STATE OF THE NATION PAGE


Ok, so we're the gothic scouts. A bunch of kids led by a college student who really doesn't have all that much time to put into this. So what?

Behind each and every profile listed on our members page is a person. Not a hurting person, per se. Not one of the depressed wackos the media makes goths out to be. Not a nazi, not an extremist. Just a person.

But, with the way current events portray goths, we look like all of these.

That's why this page was created. It is a resource for everyone. For the Gothic Scouts, and any goth who wants to join in (email me at Mage@gothic.net), it is a place to vent, to share, to give opinions. For the media, it's a symbol of how they are effecting the lives of people in the nation, positivly or negativly. For anyone, it's a view on the lives of a subculture they might not know much about.

So, I present you with state of the nation. If you are a media source, please contact me about taking quotes from this page, as we would like to know the reprecussions our efforts are making.

And one last, and possibly the most important, thing to remember. However much goths are being affected by this, I as well as anyone know we are "prone to self pity", as a good friend told me.

Remember, this is not about us. This is about the 17 people that are no longer alive. This is about a very sad event in history. This is something that needs to be fixed.

We just want it fixed the right way.



Sincerly,
Mage

04/29/99: have been recieving mails about people interested in becoming Gothic Scouts after reading this page. If you would like to join the gothic scouts (it's free), go to

http://www.gothic.net/~mage/goth/scouts/meminfo/
And click on the "Become a Gothic Scout" Link.


Current number of entries: 63



Arizona

Name: Erin
Location: Phoenix
Status: Okay... this is horrible. I tell 
you. People at school (Madison #1. I'm in 8th grade) tell us that they are 
afraid of me or the other goth at our school shooting them. What I've ceom to 
be afraid of is them "shooting"
me. My gothic friends and me were walking around going to a park to hang out. 
WE had people shout at us from their car "Hey loook! It's the Trench Coat 
Mafia." What if these people choose to retalate against us? The pooor goths 
who are getting caught in the cross fire. I have been sent to the school 
counsler becuase of this... been avoided even more then usual... and the 
people in our group are being talked to by all the teachers. I don't 
preferably want to get killed here. I also am not going to change how I look 
becuase of like this. All right... so far, besides people shouting at me it's 
all right, My mom just told me to tone things down as a matter of fact. 
Okay... I have to go... thanks for doing this.

Name: Raymond. 
Location: Phoenix, Az. 
Status:	i seriously disbelieve that these so called 'trenchcoat mafia' have 
had anything to do with our culture because i have never met a true gothic 
individual that would want to do such a thing as they have... true, i have 
met some pretty damned sick and fuckin twisted psychos out there, but they 
were just violently harmless. they just enjoyed watching the videos, and 
talking about doing things. when pressed, they were comparable to dung 
beetles in the danger category. so, again... goth, good. killing 17 innocent 
(well, unknowing) people in an act of murderous frenzy, bad. 
	i too, have been walking the streets with my people by my side...  
and i was the only one in gothic regalia. still, people called out of their 
cars, and pretended to shoot me. i had 4 non goths with me, and i was still 
singled out by cars passing on the other side of the road... i guess thats 
why arizona drivers rank in the lowest ten percent. its all my fault. 

Name: Seoceia
Location: Mesa Arizona
Status: The whole Colorado thing has gone too terribly far! I am a
high school student ( Westwood High School, an aweful place to be a
goth.) and have received everything from gentle hints to outright death
threats! Before I had even heard of the incident I was threatened
several times. Confused I simply shrugged it off and gave it the usual
" What the hell."attitude that I've adapted for school.
  Those first few threats were on the 21st, Robert Smith's birthday. In
the name of a tradition I have for FatBob Day I dressed in my best long
black skirt, favourite Cure shirt, cleanest leather boots and biggest
poof of hair. I walked the halls and got more scowls and glares than
usual, such is expected on such days, but at lunch a group of 'Jocks'
approached me and asked if I was celebrating the Colorado thing.
  For the last two hours of thatschool day I was harssed nearly none
stop by students and teachers alike! On my bike ride home aside from
having the usual jeers and humming of the witch's theme from Wizard of
Oz several jock bastards had the balls to throw semi-full glass bottles
at me!
 The reaction I have receieved has been most unsavoury!
 People are reacting to the violence with more violence! 
 Such is so aweful! All these people do is breed more conditions
perfect for the next shooting.

California

Name: Spirit of the Night
Location: San Fransisco
Status: OK allow an old woman to give her views on this.  I wore black to school 
over 20 years ago, I listen to heavy metal music--still do time to time.  I 
have gone out to industrial night clubs still do, I play doom and guess 
what in all these years I have yet to kill anyone.

To me as a parent--it is my job to do something very important most parents 
lack--that is to shut up and listen.  My sons have beefs, have problems 
have important info about the pet--it is my job to pay attention.  I read a 
note from a boy who said he would do anything if only once his parent 
noticed.  So I make it a point to shut up and listen, to whatever they need 
to tell me--it is important to them and as such should be important to me.

Name: Lazulite Haalcyon
Location: Templeton, Atascadaro, Pasorobles,  and San Luis Obismo, CA
Status:

"The freaks of the school"
"morose subculter of Gothic fantasy"
"a constant target of derision for at least four years"
"They're basically outcasts, Gothic people, They're into anarchy. They're white supremacists 
and they're intoo Nostradamus suff and Doomsday."
"Black treanch coats are a consistant theme in the Gothic subculture that has attracted many 
teenagers to the poetry, music and costumes of a scene that ranges from benign fantasy to 
violent reality. Inspired by fantasy games such as Dungens and Dragons, Gothic has become a 
fascination of many American high schoolers, some of whom simply dress and paint their 
fingernails black while others immerse themselves in a pseudo medieval world of dark images."
"Tuesday was Hitler's birthday, an occasion for demonstrations, mock funerals and other 
macabre commemorations among both neo-Nazis and parts of the gothic scene."
~All above quotes taken frome the Telegram-Tribune, wich in turn credites them to Marc Fisher, 
of The Washington Post.

In a printed 'letter to the editor' hedlined Satan is the cause: One of the reasons why the 
Littleton, Colo., tragedy occurred is because these two, dead teen-age boys got themselves 
involved with Satanism."

I havent experienced any scapegoating against myself, or my slosest frineds, yet. but there is 
a performance of Rocky Horror tonight, and I will try to find out if anything untoward 
happens. I'm not going myself.

Name: Cheri (gothballet)
Location: LA, California
Status:
I have had people yell comments to me like " its people like you 
(meaning goths) that should be responsible for the death of those 
kids." I went to the market and when I got in line to pay for my 
stuff, some people would not stand in the line because I was in it, 
while others actually got out of line. I am a dancer and some other 
dancers wont talk to me any more, some wont take class with me, others 
if I sit somewhere get up and move.   Some goths here in my town have 
had there houses covered with egg the last few days. One of my friends 
 gets harassed so much that her mom ( who was goth when she was 
younger) is pulling her out of school. Its not only the students that 
make comments to her, she is getting it from the teachers as well

Name: George
Location: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton CA
Status:
It isn't all bad...  Over in Carlsbad there are no problems.  I am part of a
Live action Vampire group and we thankfully have no problems.  The police
trust us.  But what police wouldn't like a group of 20-30 people in their
late teens-mid 20's to hang out in public together in the middle of the
night who could be trusted?  Local media seems to be ok.  One psychologist,
an expert(for real) on Goth camr on TV and explained what Goth is(as far as
you can in 5 minutes) and how parents should deal with it.  Not by stopping
it not by ignoring it but by caring about your kids, regardless.  On base
however, it isn't so good.  I have had one run in, and he was about to go
out drinking with my roomate, so he didn't stick around.  What happened was
he came to pick up my roommate, and saw me reading my Guide to the Sabbat,
and immediately brought up the trench coat mafia connection.  A fellow
marine saying something so thoughtless.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but last I
heard, every marine is a brother or sister to EVERY OTHER Marine.  I don't
seem to recall any fine print saying: "Except for Goths, or anyone else who
carries any aspects or percieved aspects of the goth subculture."  it
sickens me I've had more problems with intolerance in the Corps for that
than as a civilian...  

Name: Dingo
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Staus: I'm a founding member of a role-playing group called Quest Club. I
used to dress quite a bit more gothic than I do now. But, I still write more
bad poetry than you can throw a syphilitic weasel at. I walked with my
friend Matt through Universal Citywalk a couple of nights ago (I think it
was the 23rd). He was wearing a flared black trenchcoat, and I was wearing
an orange and black duster. It's kind of ironic to have cholos (hispanic
gang bangers) flashing gang signs at you and then screaming "Yo ese!
Trenchcoat Mafia in the House!". There's a definite reaction to the
shootings in the furtive faces of the timid tourists on the Citywalk. I hope
that this anti-goth movement brought to you by the same people who brought
you reasons to hate the Japanese during World War 2, and an overwhelming
fear of killer bees ends soon. Though, I do have to say, walking down an
extremely crowded sidewalk (such as the Citywalk) and have people split
before me like the ocean before Moses is a cool thing.
Something that I find fairly (read: extremely) strange in the infamous
Washington Post article is the comparison between goths and AD&D players.
These are some of the most diverse two groups that you could stick in the
same room. Goths only really got into the role-playing scene after V:TM
(Vampire: The Masquerade) came out. Murder doesn't have the same overall
dramatic value as suicide or espescially suicide attempts do. I can't think
of a reason why a goth would want anything to do with it. Anyway, that's
just just my feeble experience. Thanks for listening.

Colorado

Name: Shade
Location: Denver
Status: I live two blocks away from the jeffco school district "Which is 
where columbine high school is located". The victims of this tragedy 
have my sympathy, but because the gunmen were "goth" the media is 
conveying a bad image of the whole scene. For the last few days 
anywhere i go I have people who come up and ask me stuiped questions 
or i just get people yell stuff at me for no reason. Don't get me 
wrong i'am use to getting shit for how i look, But it's gotten out of 
hand. The other day i wore my trench coat out... not for looks or 
even to be cool, but because it was snowing and fuckin cold and I had 
this old man come up to me and just go off on me. I guess my biggest 
complaint is I wish the media would stop portraying us as Gangs ad 
cults.

