Columbine Shooting/ Cassie Bernall

[Kelly]

I know this was forever ago, but i wanted to know ya'lls thoughts on the Columbine shooting and about Cassie Bernall- the girl who was asked "if she believed in God", then was shot for saying "Yes".

[Hulud]

those kids were fucked up, that is all

[A.P. Photography]

What are you wanting to know? There has to be a reason that you brought this up and wanting the input from the site.

[metalman]

Who is to say she was shot for that reason? Maybe so, maybe not. I realize some may believe so. But so what? Whats the point? I mean no disrespect to her.
Is there any mortal alive that read those boys minds? One thing we do know for sure they were bent on shooting and killing.

If you want to focus on people killed for their faith in God read up on the Waldenses or other peoples slaughtered by the roman catholic church during the middle ages. If someone told you to kiss/worship the crucifix, say a hail mary, confess to a sinner, acknowlege the pope as vicar of christ would you do it to live? Or would you honor the Scripture & commandments?
Tough question I admit.

[Kelly]

The reason I brought it up was because of the "fanatics" thread. It just reminded me of Cassie... She was a "fanatic" in the right way- in my opinion. She lived a Christ-like life (says her friends/classmates) and stood up for God when needed. I just think that's awesome and I wanted everyone else's opinion.

And metalman- I saw a testimony from someone in the room with her that heard her say that.

[metalman]

I realize that is one version and very well may be true. I dont think its conclusive however. And I still don't think that if it indeed happened that way that would absolute proof of anything. That would require more information than we mortals have. My .02



I'll copy and paste this just for some other views....

Widely circulated reports and emails tell the story of high school student Cassie Bernall being a Christian martyr in the Columbine high school shootings of 1999 in Colorado. It was reported that one of the killers asked her if she believed in God. Cassie said, "Yes" and then was then killed.


The Truth
There are witnesses and investigators who say that there was no verbal exchange about God between Cassie and her killer and that it was actually a different girl who was near Cassie who was asked about her belief.

During the days following the killings in April of 1999, several of the students who were in the library where Cassie and others were shot said she had been confronted by one of the gunmen, Dylan Klebold, and asked whether she believed in God. It was reported that she said "yes" and was immediately shot and killed. Her story became a spark for spiritual renewal among many young people around the country and resulted in a best-selling book written by her mother, Misty Bernall.

On September 23, 1999, Salon magazine published an article that questioned the story about Cassie, which was quickly followed by similar stories in both the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post, two of the Colorado newspapers who had followed the Columbine killings the closest.

An article in the Rocky Mountain News from September 24 quotes chief investigator John Kiekbusch of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department as saying that the question about God may have never been asked of Cassie. The News says that Cassie was crouched under a table when she was shot and that another student, 16 year old Emily Wyant, was next to her. Emily survived the ordeal and says she never heard Cassie asked about belief in God. She says Cassie was praying and saying, "Dear God. Dear God. Why is this happening? I just want to go home." In the article, Emily says she does wonder if Cassie was singled out because of the fact that she was praying. Klebold reportedly looked under the table at the girls, said, "Peekaboo," then shot Cassie.

The News article says that one of the witnesses to initially tell the story about Cassie being asked about her belief in God was Craig Scott whose sister Rachel was among those killed in the rampage. He told investigators that he heard the exchange about God and thought it was Cassie's voice that said "yes," but he did not actually see who had said it. According to the article, Scott was later able to point to where the gunman was at that time that he heard the exchange, but that he indicated a table where a different student, Valeen Schnurr, had been hiding. Schnurr's mother says Valeen was lying wounded on the library floor and was praying when one of the gunmen approached her and asked if she believed in God. The News article says she replied by saying, "Yes, I believe in God." The gunman did nothing more and Valeen survived. The Salon article says Valeen was saying, "Oh, my God, oh, my God, don't let me die," when one of the gunmen asked her if she believed in God. She said "yes" and was then asked why. She said, "Because I believe and my parents brought me up that way." Salon says that in the end, the investigators concluded that Valeen's was the only encounter in the library where anyone was asked about God. None of those who thought the question had been asked of Cassie actually witnessed it, they only heard it and, it is suggested, heard Valeen's voice, not Cassie's.

The News quotes another student who was in the library during the shootings, Joshua Lapp, as saying he is still sure of his memory of the event and that Cassie was asked about her belief and did respond by saying "yes" before she was shot.

The editor of Misty Bernall's book, Chris Zimmerman, says that Cassie's mother was candid in the book about the fact that there were differing accounts of what was said in the library and that the crux of the book is the true story of a troubled American teen-ager who encountered God and experienced a dramatic change that gave her the confidence to face both her life and her death.

[metalman]

Also...I wouldnt personally classify admitting ones belief/faith in God as fanatic.
I would however respect someone who had the courage to admit such in a situation that might cause them harm, I would call it honesty however. :)

[Kelly]

Ok, ok.... You're right about the honesty-not fanatic thing. That's a better way to describe it for sure...

And yeah, I've read all of that stuff too and know it's kinda wishy-washy. I just know what I saw- a girl that was next to Cassie telling it from her view. But I also know that all heck was breaking loose in the classroom and things could've been mistaken.

I just wanted some view/opinions of this horrible event...

[GsrTurbo320]

Fuck this...this was like 98 or somethin

[Kelly]

Ok, then why did you click on the title if you felt that way? Why take the time to click "post reply" and reply? GAH, that gets old...

[metalman]

And yeah, I've read all of that stuff too and know it's kinda wishy-washy. I just know what I saw- a girl that was next to Cassie telling it from her view. But I also know that all heck was breaking loose in the classroom and things could've been mistaken.

I just wanted some view/opinions of this horrible event...

My view is that it is a good example of what happens when people totally ignore their concience and allow hatred to rule. Its indeed sad that innocents such as Cassie Bernall had to die that day. A waste of human life.

I didnt mean to come off as belittling your question either, if I did.

[Kelly]

No, no... Not at all. I was just cleaning up my point of view a bit.

[{X}Echo419]

I know this was forever ago, but i wanted to know ya'lls thoughts on the Columbine shooting and about Cassie Bernall- the girl who was asked "if she believed in God", then was shot for saying "Yes".

those boys will see justice 1 way or another. you can bet on it

[Kelly]

True...

Job: 4-
7 "Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?
Where were the upright ever destroyed?
8 As I have observed, those who plow evil
and those who sow trouble- reap it.

[metalman]

those boys will see justice 1 way or another. you can bet on it

Indeed. As will we all.