no, this is not a page of me telling my opinion of the murders in colorado. well, not directly at least. this is a page containing a story i recently read on a page called newsnet5 with the following story:
The Trench Coat Mafia's Web Site Said...
The Web Site Has Been Taken Down
LITTLETON, Colo., Posted 10:55 a.m. April 21, 1999 -- The world wants to know: What would make two teens blast into their school and kill fellow students?
Because of this, investigators and news sources are delving into the backgrounds of the young shooters who killed about 16 students at Columbine High School Tuesday afternoon.
So far, there have been speculation and accusations as to what would make these middle-class boys open fire.
ABC reports it's believed Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were members of the "Trench Coat Mafia," a suburban gang.
This group seems to embody anger and violence. They are also known to abide by a creed of isolation, despair and death.
The group allegedly had a Web site. ABC reports after the reporters at the network viewed the site, it was taken down. It's not known who removed the site.
Before the Web site was removed, ABC says a description of the members was found, which included wearing trench coats and black. There also was a page that had a "hit list" for jocks and a substitute teacher.
ABC reports after entering a chat room linked to the site, chatters knew about the Colorado shootings and offered information that suggests that there were signs that violence may occur.
One person said they recalled a warning one student LCaress wrote: "preparing for April 20. You are going to be sorry."
Ironically, April 20 is Adolf Hitler's birthday.
Other messages indicate that the students began stockpiling an arsenal of weapons.
The members of this group, however, didn't keep their association with the dark side group hidden. Students from the school have said in interviews that the boys said they were members of the Trench Coat Mafia.
There was even a dedication to the Trench Coat Mafia in the 1998 Columbine yearbook. It lists 13 members and reads: "Who says we are different? Insanity's healthy! Remember rocking parties at Kristen's, foosball at Joe's and fencing at Christopher's! Stay alive, stay different, stay crazy. Oh, and stay away from CREAM SODA!!! Love always, the chicks."
Still, why some believe the boys embodied the creed of the "Trench Coat Mafia," while others believe that violence in movies may have played a role.
For example, the popular movie "The Matrix" involved characters wearing long, black trench coats toting automatic weapons.
"The Basketball Diaries," a 1995 movie, showed violence at a school. The culprit in this movie wore a long black leather coat.
ABC also points out that it's believed the boys may have been Marilyn Manson fans.
Manson is known for challenging authority. Critics also say he glorifies suicide and devil worshipping.
Still others blame the violence on videogames, such as Mortal Kombat.
Darlene Jeter, NewsNet5 Staff Writer
disturbing, eh? well i wrote this to her in response. feel free to write her and voice your opinion as well.
Date: Fri, 23 Apr 1999 09:02:42 -0700 (PDT)
From: Bud Newman
Book | Block address
Subject: re: trench coat mafia story
To: darlene@newsnet5.com
darlene,
i just got through reading your article on newsnet, and i hate to say
it, but it was among the most sickening displays of "blame game"
journalism i have ever seen. now before you hit the delete key, please
hear me out. those kids in colorado did not assault students because of
the movie "the matrix", or because of marilyn manson (whose personal
beliefs, falsely portrayed by critics as they may be, are far from
pertinant to the accuation that he "persuaded these kids" to committ
such atrocities). these kids killed who they killed for one reason only
(and you can quote me on this one) they are fucking insane. who do i
blame? first and foremost, i blame them. i could also blame their
parents for being so blind to the fact that their children were taking
rifles and pipe bombs to school, or for not raising them correctly
(which is part of an entirely different issue altogether). my point is,
your report on this event is not only one big game of "pass the buck",
but it's also poorly written, and just plain bad journalism. i
appreciate your effort in attempting to scare parents and school
staffs, but if you don't have the facts, stay off the story. also, this
"trench coat mafia" is not a gang, worldwide conspiracy, nor is it even
a real organization. all it is (was) is a group of kids (started a few
years back at columbine high school) who were "different" and happened
to wear trench coats. over the time, most of the members either
graduated or grew out of the group in one way or the other. but these
two kids (as far as i know, the final remaining members of the clique)
decided it would be cool to kill some people, and that's what they did!
i realize that this whole event is one big media buffet, but i think
they are taking it a couple steps too far. thank you for your time (if
you even read this at all i'd be surprised) and try doing a story on
something you understand at all, basically meaning anything not dealing
with teenagers in some way.
thanks a million,
buel burton newman iv
mightymightyfish@yahoo.com
http://www.oocities.org/southbeach/jetty/7769
r.a.t.s. - rage against the stereotype