Name: Brian
Location: Littleton
it's wierd living in a small town that has just about become the center of 
the world. i've read the entries and i was blown away at how this is 
affecting the goth community across the nation. i'm glad i'm not in high 
school anymore but nonetheless lately i've been keeping my goth appearance 
down to a minimum. i don't have a trench coat but i do have a cassock, the 
long coat a priest wears. i haven't worn it since the tragedy. the columbine 
students will soon be finishing out their school semester at chatfield high. 
a school only a block away from where i work. a co-worker of mine goes to 
chatfield and word is jocks and preps want the heads of goths and other such 
outcasts on a platter.
not only is the media mistaken about goths but also about the trenchcoat 
mafia as well. from what i've learned the name trenchcoat mafia was given to 
them by preps and jocks. furthermore they were just a clique of unpopular 
kids. only the suspects in the shooting were gun-toting nazi-worshipping 
lunatics. the media has taken buzz words like goth and trenchcoat mafia and 
used them to create a tangible group of fanatics in the imaginations of the 
populace useful for scapegoating and finger pointing. like i said this town 
is filled with enraged, over zealous people who have villainized goths and 
the tcm and would misguidedly like to make themselves heroes avenging the 
victims. but all we can do is remember them. i may try my luck later and 
dress more goth again, but i may find that difficult as i am moving into 
apartments near columbine high in a couple of months. so for now i'm going to 
play it safe and not test the amount of insight in the people of this scarred 
town.i will say this though the students of columbine must face the demon of 
trauma or they will have let these lunatics win. so we must face a demon, one 
of fear and oprression. but we must not compromise and we will get through 
this together. time heals.

Conneticut

Name: Chex314
Location: Torrington, CT
Status:
My school is taking this whole incident horribly. In
the past week friends of mine have been pushed around,
sent home early (for having german music on them!
since anything german must be nazi-related!), and
basically just harassed for wearing black. We
occassionally wear trench coats but some have no
choice since the building is being renovated and there
is no heat! Most have been called down to speak with
the school psychiatrist because the administration has
composed a list of kids most likely to go nuts (of
course I'm on it, even though I have never been
suspended or had detention but I wear black every day
so that's reason enough). This whole incident has been
blown way out of proportion and there have been bomb
threats to schools throughout the state. I can only
hope that things will get better over time.

District of Columbia

Name: Heather
Location: Washington DC
Status: The washington post also had a decent slant on the subculture... they
actually came out to one of our club nights and interviewed us... it turned
out okay and they even talked about how well adjusted we seemed...I've also
noticed around here and on 48 hrs last night they didn't use the "g" word
once.... Maybe it's starting to get better
-oh yes, the post article was from 4/22   pg a12

Name: Melissa 	
Location: Suburban Maryland, just outside the Nation's Capital.
Status:	Full time student with a 3.7 GPA, full time employee with great standing.

	What do some people think when another is referred to as "Gothic"?  
Anyone belonging to the Gothic subculture will think of the interesting 
wardrobe that they or their frinds might own,  might think of a certain genre 
of music.  They may even think of a fascination with vampires and asundry 
"dark archetypes".  
	SO what's so wrong with this?  A black trench coat does not a Nazi 
make,  and as a result of the shooting this past week, a stigma has been 
placed on the gothic subculture.  In the eyes of our society, we have gone 
from simply "wierd" to "dangerous".  
	I dont think that there are many of us "goths" who have not been 
accosted this past week for wearing our trench coats.  Leers, giggles, snide 
remarks.  How many parents took away their offspring's trench coats, probably 
hoping to cleanse their souls of this gothic impurity?  Mine offered to buy 
me an entire wardrobe consisting of nothing but khaki. We all know that no 
one has ever killed a man in blue jeans and a t-shirt. What is the worst 
thing that a "goth" has ever done?  Introversion is not a crime.  Neither are 
role playing games.  The only crime my  wardrobe could commit would have to 
be simplicity of color, and if having fun with makeup and clothing is wrong 
then we have an even larger problem on our hands than an overactive media 
imagination. 
	At my school a radio DJ was confronted for playing music that would 
fit into the goth genre,  the complaint stating that it was "tacky" after the 
incident.  Sean politely but firmly reminded her that it's only music, and he 
didn't think that Robert Smith ever intended to hurt anyone.  He didn't get 
angry, but his face did show that he felt violated having been associated 
with the atrocity.  
	What is the gothic subculture then?  If it seems to be nothing more 
than a genre of music and a style of outerwear.  No. It's not only that.  Its 
about going to a goth club and not seeing violence or hatred.  One of the 
local clubs hosts a goth night, and outside a stage, bleachers and volleyball 
net.  I attended this night lat night and was not terribly surprised to see 
the place packed.  We danced, we had a great time.  We watched a volleyball 
game.  In the regular course of the game, people who were not playing were 
pelted with the volleyball, but a fight never ensued.  Apologies and smiles 
yes. No harsh words.  If you 've ever seen a goth dance you know that during 
a good song, someone is bound to get run into.  Again, the clumsy goth would 
stop dancing for a moment to smile and apologize and then resume his 
flailing.  One man gave his buddy too much of a hug which caused them both to 
fall off of the bleachers and into the sand.  Only seconds later he was 
surrounded by people whom he did not know, asking him if he was alright.  The 
night ended and I was on my way home.  My way out was a flurry of hugs and 
kisses "call me"s and "I love you"s.  I went home and slept well, the worst 
thing about the night being those damn permanent marker marks that the 
bouncers insist on putting on you, and having to scrub them off before going 
to work.
	My gothic friends are among the most wonderful people I know.  So we 
didnt fit onto the click of the jocks and cheerleaders,  I've visited that 
world, its not all it's cracked up to be.  I've had and still have very close 
friends who are jocks, preps, or people who dont fit into groups like these. 
I've noticed something.  Everyone from every walk of life has to deal with 
acceptance or lack of it,  self esteem issues,  grades.  We go through our 
more formative stages of life being told that everyone is fundamentally equal 
and that mankind is fundamentally good; do not look to a man's exterior to 
describe him, do not judge on the basis of race, creed, sexuality.  Don't 
judge at all lest ye be judged.  And yet,  our own integrity is being 
questioned because of a couple of kids went around on a shooting spree.  
There have been a lot of shootings in schools lately, and this is the first 
group that actually wore something other than blue jeans or combat fatigues.  
Why are we focusing our questions on a subculture that is passive and 
accepting rather than focusing on why these boys were so unhappy?  Nazi-ism 
is not to in any way be associated with being goth.  These boys had a 
fascination with guns and with Hitler.  They ran amok on Hitler's birthday,  
not on Holloween.  Don't even bring music lyrics into this, you can find a 
couple of corrosive bands in every genre of  music.  If a mind is that easily 
corrupted that a set of song lyrics would have altered it,  then he never 
really had a mind of his own.  There are enough bands out that there are a 
million good, non violent songs to counteract the few malignant ones, with 
lyrics like "send me an angel" and "temple of love" being among the most 
popular.
	So, on behalf of the gothic subculture,  do not persecute us.  Leave 
us to our dark clubs and our Role playing games.  Leave us to do our makeup 
and dye our hair.  Let it be remembered that the worst thing that the gothic 
subculture ever produced was a lot of bad poetry.  We are a close knit group 
with so much love for each other.  Do not judge something that you do not 
understand.

Florida

Name: Twy
Location: North Florida
Status: A friend and I got in trouble.. a warning.. the other day for 
dressing how we always do. Apparently we can get in-school suspension for 
wearing loose black jeans, a plain black t-shirt and dark lipstick because of 
the killings. That same friend was reading a book with a face in flames on 
the cover, and the teacher confiscated it because it was "obviously on 
Satanism"... um, it was a sci-fi novel about a kid that was dying of cancer.  
I think they're overstepping the lines of how much control the teacher should 
have over the students... just overeacting. There are currently 620-something 
people enrolled in our school.. total.. and there are no more than three 
remotely Goth-looking people there... we have one police officer person, no 
metal detectors, there has never been an incidence of anyone bringing weapons 
to school, although there have been some drug problems... I'm female, small, 
an A-B student... we're not at high risk here and I'm not a likely target. I 
don't really see the point in this, but anyway, they're taking this fairly 
seriously in my area. Jumping at everything. Um. I don't know how much that 
helped.. probably none.. but anyway, there you are. 

Name: Mary
Location: Tampa, FL
Status: At my friends highschool in a suburb outside of Tampa two kids had 
their trenchcoats confiscated. Also this "punk" guy I know was called down to 
guidance because they felt be might be "potentionally violent," because he 
said he could understand how kids ridiculed by the entire school could snap.

Name:  Melanie 
Location:  Winter Haven, Florida (between Orlando and Tampa)
Status:  I live in a po-dunk town of 
20,000 people, the kind of place where the cows outnumber the humans.  I'm 20 years old 
and already I have heard the oh-so-mature names "freak", "murderer" (To my 
knowledge, I have left no lifeless bodies in my wake), and had "Trench Coat Mafia!" 
shouted at me.  I don't even wear a trench coat.  My only crime is dressing in black 
and listening to KMFDM, Einstürzende Neubauten, Wumpscut, and Das Ich.  My 
parents, grandparents, and non-goth/rivet/punk friends are worried for my 
life, and sometimes so am I.  I don't really have any ideas as to how to counteract 
the problem, but I was just as saddened by the events in Colorado as anyone 
else. 

And I'm not a Nazi.

Name: Goddess
Location: South Florida
Status: i think your handling of this is 
admirable.  here in S FL, a school has 
banned kids from wearing trenchcoats - 
ostensibly because they could hide weaponry 
in the pockets.  they interviewed several 
students about the goths in their school, and 
every single one raved about how sweet they 
were.  and as much as i hate marilyn 
manson, i don't feel they should be given the 
share of the blame they are going to get,  i 
think their parents need to be looked at.

Georgia

Name: Carrie Hale
Location: Jackson, Georgia
Status: I haven't heard the response from the community at large, but at the 
high school, we are all in shock.  People are sympathetic to the families and 
students in Littleton, CO, and some are afraid that such a tragedy could 
happen here.  The attention to the shooting is already dying down, only a few 
days after the incident, but I suppose that is to be expected with the amount 
of apathetic teens in this area.  There are only rare times students at my 
high school seem motivated to do anything.  Perhaps that statement is unfair, 
and it's simply that the initial horror has worn off.  

