all blame lied on rock musicians, especially shock-rocker Marilyn Manson’s; who coincidentally had released an album only six months before the shooting. The accusation likely permanently damaged his career and created an

What he aims to emphasise is that rock music, video games, books and movies, haven’t always existed to propagate violent acts in the way that some so vigorously claim. This solid fact is one of the reasons why it’s completely ludicrous to so adamantly bring up a link between music and violence. We should instead draw our focus to the more clearly interlinked factors - how about real violence? How about the influence of the president - who during the Columbine massacre, was busy dropping bombs on Kosovo? How about the way media, during crises like the Columbine massacre, pump out neverending reports and segments, for all (including young, impressionable viewers) to see? How about how TIME magazine proudly displayed the Columbine killers smiling on their cover? These problems may be much more complex and difficult to talk about, but it’s a hell of a lot better than having to gasp at next week’s brutal massacre, and once again question

But are you telling me, when you’ve got 60,000 people singing it, they don’t know what it means? It means something different to every one of them.” The importance of this quotes lies in the fact that it emphasises that music, as the artistic expression it is, can be interpreted in many different ways - regardless of what meaning the creator may or may not, initially, have applied to it. I would even argue that your interpretation of a song may reveal more about yourself, than it does about the musician. So, with that in mind, I sincerely hope you comprehend how preposterous it is to hold a musician accountable for whatever message the listener draws from their music, and especially for what the listener decides to do with the