DEAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS,
HELLO MY NAME IS KATIE AND I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY SINCE APRIL
20, 1999 AT 3:00 WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM SCHOOL AND I SAW MY MOTHER SITTING
ON THE COUCH CRYING IN FRONT OF THE T.V. I SAT BESIDE HER AND ASKED HER WHAT
WAS WRONG AND SHE JUST POINTED TO THE T.V. AND TOLD ME TO LISTEN. WHEN I
HEARD THE CNN REPORTER TALK ABOUT THE SHOOTINGS AND THEN THE PICTURES FLASHED
ALONG THE SCREEN. I BROKE DOWN.
THIS STORY TOUCHED ME SO DEEPLY IN THE SENSE THAT I COULD NOT POSSIBLY
BELIEVE THAT TWO TEENAGE BOYS COULD JUST WALK INTO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL AND
SHOOT AT HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT TEENAGERS.
THE BOYS SAID THEY WANTED TO DO THIS IS BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE OUT CAST.
AND THIS SEEMS TO BE THE REASON THESE SCHOOL SHOOTING CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. WE
SHOULD NOT AS HUMANBEINGS SINGLE OUT PEOPLE AND MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE NOBODY.
EVERYBODY IS SOMEBODY.
I AM VERY INVOLVED IN MY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL. I WENT TO A
NATIONAL STUDENT COUNCIL CONFERENCE IN MINNESOTA IN JUNE AND OF THE MAIN
TOPICS WE CONCENTRATED ON WAS SCHOOL VIOLENCE AND HOW TO PREVENT A HORRIBLE
EVENT LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THE DELEGATES AT THE CONFERENCE SIGNED A SCHOOL SAFETY PLEDGE. THIS STATED,
"WE THE LEADERS OF OUR HIGH SCHOOL WILL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO MAKE
EVERYONE IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL FEEL LIKE A PERSON SO THESE SENSELESS SHOOTINGS
WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN."
OVER 2,000 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SIGNED THIS.
ONE DAY I ASKED MY MOTHER WHY SHE WAS CRYING WHEN I CAME HOME FROM
SCHOOL. SHE ANSWERED ME AND TOLD ME EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD NEVER KNOW THESE
PEOPLE THAT SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS CONNECTED TO THEM BECAUSE SHE IS A MOTHER.
SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE COULD NOT IMAGINE THE PAIN AND HEART ACHE THESE PARENTS
ARE FEELING TO HAVE LOST THEIR TEENAGERS WHO WERE SO INNOCENT.
I UNDERSTOOD WHAT SHE WAS SAYING. THE PAIN OF THESE PARENTS TO THIS DAY
IS PROBABLY UNBELIEVABLE.
I HAVE FOLLOWED THE STORY OF CASSIE BERNALL VERY CLOSELY. TO HAVE THE
COURAGE TO SAY "YES" TO A QUESTION ABOUT HER FAITH AND KNOW SHE WOULD DIE FOR
IT, SHOWS WHAT A GREAT PERSON SHE IS. SINCE I HAVE READ HER STORY, I HAVE
TURNED MY FAITH TO GOD. I THINK AS CASSIE AS A ROLE MODEL AND AS MY GUARDIAN
ANGEL. I NEVER KNEW CASSIE, BUT I FEEL HER CLOSENESS THROUGH GOD. I ADMIRE
HER FOR HER STRENGTH AND HER BRAVERY.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL TEENAGERS TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST SCHOOL
VIOLENCE. WE NEED TO PUT OUR FOOT DOWN SO ANOTHER COLUMBINE WILL NEVER
HAPPEN AGAIN.
MY HEART AND PRAYES GO OUT TO THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO HAVE LOST A
LOVED ONE TO UNNECESSARY SCHOOL VIOLENCE,
KATIE WEHMAN
MT. PLEASANT, SC
* I AM A 16 YEAR OLD JUNIOR AT WANDO HIGH SCHOOL IN MT. PLEASANT, SC
E-MAIL: KTBUG@AOL.COM (
geocities.com/rainforest)