I do, however, feel very lucky to be in such a small community where so many 
people know me so well.  I haven't received any threats or jeers for being 
"goth," which I understand many of my friends in other places have.  I have 
many friends at my school, athletes and otherwise, and they have not treated 
me any differently.  I cannot speak for the treatment of some other students, 
though.  We have our own group who always were solid black and trenchcoats.  
I have heard people joke about them being the next to "flip-out" and do 
something crazy, but they seem like alright guys, so it is frustrating that 
they are now the center of many nervous comments and jokes.

Ideas, comments, shouts, cries, pleas...:  I am praying for the community of 
Littleton, CO.  I hope that they can somehow pull through this together.  I 
wish that they, and the rest of the world, could understand that these boys 
are nothing like most "goths," and just because a person wears darks colors, 
or wears a trenchcoat, or any number of other things- this won't make them 
suddenly a bad person.  I also wish that teachers, administrators, parents, 
and students would pay more attention to the way we treat one another.  
School uniforms to make us equal and metal detectors to guard against guns 
won't do any good at this point.  Start teaching children at a young age how 
they should treat other children.  Mean comments are not "normal" and not 
just "kids being kids."  Children learn that behavior.  One word could be the 
difference in a person who feels outcasted and already is mentally 
unbalanced, and a person who decides to do something violent.

Name: Russ
Location: Marietta, Ga
Status:
hi. my name is russ. i go by fragments. i'm a junior at osborne high
school in marietta, ga. and i'm just dropping you a note to tell you
that things in our little part of the world are getting worse.

i've always been considered an outcast. i read a lot, write a lot, and
think a lot. i don't often speak to those i don't know, because i don't
enjoy wasting words. i'm a practicing Wiccan, and, while i don't throw
my views into anyone's face, if i'm questioned about my beliefs i answer
those questions to the best of my ability.

the media has created, quite literally, a witch hunt.

anyone who so much as looks "different" from the vast herd here [namely
anyone not clothed in a $55 gap t-shirt] is being targeted by not only
the students, but administration, as well.

my girlfriend's brother has worn a long, pleather-ish black coat for as
long as i've known him [which is as long as i've known her-two years].
there has never been any problems. the day after the shootings, he was
removed from school for refusing to remove the coat.

tell me where the justice is in that?

i've dealt with being called satanic and homicidal. i've had a bible
literally thrown at me. i've been told numerous times that i'm going to
hell. i've even had classmates request to be moved away from me. all
this due to the fear the media coverage of the colorado shootings has
caused.

as i wrote to 20/20, the blame for this lies squarely on the shoulders
of narrow-minded whitebread america. it's slowly being revealed that
these boys had a hell of a lot of pain inside and no one gave a shit
because they didn't succumb to what's considered "normal".

if it had been a football player. think about it. if it had been. things
would be 100% different.

Illinois

Name:  False_Angel
Location:  Villa Park, IL.. but this took place at a mall in 
Bloomingdale, IL  (both are west suburbs of Chicago)
Status: Well, suffice to say, three friends and I were escorted by 
Police from the mall and told not to return because we refused to 
remove our trenchcoats while in the mall. We were in Journeys picking 
out a pair of freestyle shoes for a friend, when the mall security 
came up to us and informed us we had to remove our trenchcoats because 
a number of other patrons had complained to them that we were 
disturbing the patrons with our presence. We refused, seeing no 
grounds, and we were spending money and just shopping like every other 
person there. The security then informed us that if we did not remove 
our trenchcoats and place them in lockers while there, we would either 
have to leave or be arrested. At this point, the clerk in the store 
informed the security officers that we were customers, adn that he 
didn't want his customers being treated like this in his store. The 
security officers told the clerk to stay out of it, we were then 
escorted at our request to see the security manager. He merely 
reiterated what his officers had said. We, in a point of defiance, 
went back to journeys to get the name and brand of the shoes we were 
going to buy, then gathered our things to leave the mall. the security 
guards had called the police as soon as we went back to the store, and 
we were then detained not two stores from the exit to wait for the 
police to arrive. As soon as the police arrived, we were detained and 
questioned in the middle of the mall. After we finished our discussion 
with the officers (note we have not been arrested) we were escorted 
out to the mall parking lot and walked the remainder of the distance 
to the car in rather foul moods. We are probably going to pursue legal 
action for the discrimination. Also there have been a handful of 
reported incidents of "Jocks" and "Preps" exacting "revenge" on goths 
at some of the high schools out here. Though there seems to be some 
problems in the suburbs, there are apparently next to know problems in 
the city itself, were we carry on business as usual.

Well, figured I'd share that with you, seeing as how it just happened 
a matter of about 6 hours ago. I for one am glad the goth population 
out here has been around so long, and so well entrenched in the local 
culture. 

Name: Michael R. Surma (Bystrick)
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Status:
   Dearest members of the jury, I ask that you read and listen.  That is
what we have all become, nothing but a jury in the trial of life, no?  What
has come before us is nothing short of a great tragedy; another blemish on
humanity's imperfection.  From the biblical fall from grace, to today's
discrimination, sexism, wars, violence, and uncountable other tragedies we
face through our lives, we sit and judge everything we come upon.  Most
recently, as many already know, we have seen the death of 17 children.  As
you read this, there are uncountable numbers of people that would go to
great lengths to step back in time, and attempt to remedy the situation
before it happened.  I am included in those numbers, but I have come to the
stark realization that it is not possible.  However, what is possible is to
remedy that which lies ahead: life.
   I do not claim to be able to answer the trials of life.  I do not have
all the answers.  What I have are questions, and many of them.  Why do
others look on one incident, and judge the whole?  Where is the justice in
discrimination against the whole that is judged?  Why do people judge others
at all, when they have no basis to do so?  Yes, I am referring to the new
current trend, the exile and discrimination of a great number of people that
claim themselves to be "goth", or within that definition.  I look across the
waves of media that have poured in, pointing to the goth community, and
sending blame in fiery cannons to their sources, and could almost weep for
the ignorance that has been portrayed.  I have watched friends chastised for
their clothing, hair, jewelry, make-up, and uncountable other reasons,
simply because the media, or the individual, has decided that the blame lay
upon us.  The only answer I can offer is: We hold no responsibility for the
actions of our peers.  While we may weep for the loss, we are not they who
took up the act.
   I could put forth hundreds of debates on the topic, but I offer only
one.  The Nazi regime, during the period of the Second World War, put many
people to death in concentration camps;  torturous, barbaric deaths, killing
off millions of the Jewish faith, and others of specific groups.  But yet,
we did not judge everyone of German decent for such a horrible crime.  If we
had, I would likely not be writing this today.  However, in one fell swoop,
the entire community of goths, whomever they may be, have been put under a
magnifying glass for an incident that was carried out by two young gunmen. 
(I would like to mention I, in no way, mean to belittle the situation in the
W.W.II era.  I find it worse than I have words to describe, yet I use it
here as a simple argument.  I hope that the reader would not hold that
against me.)

A small plea:
   As you travel the path of life, you are bound to meet people from all
walks of life.  They are men, women, and children just like any other you
might come upon.  Why is one different from another, when all that separates
them is a suit and a long black coat?  I walk both paths; both suit, and
trench coat.  Yet I am judged by my peers only when they see me as something
they are not.  These are age old issues refined into new discriminations. 
White against black, man against woman...with all the problems we have
already, I can scarcely believe there is still room for another, but yet
again, it happens.  Look inside yourself, and ask, do you really know who
you are looking at?  Have you taken the time to understand who they are as a
person, and not simply judged someone's clothing, hair, or jewelry?  The
people that enjoy the music, clothing, entertainment, and company of the
"goth" community are not at fault for what happened in a school in
Colorado.  We are not the cause of grief and suffering in the world.  We are
not evils that lurk in our societies simply because of what we enjoy.  We
are, however, people.  People, like yourselves, that are confronted daily
with the problems of life.  We have questions that go unanswered, concerns
that are addressed, troubles on our journey through life.  Most of all, we
are people that have emotions and feelings.  And while we stand before the
jury of society, being judged throughout our lives for that which we have
done, and worse, for that which we have not done, I only hope that one day
the jury will decide that we are innocent.  We have committed no crime, and
we deserve no punishment.
   To those of us that live the life of a goth, stay strong against the
crimes of discrimination you may face in the near future.  Remember that you
are unique individuals, with your own beliefs, goals, desires, and most of
all, life.  Life is a wonderful gift.   You can either waste it away, giving
in to the condemnations made by those around you, or share the gift you
have.  If you encounter such discrimination, take the time to explain who
you are, or what you stand for.  We are not the evil that people are
searching for, but a scapegoat for the repressed anger a situation like this
can bring forth.  Bringing hate to an already hate filled situation will
only add fuel to the fire.  We can only attempt to lesson the burden we will
carry through understanding and reason.

My condolences to the family and friends of the recently deceased.  You are
in the thoughts and prayers of many.

Name:Angel Jenkins
Location: Chicago
Status: I am a 18 year old college student. Right 
now, the south suburbs of Chicago are in shock, but the authorities 
are in action. Last Friday, this guy I know was harassed at school for 
wearing his trench coat, and the school went as far as suspending him 
for "unappropriate apparel" and had him taken to the police station. 
Keep in mind that this was before school hours, so there was no reason 
to even stop him, less alone pull he out of school and then kick him 
out of school for five more days. 

Also, at a near by high school, Bloom High School, IL District 206, 
there was 4 bomb threats between Wednesday and Friday. 

Everyone I know is shocked and extremely distressed at the fact that 
people this age could act so violently. 

I hope that this doesn't happen again, but in this world it is 
inevitable. God bless, and good luck to all who reads this.


