Letters to the Magazine

A Troubling Trail of Clues

I applaud Susannah Meadows ("Murder on Their Minds," July 17) for showing that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were not soulless, satanic murderers but tormented, mentally ill teenagers who were pushed to the edge. As a 17-year-old diagnosed with severe depression and social-anxiety disorder, I understand their plight better than most. For six years, my peers have ostracized me. I've been left out, laughed at, pelted with staples and rocks, been the object of countless rumors, been friendless and generally harassed by other kids. And for what? Because I'm shy, overweight and unpopular with the boys. At my lowest point, I made suicide plans, held a knife to my chest, mutilated my arms and legs with a razor, and yes, thought about exacting revenge on those who hated me. Thanks to medication and therapy, I am now recovering. But what I now know is that much of the responsi-bility for school shootings lies with the faculty. So many times I was harassed right in front of apathetic teachers who did nothing. Until schools make an effort to stop bullying, as well as provide adequate counseling services (truly, what saved me), shootings will continue. If faculty had done more to stop the bullying Eric and Dylan faced, perhaps Columbine would not have happened.

Chelsea Olson

Rice, Minn.

How interesting that an article on Columbine shooter Eric Harris, who provoked snickers, was followed just pages later by an article about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il, who provokes snickers. Isn't it clear by now that we can no longer afford to snicker at people like them?

Roslyn Reid