Name: Jennifer
Location: Greenville, IL
Status:
I have spent the past few days surfing the net in my spare time 
perusing sites like this one.  I've been reading the news articles 
that have tried to make the 'gothic' connection to the Colorado 
Killings, those articles that make valid arguements in rebuttle, aas 
well as reading the statements made by those people venting about the 
poor journalism throwing a bad light on goths.  What has sparked 
this?  My mother would be the main catalyst.  I am gothic; she knows 
it; she's seen 20/20, Dateline, and such; she's made the very loose 
connections as well; and she has warned me on the phone to "watch my 
Ps and Qs" and "not get mixed up with [stuff]."  I barely bit back my 
true reaction as to not hurt her.  I was then and am still enraged 
over the persecution the gothic subculture is sufferring in ligh tof 
what happened in Littleton.  I am one who has to have an informed 
rebuttle with issues such as these, so I've done a little side 
investigation.  And I must reiterate how appalled I am.  I watched 
CNN that Tuesday, I know what happened.  I feel a deep sorrow for the 
tragedy suffered, but the accusations being made are heinous.  And 
now I intend to ocnfront my mother with my findings.  Also, endure 
the jovial jabs being made by my friends here at college, and hope 
that this persecution dies off soon.

Indiana

Name:  Shannon Dugan
Location:  Indianapolis, IN
Status:  
Hello, I'm from Indiana, that backward state of the midwest that 
thinks it's south of the Mason-Dixon line instead of north of it.
.  Here I have numerous friends that are goth.  I consider 
myself guantum goth but not entirely mainly due to the clothing/hair
restrictions that come with my job.  But I digress.  Here in Indiana-
polis the reaction to goths has been as we expected; fearful, full of
ignorance, etc.  Last night a gaming club I'm in was larp-ing Vampire:
The Masquerade and sure enough someone called the police on us due to
many wearing "different" clothes, dark clothes and of course trench-
coats.  When we were talking to the police, they even stated that who-
ever called in mentioned the Trenchcoat Mafia in reference to us and 
the police were startled when they saw us.  Thankfully everything turned
out ok, but the fact that the police were called in the first place when
we were disturbing no one and the reference to the T.M. killed most of
the gaming for the last hour and a half.  We've been playing for almost
5 years now and we've never had problems like this until now.  Heck,
every year during our November and December games we take canned/boxed
food donations in lew of cost of game to donate to Gleaners.  All I can
say is that I'm truly sorry for what happened in Littleton and "thanks
alot guys, your cowardly act of immaturity helped us soooo much." (Note
the heavy sarcasm).

Iowa

Name:  Dolor Mentis
Location:  Cedar Rapids, IA
Status:  The shooting doesn't seem to be affecting my community that much... 
Sure it was a bad thing, but Iowa seems to wholesome a place for such stuff to
happen.  In our locale paper, we had 2 articles, about, and a bunch of
editorials, and nothing else.
Walking down the hallways of my middle school, I get only the usual
comments of "devil woshipper" and "satanist", but have had only one comment
made to me about the shooting.
Going into stores, I haven't recieved that many raised eyebrows or stuff
like that.
So, pretty much, the shooting hasn't affected my community that much.

Loiusana

Name: Twilight
Location: Baton Rouge
Status: I haven't been to New Orleans yet, too busy with finals, but everything
in Baton Rouge seems just fine. No weird looks, no strange messages on
my answering machine, and my students were receptive, open, and
disbelieving about the media's alignment of the Trenchcoat Mafia with
Goths. *Very* disbelieving. Went to the local goth night and nothing
happened. Attendance was a little low, but that could be for any number
of reasons. Don't know very many baby/HS/goths, and I'm curious as to
how they're faring in the school system. I give everyone my love and
support, goths and Littleton families alike.

Maryland

Name: Lady Chaos
Location: Maryland
Status: Ok all you Scouts this is a DEN MOTHER rant

I applied to gothic scouts sometime ago..as a den mother because ....
I'm 35 years old so old enough to be, I suspect, many of your's 
mother...and I've been what is now considered gothic for a VERY long time....
and guess what gang..I'm stable with 2 children and I have yet to break a 
law...serve any time in jail or a mental hospital or kill any 
one...NOR have I ever attempted suicide or any other type of bodily 
harm to myself or others...I was what one would consider an outcast in 
school...to sensitive..brainy or just plain odd to be hanging with the 
so called "Normals"...I began to dress the I do( sort of vintage 
/salvation army/goodwill/retro yet always classy black) when I was 12
I have noticed one thing though....its not what you wear ..its who you 
are...enough of this" my soul is black as pitch " crap....
I Don't WANT TO BE A VAMPIRE WHEN I GROW UP>>>>> I DON'T THINK LIFE 
SUCKS >>> and those sort of "Goths" though they annoy the hell out of 
me sometimes....their mis-guided belief.I ignore for the most part and 
accept them anyway.. but like most of the people I have been lucky to count as 
friends..also are involved in the same music/clubs/scene..as I.
I have found a few things that prevail in the "Gothic Movement" 

EACH and Every person I know that is involved with the scene( NOT 
A MOVEMENT as some of the media would have us belive)...is open minded 
and accepting of most people..despite the way they dress, look or act 
as long as they are the same...in other words this is NOT a hate 
group..infact I would say without a doubt that I have yet to meet a 
more tolerant.open..and non-judgemental group in all my life..you 
accept us we accept you..and if you don't..then we just IGNORE the 
looks, stares and rude comments we usually get just for being out in 
public...

The way I look..is a form of expression..call it another aspect of my 
art if you so choose...it is merely another way that I choose to 
express myself..I am nether depressed..deranged or depraved..most of 
the time when you see me..I'm the chick with the bottle of bubbles a 
smile ..kind of a walking paradox if you will..but funny..some of the 
happiest people I know..dress in black.......
as for the music..well..anyone listen to COUNTRY or RAP lately...how 
about a good OPERA or MUSICAL>>>ever hear of Sweeney Todd?
there are aspects of Violence in each and every form of music if you 
know what to listen to..heck give me 3-4 days of country music and no 
telling what might happen...but just because someone listens to a 
certain type of music ..it CAN NOT ..or ever will motivate a sane 
person to become something they were not ..be it a killer or a 
cowboy...

As for Mr Manson....well in My humble opinion....its been done MANY 
times before and its OLD hat...remember ALICE COOPER?..How about OZZY 
OSBORNE??

In closing I would like to thank the academy and say...
I am a HAPPY successful member of society ..raising two beautiful 
daughters ( who by the way ..at age 15 and 11 are NOT Gothic ..but 
like their mother are wonderful open minded intelligent free spirits)
and all this Media garbage that is misleading the public as to what 
and who We are...PISSES ME OFF

Name:Morpheus
Location: Currently in Ft. George Meade MD
Originally from a small town in Rural Illinois, i and some of my other 
gothic-type friends were of course outcasts, as 
freaks...whatever...now in the millitary (Air Force), things of course 
aren't exactly easier, though i have been able to get away from the 
small town persecutions...however considering the fact that we goths 
have never been noticed by the majority of society for anything that 
would bring praise to the culture, we have often been found trying to 
keep from being classified as "evil" (at least myself and most of the 
other people i've delt with).  This of course is yet another strike 
against us, that really has nothing to do with us, but thanks to the 
attention of the media, we will be brought out, and perhaps our 
culture even more accused.  In this area, the most i have recieved is 
critism from a select few for the fact that i'll still wear a trench 
coat, and will still wear my black clothing, KMFDM shirts, etc.  A 
perfect stereo-type for how we seem to be portrayed by the media.  As 
far as critisim from my superiors, i have yet to recieve any, our 
largest problem here seems not to be what is said by superiors, but by 
equals.  
  In closing i would just like to say that we have been critized in 
someway or another throughout the years, and it will continue to be as 
so, this current situation, thanks to the media, will of course just 
make us a little more noticible for negative views.  After this ordeal 
has ran its course, things will more or less return to the way it was 
in the past, and that will be the end of it.

Michigan

Name: Adam
Location: Battlecreak, Michigan
Status: My mother wont let me out of the house in my usual dress. She is 
afrid that somebody disturbed by the CO. incident will try to hurt me. 
The teachers here at school (BattleCreek MI.) also are now watching 
me. I was told to take off my trench on wed., but I didn't argue. My 
mother tells me that the Police are arresting peolpe because of the 
way they look. 

Montana

Name: Care
Location: Montana
Its been hell since the shootings. I am at the a college here for a geology 
degree and in my second year. I have been called things like "waste of 
flesh." I also have a security job and the nickname "the Door Nazi" has been 
hurtled at me several times since the shootings. I'd go back to Virgina this 
summer but my friends there are reporting bans on trench coats and a general 
hostility. I have never threatened of hurt anyone and keep to myself and a 
close knit group of friends. I don't understand the stupidity that this 
shooting has inspired. Out here a racial crime is more likely to be commited 
by one of the football team or the frats then by a goth or punk. In fact all 
of the major crime here is upper middle class white kids with too much time. 
There are so few of us goths and punks at this school it is irrational to 
scapegoat us. Just last week there was even a bomb threat at one of the 
highschools in town. The environment is not hospitible at all. 

Nebraska

Name : Bunny :) Mistressdarky
Location : Omaha, Nebraska
Status : To say the least I am very sorry for what happened at the 
school. And really am upset with everyone who is taking this culture 
bashing a little too far. I am a mother of a 4 month old little angel. 
And I am goth. Since my son's birth I have noticed many changed in my 
lifestyle and the way that I am in a whole. But the fact still 
remains. I am a goth. I am not stuck in my own misery. I am not filled 
with hatred for the world. And I am not indulged in cruelty to the 
living. Words could not explain how terrible the victims families must 
feel. I don't agree with the media blaming the "gothic" subculture. 
But then again the only blame should fall on the ones who pulled the 
trigger and no one else. An article was written in the sunday 
newspaper, like I am sure every state has something to say about this 
persistent problem with killings in schools. I can't say I was hurt 
they blamed "goths" for the problem. I was literally pissed off and 
felt the need to vent my frustration at the person who wrote the 
article. Needless to say I have been instructed by the editor of the 
newspaper to write my own column. I know by writing an article on my 
point of view wont stop anyone from blaming "goths" but it will make 
me feel better that I have said my peace.

Nevada

Name: Subrina 
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Status:  Well, I am no longer in school out here but when I was it was 
the same old story: I was outcasted for drawing and reading poetry 
instead of flirting and fucking.  Well, after being beat up for joking 
about a trendy bitch my parents pulled me out and I haven't been back 
since.  (I went to Durango High School)  They're still ignoring the 
goths as usual there.  I know that at Green Valley High in Henderson 
the administrators were confiscating the trench coats of all the 
goths; it was on the news and everything.  And the teachers at 
Chapparal are considering doing the same.  My friend has informed me 
that due to the lack of trust and respect from teachers and such many 
kids (mostly goths and punks) have stopped attending school.  It's sad 
to think that all these wonderfully intelligent kids are going to miss 
out on their educations just because two fucked up psychos have struck 
paranoia into the adults.  My sympathies and condolances go out to all 
the parents and friends of the victims.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
 
Surveyor:  What do you think of the idea that violence on television 
and other media, have a negative effect on kids and other  
impressionable minds? 
Johnny:  Ooh..  Any pile of stunted growth unaware that entertainment 
is just that and nothing more, deserves to doom themselves to some 
dank cell, somewhere, for having been so stupid!!  Movies, books, 
T.V., Music - they’re all just entertainment, not guide books for 
damning yourself! 
                                          
                                        -Amen, Johnen Vasquez!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

New Jersey

Name: Clayton
Location: New Jersey
Hello there...just figured I'd through in a Jerseygoth's view of things.
Well, the Colorado shootings have everyone shaken up here...four (former)
students at my HS have been arrested so far, after threats, fights etc. The
backlash has also hit the limited goth scene here. Black coats are a bit of
a running joke now, and being one of the first people to show up in a black
duster, I frequently get crap for it. I don't particularly care, though,
because a: it's the same people who make fun of me regularly, and b: it'll
blow over eventually. Well, at least I hope it will, because our media
seems bent on not letting it. We got a version of the now-infamous
Washington Post article, which spurred me on to write a letter in. I've
noticed many goths around have done this, and I urge 'em to continue. The
scene needs the support. 

New York

Name:josh
Location:buffalo ny
Status: yesterday in my girlfriend's economic class, her teacher talked
about the shootings all period. she said that "some people in this school
scare me in the way that they dress. like this one tall skinny guy with
dyed black hair that wears fishnets on his arms." and the only person
that fits that description in my school is me. i'm planning on having a
discussion with her on how she can link me to that kind of shit without
even ever talking to me

North Carolina

Name: Aduial
Location: North Carolina
Hiya...I've been reading your "State of the Nation" page and wanted to
add a quick blurb in for South Carolina.  So far, nothing major to
report...at least not in my area (the upstate).  I live in a very rural
area that's not exactly known for "open minds", but, at the moment, I
haven't heard of anything bad happening yet to the goths and outcasts in
this area (thank God!!).  So far most of the regional papers have just
focused on the tragedy and haven't mentioned much if anything about it
having anything to do with goths...however, The State (a paper located
in Columbia, our capital) did have an article that was sort of
semi-negative regarding goths...ie. continually tying us to Marilyn
Manson, painting us all as being obssessed with death and making it seem
like a movement limited only to teens.  From what I have heard, the high
school in my town has been business as usual and I haven't heard
anything about there being any action taken toward changing dress codes
or anything like that...I'm not sure about the other schools in the
area, though.  Since the shooting, I haven't gone out much for fear of
being harrassed, but yesterday I did venture out to do some shopping.  I
was dressed pretty tamely (black t-shirt, grey/black striped skirt,
black leggings, dark eyeliner and some wierd jewelry) and I did get the
occassional curious look, but, other than that I was ignored...which was
a relief!!  However, with all the bad press being spewed forth by
national media, I'm very glad that I'm no longer in high school.  Nine
years ago, when my husband was in high school, he and his group of
friends ended up spending several months having to attend councelling
sessions just because one of their friends had gotten into some
trouble.  The school targeted the group just because they were
gamers...I can only imagine what would have happened now a days.  I
really feel badly for the victims of what happened in Littleton, CO, but
it makes me sick that the media is stirring up so much trouble for goths
because of the tragedy at Columbine HS.  I wonder if they even realize
that there are only going to be more tragedies because of it...

Ohio

Name: D C R
Location: Cleveland
Status: It's been interesting living in the city of the pretend goth, that's for sure.  
It's usually quite easy to hide among the little kids wearing black clothes and white 
makeup.  No longer.  I was chased out of my favorite store on Coventry by TV reporters, 
and have been continually harassed by everyone because I seem to fit this given 
stereotype now: I listen to Rammstein and KMFDM, I wear black, and I speak German.  
That doesn't make me a Nazi, nor does it make me willing to kill.  And yet it gets 
harder and harder to walk down the streets of Cleveland without frightening someone.  
We must all keep our beliefs sacred and refuse to defer to those damn lunatics who make 
it so easy for the public to hate us.

Name: Nikki
Location: Ohio
Status: I am a student in an Ohio town.  I was picked to be a participant of a newsgroup 
in October of 1998.  I noticed how remarkably well-researched most of the stories that 
the Herald-Dispatch ran were and decided to stay.  I had a meeting last night and fully 
expecting to be stared at, decided that out of pure sympathy I would leave my black 
leather jacket at home, which is about the length of a trenchcoat and worn nearly every 
day.  The minute I walked in our managing editor walked up to me and started firing off 
questions.  After explaining the differences between Goths and the mentally insane, Len 
realized that a recent article- ran that morning- had been totally off-key.  Another 
article just minutes away from mass-printing time was pulled and re-written.  After 
being allowed to dig through the archives for a couple of minutes, I found myself angry 
at all the yellow journalism Goths had endured in the past 3 years.  (That's about as 
far as I had got.)  I had also emailed 20/20 and fired my mouth off the previous night.
   Here in Ohio, people are dealing with this well.  A number of fellow students stood 
up in my favor against instructors asking to have either us or our clothing style 
banned.  I was amazed and thankful.  I had been called a satanist in the past and 
thought that's how some people thought of me still.  Perhaps not.  A devout Christian 
friend of mine stood up against the evils when I was not present.  I am lucky to be in a 
place where people understand I am not a bad person, most Goths or people who like to 
wear black in general (or whatever this week's stereotype is) are not.  Some of the 
other members of our newsgroup were not so lucky however.  An expensive velvet cloak 
was taken from one girl while another was sent home for being monotone, wearing too 
much black.
  It seems ridiculous when people assume you are a bad person when they see you on the 
streets, but they're just taking in what the idiot box told them.  And now, with my 
piece on my region said, I'm off to a club to roadie for a band planning on doing a 
cover of "Everything Counts".  Have a good day.

Name: lady violet
Location: Milford, OH (adjacent to Cincinnati)
Status: 
Check this out and see if it makes you sick.  On Wednesday morning, the 
principal got on the PA system in my high school and asked for a moment of 
silence for those who were killed in Colorado.  So everyone in my classroom 
got quiet, but in the very next room, there were all these kids who were 
screaming and screwing around during the whole thing!  I was trying to think 
about what had happened, but I couldn't concentrate with those damn kids 
yelling!  It pissed me off so much, when the moment was over, I asked my 
teacher if I could go over there and chew them all out.  I wanted to kill 
THEM - see how they liked it!  God - some people can blow me.


Now here's the other end of the spectrum.  My mom came in my room that night 
and said, "Honey?  Have you ever heard about the goth movement?" 

     "Um, yeah, I think I've heard something about it..." ((hides a snicker))

     "Well, how do you feel about it?" ((She doesn't even know what she's 
talking about!))

     ((I don't like where this is going)) "Um, I don't really have any 
feelings about it either way.  Why?"

	"Well, um, those kids who killed all those people in Colorado?  They 
were goths, and it just makeds me worry because some of your friends are a 
little . . ."

	"Ma, none of my friends are gonna shoot up a school!" ((I can't 
believe this!  First she thinks I'm homicidal because I watch anime and some 
Japanese kids got epileptic seizures from a show, and now this!))

	Well, it just makes me worried, is all.  But I'm really glad to know 
that you don't support this kind of thing. I mean, paiting your face white 
and thinking about death all the time, that just seems like it could 
naturally make someone a little . . . you know."

	"Yeah, I know, Mom." ((I know that you're out of your head with 
paranoia!))

But my mom's reactions are usually like that - full of vague assumptions.  A 
girl I know - who isn't even REMOTELY goth - gave me a lovely black crushed 
velvet notebook, and my mom wanted to know if the silver cross on the front 
was a Christian cross, or some other type of cross.  Someday, I'm just gonna 
wear a black lace negligee to school to see how she'll react . . .

Name: WiliQueen
Location: Columbus, OH
Status:  I'm an actress, freelance designer of costumes and gothic
clothing, and stage combat instructor for the Davis Center Youth Performing
Arts Programs run by the recreation & parks district.  It's in that last
capacity that I really feel and fear for some of the wonderful, talented
teens in the program, who've been getting some of the same kind of flak
already listed on the page.  When I went to teach on Saturday, of course
all the kids were a little shellshocked about what they'd seen in the news;
and my heart about broke for the little knot of gothlings gathered around
one bench in the corridor between classes.  I caught the words "suspension"
and "sent home to change", and couldn't miss the apprehensive looks a
couple of them were casting around, as if they expected someone to pounce
on them even in this environment where their creativity has always been
accepted and supported.

Oklahoma

Name: Ultraviolet
Location: Hobart, Ok
Status: The state of the nation in Hobart OK is one of sad affairs.  To honor 
the memories of the 14 dead at Littleton we have had our flags at half 
mast since it occurred, but that is all.  It takes me back to the OKC 
bombing, when my town had a large blood drive, places to donate money 
and supplies, and yellow ribbons around everything. Very fuckin sad!
Now this place does nothing because it isn;t quite so close to home.  
I listen to the news on all these shrinks trying to find what caused 
these kids to kill there classmates: trenchcoats, the internet, music, 
thier parents, violence in the media.  In grade school i was always 
made fun of and told i was different, i was teachers pet because i had 
this "great mind".  Once i got to Junior High and High school i 
dressed in black, had purple and green hair, and several piercing. I 
was the "freak"  I listened to KMFDM, TKK, and Skinny Puppy.  To me 
what the media is doing now is SICK.  Even with what they did i dont 
think its occured to the press one time that those kids had someone 
that loved them out there.  If the media needs someone to point the 
finger at.....why not point it at them  They are the ones that pulled 
the trigger.  Noone made them do it.  Them leave them all alone so the 
victims and the perpetratiors can rest in peace

Name: Ethan Frost
Location: Enid,OK  ,but I reside in Edmond OK
Status: Well, a couple of nights ago, I was walking down an alley in some black fatigues, combat 
boots, black wife beater (tank top) and my biker jacket and was carrying a black book bag.  I had 
a flashlight on my belt (army issue stlye) and two knives.  Well, I bent over to tie my boots a 
bit tighter when an alarm started to go off.  I thought it was a fire alarm, so I kinda stood 
around for a second to watch some unknown building suddenly burst in flames.  Well, nothing 
happened.  Then I was blinded by a spot light. UH OH!  COPS!  well, I walked toward it to see if 
I could make out what was blinding me....it was a security guard!  you know, one of those "fake, 
rent-a-cops" type.
By then, I had figured out that it was a burglar alarm, so I wasn't about to get busted for some 
crime I didn't commit, and yeah, you're thinking, innocent until proven guilty, well, this is 
enid.  The cops are very corrupt, so I ran!  As I was running down another alley, 6 cop cars 
started to close in on me but I kept running and finally lost them in various alleys and streets.  
Well, when I thought the coast was clear, I hopped into a dumpster to catch my breath.  I could 
hear cops and other cars driving by talking on their radios about,"suspect is not apprehended, 
still on the run, south bound on Garriot Rd."  well, stupid me, poked my head out of the dumpster 
to see if I could leave the area and as I popped up, a security guard saw me and radiod his 
position.  Before I could even get out of the dumpster, 13 cop cars surrounded me, no shit, and 
arrested me at gun point.  And as I lay there on the cold wet concrete at 4:30 in the morning, one 
cop asked me,"hey, you ain't one of them Littleton guys are ya?"  All I could do was laugh in his 
face........how absurd.

Oregon

Name: Claire
Location: Portland
Status: ok well. i wear a trench coat every day. but i came to school a few days ago 
(I'm a freshman at wilson high school)  and they said i had to take it off 
because they were afraid for my safety that some students would be angered. 
So I being the wimpy goth i am. went home and changed. today the Oregonian 
ran an article on the precautions schools were taking against possible 
problems. they said and i quote "Officials sent homea girl who wore a black 
trench coat to show that she could sympathize with the "trench coat mafia" 
behind the columbine slayings" OK... see my problem? i had to go home in the 
middle of the day today because i was recieving threats of violence and what 
not from students  So now i can't go to 
school because i could get "beat" all because they were concerned for my 
safety.... Grrrrrrrrrr.

Name: Aziza Tullia
Location: Corvallis, Oregon. USA :(
Status: Well, at my high school, there is, of course, no official
acknoledgement of the shootings. They don't want to talk about feelings. But
there are snide remarks from students about how this event occured on 4/20
and is giving stoners a bad name. Local news is using this as an excuse to
open and exploit scabs from the  Thurston High Schooting in Eugene, just 45
minutes away. everybody blames external circumstances,  KMFDM fans fear for
their credibility (new album!). business as usual.

name: Marietje Mori
location: portland oregon
status: i've been working on my webpage on the bio.terrorist.org server
wich is run by my boyfriend deprived.... today he recieved an email from
xxxxxxxx@aol.com (i'm not sure if this address can be posted, but i'm
giving it to you anyway...  Note: I can't post this due to the past
mailbomings the scouts have been involved in, but I will provide it as
requested if needed.) this is what he had to say to deprived and
those of us with sites and email service on terrorist.org
	"You are a sick person to have such a demented website? Do you
support the violence and sick act of people that become so confused
because you feed their hate and anger? It is because of your site that
theres probs! You are part at blame for what has happened in Colorado!
What you need is a class action law suit and i am a lawyer ready to act
upon it!! be ready to get the letter the day i get ready to sue you guys
with along the many disturbed parents and students in Colorado."

in defence of our site, there is NO terrorist material available through
it, most of us using it are, in fact pacifists who are upset about the
shooting... but, we didn't have anything to do with it.... this man is
just looking for a scape goat... i doubt he bothered to even look at the
main terrorist.org site or the others it serves... these are our personal
sites dedicated to what interests us- our favorite music, books, our art,
hobbies, religions and pets....
i feel that it is a shame that so many kids had to die because no one was
paying attention... but this man obviously wasn't paying attention when he
decided that we caused the shootings and will only cause more trouble....
this tragedy was not brought on by websites, music or television.... it
happened because the other students attending that high school tortured
these kids until their hearts were so full of hatred for them that they
saw no other alternative... this happened because our society condones the
sort of behavior that often leads to tragic results.... parents often say
"kids will be kids" when their children are harrassing others for being
different, that has to stop.... i know the gunmen acted of their own free
will that day, but the other children of that school acted of their own
free will as they demoralized and humiliated these boys and their friends
day in and day out.... though what they did was wrong, sometimes i can't
help but feel pride that they did it so well... they've opened the eyes of
some people... how much more will it take to open the other peoples eyes,
the ones who simply label these children "the monsters next door" as
though one can be born hating... as though these boys weren't people
too... as though they had no right to lead happy lives, too be loved...
not to be treated like they didn't belong... these are feelings i've
struggled with all my life... i know how much i wished those who spit on
me from the bus window would've gotten shot to death... the tortured have
no reason to love their torturer... the kids who treated them like shit
didn't respect their lives or their rights, so why should Harris or
Klebold have respected theirs? 
i don't believe that what they did was right... but it certainly was
fitting... and i mourn their lives above any of those who died in that
school.

Pennslyvania

Name: Kain
Location: West Chester
Status: My name is Kain and I'm from West Chester Pennslyvania.  I found out
about the shootings a few hours after it happen.  I swear news spreads
fast on the net.  I was shocked at whole situation.  Like everyone else
I did not like how the media handled the whole ordeal.  I wasn't to fond
of how the media distorted the whole situation and had find someone to
blame the whole situation.  It really pissed me off.  If they have to
blame some they should blame themselves and society.  Don't blame a
social group of people or a type of music.  I thought the whole thing
didn't make any sense at especially when they found the two of the guys
who did the shootings.  I believed there was a larger group involved.
Also why would they shoot themselves?  In most school shooting cases,
the shooters do it for attention.  They want to witness the pain and
suffering of the people who have tormented them in school.  I believe
there is a large conspiracy involved.  I thought the whole situation got
too much coverage.  I mean people die everyday in inner city schools.
They get sqaut coverage.  The only reason the colorado shootings got so
much coverage is because it took place in a predominatly caucassian
town.  Anyway the whole situation reminded me of when I was in high
school.  I was pretty much an outcast.  I was one out of three asian
student in my high school.  I was different from asian kids.  I was into
the whole gothic scene, the very little there was.  As I remember there
were only about five students who were into the gothic.  I wore all
black, trenchcoat, and black combat boots.  I really didn't talk to
anyone.  Like most goths I hated preps because they picked on me all the
time, mostly because I was Chinese.  I had fantasies about going to
school and wasting everyone but never got around to it or actually
wanted to really.  Nothing besides being tormentted by these assholes
influenced me to have these fantasies.  I have to thank music, art, and
video games for helping me keep me out of trouble and importantly my
sanity.  The most drastic thing I did was probably doodle some pretty
funny demented cartoons.  Oh yeah one time I did get stopped by the
school principal who thought I had a shotgun concealed under my
trenchcoat.  I refused to take off my coat.  I was pretty pissed.
Luckily I didn't get in trouble.

Texas

Name: Jesse/Misery
Location: Nashville Tn
Status:
 Well, around here it's very scary. I've been followed in my car and in 
public places by many different groups of people. When I walk by people
some look at me with either scared looks,hiding their children from my
direction, or they frown at me, like they want to kill me, especially
guys who are preps or jocks. I'm 21, and have been pretty much this way
for all of my life. I am nice to everyone, and though I could kick
anyones ass (years of wrestling and built up fustration), violence
doesn't solve anything. Here in Nashville, it's always been rough with
the southerners, but now it's even worse. Some of my friends and I,
recently went to a police station and tried to educate the local police
on the differences of real goths, and the "doom cookies" or hate brats
that were the cause of the Colorado tragedy. Some of the hate brats
around here are causing some up roars, rallying around the two kids as
crusaders, so that's making it harder on the real goths, both the high
schoolers and the adults. It's been terrible. The media and
organizations have decided to blanket a whole subculture as "bad" or
"evil", and it looks like nation wide, that the goths are being bashed,
and no ones really taking up for them. It really sickens me. I think we
should try and get someone to become our voice that hopefully the media
will not attack, the organizations will at least let talk, and maybe,
just maybe, the rest of the countries population will listen to, and not
their predetermined ideas of the culture, that they already had before
this whole thing happened.

Texas

Name: Batty (batty@io.com)
Location: Houston TX
Status: Things here are fairly calm. Fox 13 aired a story on goth being 
related to the killings, but the people they interviewed pretty much said 
that it had nothing to do with it. I've got a couple of stares from a few 
rednecks but thats about all, not half as bad as I have heard from some parts 
of the country. People here are focusing more on the sadness of it all.

Name: Amy Knight
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Recently, a principal at my school took up my boyfriend's trenchcoat and tried 
to give him a ticket for "gang affiliation". Today, the same happened to me. Being a 
female, and the fact that my mother is a friend of the local campus police officer, I 
was able to talk my way out of it and get my coat back, but I had to promise not to wear 
all black or my trench coat for the rest of the year. His claim, that it was "too hot" 
to need a trench like that.  I'll admit that the weather outside school is too hot for 
a London Fog, but inside the school, it's a different story. My 4th period has been 
recorded to be 45 or less degrees during the summer. This treatment of people who are 
not exactly mainstream sickens me and frightens me. So far, people have only backed away 
from me, frightened of me, thinking that I'm going to go psycho on them. Unfortunately, 
however, I don't think this will last and I feel that perhaps soon someone will take it 
upon themselves to rid the school of this "Black Plague" as we are referred to in our 
school (Northbrook). What happened in Colorado is a tragedy, true, but that doesn't mean 
that every person who wears black, dances in the rain, and basically does what they feel 
like doing (including one incident involving a nap under a bus) are going to completely 
lose it and start planting bombs in the school kitchen or something. I just wish people 
in America would realize that every black clad human isn't some sort of deranged 
individual. Please, whomever reads this, realize that we're all human, and no one, no 
matter how they look, dress, act, or even smell, deserves to be treated as anything 
less. If we don't realize that this is morally wrong, I fear that all black clad members 
of society will be herded off like the Japanese were during WWII or the Jewish members 
of Europe were.

Name: Jessika
Location: Texas
Status: Reagarding your special newsletter about the incident in Colorado, 
today in school I was made fun of by my teacher. She said to me, in 
the middle of class that because I have dyed red hair, went to a 
Manson concert, and occasionaly wear black, I am going to end up 
shooting everyone and that I am a member of the "Trenchcoat Mafia". I 
don't even own a trenchcoat!!!! She also said I needed counseling 
because of the reasons I mentioned before. 

Name: LittleStar
Location: Denton, Texas
Status: I've been hearing and seeing stories from all over DFW for the 
past few days and most of it just makes me ill.

A couple of guys down south of me were sent home for wearing black 
trench coats to school nothing more. My school has always been mean 
towards goths, well I guess its just expected alittle living in a 
hick town,we are very out numbered. I love my dark purple lip stick 
and cute little black clothes and shoes with the kitty shoes laces 
and I don't see the problem with it. Why must it always be the small 
quiet ones get picked on? We don't go around hurting people for the 
fun of it and so we shouldn't all be labeled as killers. I know we 
have all heared it before and its just alittle cheesy but we really 
do need to ask can't we all just get along? or at least co-exist for 
a few hours a day untill we can get home.

Name: Casey 
Location: Ft. Worth, texas
Status: the responses of the people in 
ft. worth, texas are not too good for our community.  everywhere goths are 
being trialed and punished for things they had nothing to do with.  two local 
students got suspended from a nearby school for wearing trench coats. 
personally, at my school (Everman High for those that must know), rumors were 
(and are still) being spread about my group and me in particular (I being the 
only "true goth" in my small school..).  People are afraid that I am going to 
kill them.. some of my friends find this amusing but i do not. it is sad to 
see that these people that i grew up with could turn around and say that 
about me after an incident that had nothing to do with me a few hundred miles 
away!  
    Over the course of three days various people have come running up to me 
exclaiming "Casey, casey!  They are telling us we are not allowed to wear 
black anymore!".. and me being the best student in my class and respected by 
teachers and principals addressed the vice principal.  he told me lies.  a 
lot of lies.  he said that we could wear whatever we wanted and that those 
were simply rumors.  when the rest of the school heard these "rumors" they 
decided that today would be "wear all the black you can" day.  And so they 
did.. and the principal threatened to suspend them all for simply wearing 
black.  A friend of mine got into trouble after defending herself from a boy 
that had been terrorizing her for some time.  HE, on the other hand, got into 
no trouble at all.  
   Similar "actions" are being taken by other schools in this area and all of 
the Ft. Worth area goths are at risk!  they are trying to destroy us!  they 
want us gone!  don't they understand?  It WASN'T OUR FAULT!  WE WERE NOT 
THERE AND ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY, not goths, Oh, NO!!!  
BUT NAZIS!!!  THE TWO ARE NOT TO BE CONFUSED!!!  Please, we need help!  We 
are the innocent ones!  Just when everyone was accepting us this happens!  
What can we do? 

Name: Steven "Dagger" Castillo 
Location: Houston Suburbs
Status: Because I decided to voice my 
thoughts on this crisis, to my friends, some people out side of the 
conversation over heard me speaking out. They took it wrong and started an up 
roar about its gonna happen at my school. They called me in searched my 
backpack and interrogated me. Then sent my to the school shrink, I never knew 
we had one. The shrink said I was normal and sent me on my way. The next day 
the rumors were that they are gonna try and beat the body count. I noticed 
that the majority of my friends, the outcasts, were being sent to the office 
and being interrogated.  It seemed to me like a witch hunt. But soon enough I 
was called down again saying that I am the cause of the rumors. So they 
suspended me for 2 days. So my folks arranged a meeting with the principal 
and they had it out. He claimed that he did not know of the "subculture" so 
how could he prosecute me of that. But in the media the head of the school 
board in Cy-Fair, my school district, has been speaking out about Goths and 
such. So I am censored at school now and my folks are seeking legal recourse.

Virginia

Name: Nate
Location: South-East Virginia
Status: high school student- 11th grade
people here are being such idiots about the whole thing. there is a ban
at a local high school on wearing trench coats so a few people go out and
threaten harm on faculty if they don't lift the ban. accordingly, those
students are arrested and brought through a metal dector to check for
weapons, they turned up nothing. but apparently, someone just wasn't
satisfied with that, so they brought out the weapon seeking dogs and they
don't find anything. but you know, mass paranoia doesn't seem to be
enough on its own, so people have to phone in bomb threats to make sure
it stays up. I don't think it's humorous in the least, but I also don't
see why their paranoia should stop me from wearing what I want to to
school. I'm very sorry that the whole event in CO happened, but I'm even
more sorry that it effects me, more than a thousand miles away. I'm also
sorry people don't know hpw to handle it, and need something/one to
blame. isn't blaming those who did it enough? apparently not. they seem
to need to blame music and clothes. don't they understand that this will
happen even if all the music in the world was polka or leann rhimes, and
things to wear were short and white. people will always have some sort of
mental disorder that makes them hate others for no reason, and want to be
violent for even less of a reason. this is a sad world we live in. and as
for me... I've heard that there is a ban on wearing all black.
considering I'm not stupid enough to threaten someone over it, I have
peacefully picked out the color, but like adder, I'll be leaving my
trench coat at home.

Washington

Name: Obscurite
Location: Kent, WA
Status: Well, the goths are getting blamed here. Those of us who are in high 
school are getting death threats, and are being pressured not to wear black 
anymore because of what has happened. I personally have gottened threatened 
by someone who said "I'm going to kill you, you nazi bitch" and many of my 
friends have been through the same. One of my friends got jumped for it. Its 
all falling back on the goths, without anyone thinking those kids were just 
crazy.

Name: roxanne
Location: Spokane, WA
Status: i am writing to tell u that in spokane washington the Racial Equality
action leage aka real club a group that has every gothic person at our school 
centeral valley high school were the first to organize a ribon pass out thx to 
micheals who donated the ribons... i am shocked that the media can say that goths r 
responcable for this crime against humanity... i am also glad that  u r 
putting together a fund for the ppl who died and whatever else... thx.. i am 
going to write the news as soon as i get done with this letter...

Name: Michael
Location: Seattle
Status: Just a little word or two as how the events that have happened in
Colorado are having an effect in the Seattle area (consider this a
regional status report).  In the Federal way school district, gothic
clothing (not just black trench-coats) of any kind, ie; black cloathing
are prohibited on school grounds.  This was reported on the our local
news as a prevention method by our local school districts.  Keep in
mind that all the punks, mods, rudeboys, jocks, and backwood types are
not even thinking that when they get dressed in the morning, some
person might cast a side-ways glance and wondering what that odd bulge
is in there ruck-sack or if they are the next one to make national
headlins.  

Alberta, Canada

Name:  Malloreigh.
Location:  Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Status:  
	Yesterday in Taber, Alberta, a 14-year-old boy walked into a school in a
trenchcoat, confronting a teacher before shooting two boys.  One lays dead
while the other is only wounded.  The gunman was apprehended by policemen
from Calgary, Lethbridge and Taber.  This boy was home-schooled because of
behavioural problems.  Marilyn Manson is blamed for this.  And the Goth
culture, but the old, normal people only know who Marilyn Manson is . .
Yesterday in a high school here in Calgary, a fight broke out in the
parking lot.  Two boys were sent to the hospital with stab wounds.
	And yesterday, I encountered a mother.  It was cold and my friends and I
were hanging out near the front doors of a church because of the windbreak.
 She looked at us oddly, and I explained that it was Punk Day at our
school, which was true.  I was dressed very oddly compared to the usual.
She commented that it was scary seeing Goths hanging out around a church.
I think I know what she meant.
	This woman was scared that we and people like us wanted to shoot everyong
for revenge.  I'm pretty sure that others have the same idea--Goths are all
violent Nazi-worshippers who like to shoot people.  I myself would never do
that, not if it killed me.  Okay, bad pun.  But the public is getting that
idea.  When I read articles about the Littleton tragedy, I hear people
complaining about Goths, about violence, about guns and about Marilyn
Manson all in the same sentence.
	It isn't us, people.  Get over it.

Manitoba, Canada

Name: andrenochrome
Location: Winnipeg
Status:  The 'backlash,' such as it is, has already been felt up here. Several erroneous 
reports were printed in the local newspaper (the Winnipeg Free Press) as well in the 
national dailies (the Globe and Mail). These articles were the worst example of 
subjective, yellow (as you so accurately put it) journalism. 

     It seems that the Canadian media is obsessed with placing the blame for this 
attrocity on everything from Andrew Eldritch to the Teletubbies, when, in fact, it 
should be placed quite squarely on the shoulders of the two morons that went out and 
picked up guns. Once again, generational spite is rearing its ugly head in the effort to 
maintain the dellusion that the young are somehow different from all the previous 
generations of humanity, that the young are, in some inherent way, flawed and lesser 
beings. 

     Yesterday, however, there was a clear, concise article published which, perhaps, 
will take some of the blame away from Goths and assorted mutants. Damon Nightshade, 
owner and proprietor of the only (quote-unquote) local Gothic and fetishware clothing 
emporium The Crypt, was printed in a medium-length interview in the Winnipeg Free Press. 
Unbiased and concisely written, the article managed to nip most of the current ignorant 
rumours about Goth/Scarey/other freak-scenes firmly in the bud.

     It remains to be seen whether Damon's interview will have any real affect -- since 
who is going to believe what a Goth has to say since "they're all evil any way." But the 
candle has been lit. Let's hope that this darkness of ignorance can be dispelled quietly,
easily, and without any further tragedy. The world has already seen enough.

     I cannot send you the articles mentioned above at the moment -- I'm currently at 
work. But I will tonight or tomorrow, if you are interested. Thank you for the 
interesting and, at times, touching, newsletter. I'm glad that someone is trying to 
center to view of the world at large.

Name: bean aka madfishmonger. 
Location winnipeg, manitoba, canada 
Status: not much has happened to us gothy people here yet, except that the paper
interviewed a couple of my friends (one owns the crypt, a goth clothing
store), but they basically cleared it up. my husband has gotten some odd
looks for wearing his trenchcoat (which he's had for 3 years), but nothing
too bad. i'm afraid to talk to my uncle, (he's a semi-hardcore christian) i
don't want to have to argue about it. but i'm more afraid of my step-aunt &
uncle. they're fundamentalist christians, and from buttfuck nowhere
wisconsin. she almost ripped my head off once cause she thought i swore. i
don't wanna know what she'll do . 
today i heard some kids in calgary shot up a school wearing black
trenchcoats with hunting rifles. this has NEVER happened in canada before.
people in canada don't have guns except for hunting and we have very strict
rules governing how guns can be stored (guns in locked case,  bullets very
far away in another locked case. these laws are also very strictly
enforced). the thing that bothers me is, last night my husband and i went
to the goth night at the bar, and i was talking to a friend about the
colorado incident. he joked that if that kind of thing ever happened here,
it would probably be a stabbing. i jokes that it would be some guy with a
pair of moose antlers. i am afraid to go to the states. i don't want to get
shot, thank you. but now i don't feel safe here either. i'm glad i don't go
to high school anymore, but i have friends who do and ni am very afraid for
them now. the canadian media is generally less hysterical than the
american, but this incident in calgary is probably going to blow it all up
again. why does this kind of shit have to happen? why is the media so
rediculous? i have been so dissilusioned and jaded by the media, nothing is
sacred to them, and the truth doesn't stand a chance aginst the hype.
ratings are everything. i can't wait for the day when we, as two nations,
grow up past grade 7 politics and coping strategies. maybe then i'll feel
safe bringing a child into it.
Ontario, Canada

Name:Assemetric
Location:Cornwall, Ontario, Canada
Status: Being goth in a town this small is
frustrating. I am known for my "unique" look throughout the town, and most
poeple got along with me well. Now, because of the tragedy that ocurred on
April 20th, and lack of research by the media I am now harassed and just
plain annoyed constantly. People walk by and nonchalantly ram me into walls
just because they assume I am "one of them". My parents are telling me that
the cops will be watching me with closer scrutiny than ever, and I find it
true. I wrote an article about goths in the local newspaper, but they failed
to publish it before the incident in Colorado, and I am to rewrite it to put
it clearly that we are not a "death cult" as they put it so bluntly here. I
hope that we can clear up this mess that the media has left for us.

ame:  Zar
Location:Ontario, Canada
Status:  
there is one thing that has made me so angry and so utterly filled with
angst about this whole situation ... it is the search for the prototype
or ideal student killer.  they have blamed every minor influence
possible, from tv to movies to music to clothes to parents to peer
pressure to nazis....you all must know the list we have been bombarded
with.  They are searching for the warning sign, the prototype or ideal
kid who is going to do this type of thing.  goths are individuals and we
are not a heard, all of us are goths for our own reasons and each of us
has a distinct background and make-up.  we do not all come from
disfunctional or abusive homes, we do not all listen to german music or
marilyn manson, or watch violent movies or play violent video games,
just as we do not process stimuli in the same way too.  the herd is
desperately trying to make us a herd.  they are trying to make a model
and fit us into it.  this is sick.  We are not a collection or a single
thinking band -- like them.  we are all unique and against them, it can
be quite the price to pay.  teasing stinks, but hey, if you know who you
are you have much above what they do.  i am just sick of people trying
to categorize me or fit me into a group.  this is not kindergarten or a
perfect puzzle.

also, because i can speak german does not mean the i have a thing for
hitler or feel a sympathy with the nazis.  i rammstein is going to have
a difficult tour, as will manson.  good music must always be made to
suffer for the ignorance of others.  like KMFDM's son of a gun, good
tune now forever damaged by some confused, poorly labelled kid.

well, i have bitched enough for now.  i just hope one thing can be
realized out of this whole mess....the two gun man are as much victims
as everyone else.  society failed them, a social program to spot
troubled individuals, like themselves, failed them.  the fact that they
felt the need to do this shows that they we left out to dry.  that
society needs to think how they could have contributed, not just all the
untouchable outside sources, like media.  thankxxxxxx    zar

Finland

Name: Jarde
Location: Pertteli, Finland
Status:
The shootings in Littleton have not been up on the media here in the
northern part of Europe, but still it is quite big thing to find out
something like this on your local newspaper.

The biggest newspaper here is called 'Helsingin Sanomat' and news I have
found there have been quite 'unblaming'. On Wednesday 21st of April, first
writings about this massacre were found in the news.

''Wednesday 21st of April: Over 20, maybe even 25 students have died in
Denver USA. 21 have been taken to hospital-care, some of them critically
injured.

Two armed school students invaded a sub-urban school and opened fire, as
reported by a tv-station from Colorado. The gunmen belonged to a
neonazigroup operating in that high school, and the strike is suspected to
have something to do with Hitler's birthday, which was on tuesday.

Many eyewitnesses have told that with either shotgun or machinegun armed
men invaded a high school located in Littleton. Men dressed in black were
throwing pipebombs and shooting at students on the school corridors.''

So, on wednesday the media said that casualties were over 20, and the
gunmen were neonazis. But, on thursday the report was different:

''The massacre that took place in a Littleton high school on tuesday has so
far taken the lives of 15, and 24 are still in medical care. Some of the
students interviewed say that the shooters were part of a marginal group
called 'The Trenchcoat mafia'. Students say that the shooters claimed to be
goths and they were influenced by Hitler.

Not all 'goths' are influenced by Hitler, so it is clear that Harris and
Klebold have definately picked the righteous elements of this subculture.
They have been told to proclaim racist manifests and to target minority
students.

Shock rocker Marilyn Manson was mentioned on the news wednesday. Manson is
a rock star, who is hated amongst the middleclass parents, and is very much
enjoying it. He is also often connected to goths and is quite likely to
expect more hatred and publicity.''

What I have noticed is the fact, that finnish media is not targeting goths
as the group behind this massacre. It is good to know that the media in
Finland isn't as nearsighted as it is in USA. Let's just hope that there
will be no more 'connections' between these sosiopats and goths.

Germany

It has started over here in Hamburg, Germany. On my way to work (I am
assistant editor-in-chief of a German magazine) last Thursday I recieved
the first stranger-than-usual glances and stares on the tube. These
stares had turned to furious looks by Friday, with people whispering
what the media over here had reported about the Littleton tragedy. Come
Monday, I recieved the first verbal abuse. Somebody shouted from the
other end of the train carriage "Hey, you Trenchcoat-Mafia m***erf***er!
Who are you going to kill next?" I tried to ignore him and keep a
straight face, before there was any trouble. Sure enough, there was.
After the people sitting beside me stood up in a hurry and backed away
from me, the train security guards kicked me out at the next station.
Note: They kicked ME out, not the troublemaker! OK, I can live with
that, but hearing the other passengers jeer and applaude me being thrown
out, that hurt. This morning, undeterred and determined more than ever
to get to work, hoping the fuss would have died down, I was slapped in
the face by a middle-aged man calling me a satanic murderer, 'cause the
BILD (Germany's biggest daily newspaper) said so. I have been refused
service at a restaurant where I have eaten lunch for almost every day
for the last 4 years, heck, not even McDonalds wanted to serve me! I
didn't feel like an outcast before, but with everybody staring at me as
if I had the leper or was about to slash their throats, I certainly do
now.
I am openly goth, and have been since I was 15 (I am 27 now), with a 3
year pause while in military service in Bosnia and Northern Ireland. I
have seen death, I have been shot at, and seen people being shot or
blown up. I saw the most heartbreaking scene anyone could imagine: dead
children, lying in the streets of Gorny Vakuv. Even now, almost 6 years
after this, I still see those children. Thankfully, I had somewhere to
go to after my service, some people to talk to, complete strangers who
helped me. They were all members of the goth community. They were also
there for me when my daughter died two months ago. My "normal" friends,
or should I say ex-friends, weren't. Says it all, doesn't it? Could
those placid folk, those peaceful, strange-looking, yet so loving people
who call themselves goths be murderers? No more than Martin Luther King
can be accused of being a racist. I have experienced goths around the
world to be loving, caring, and as my grandmother put it once, after
meeting some goths in Leeds "I have never met young people with such
good manners like those funny people there. If I were young, I would
want to be with them." She was a grand old lady, well in her eighties,
as she said that, an elegant liberal woman, a lady in the true meaning
of the word. She would have fit in perfectly with the goth community. If
we are really nothing but a bunch of half-insane Satan-worshippers and
mass-murdering Neo-Nazis, would an 84 year old jewish lady, who survived
Treblinka, feel attracted to them? I think not.
We are goths. We are all beautiful. Let us all face all this hatred in
true gothic fashion: Head held high, as beautiful as ever and with a
smile. It will pass. It always does. As painful as it is now, I am
actually scared of going home, the taxi driver I called refused to drive
me, I know this will pass. Ask any old metal fans, they can tell you a
thing or two about their persecution.
Oh yes, being slightly sarcastic, remember OJ? Wasn't he that football
player who killed his wife? Ban football, that's what I say, bad, bad
influence....
My deepest heart-felt condolences go out to the families of the murdered
and wounded children of Columbine High School. There is a virtual book
of condolences at www.9news.com, I recommend you all leave your
condolences there.

Name: Reinhard
Location: Germany
Status: From my European point-of-view the main problem of that tragic event
with the so-called Trenchcoat-Mafia is that the laws concerning the
possessing of weapons are too liberal. In Germany you must have a license
otherwise it is illegal; and I am very glad about that.
Together with that "John-Wayne-mentality" which is widely spread through
the media, I am not very astonished that some misleaded people think
problems could be solved with violence and so they take their weapons...
... but there is this strong lobby of the weapon-industry... and so
they are searching for someone else to blame...and they found it in the
gothic scene which has no lobby, so it is easy to put the blame on them...
(and this kind of searching for the easiest victim is the same here in
Europe)... but we know the truth...

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