Neko

Sunday, October 03, 2004

Gutless Wonders

In the past week, there have been two racial death threats to students written on the restroom walls at Edmond North High School. The school and the Edmond school district have taken a hard stance against this, as Associate Superintendent Brenda Lyons said at a news conference on Friday, “We cannot let the foolishness of someone who would make these threats disrupt the educational process.” Additionally, Lyons said that there will be school on Tuesday (the target date) despite the threats, and that the students targeted would have the option of staying home that day.

What kind of gutless wonders feel so brave as to write death threats on the bathroom walls? It's just like they have nothing better to do than to stir things up with the hopes of getting on the six o'clock news. Maybe they should put their beliefs on a billboard at Broadway and Second Street: I AM A TEENAGE RACIST WITH JUST ENOUGH BRAIN CELLS TO WRITE MY NAME BUT CHOSE NOT TO OWN UP TO THE RACIST DEATH THREATS AT MY SCHOOL.

I hope, that whoever the young man and woman are who wrote this stuff, are caught, expelled from school, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. How about a sensitivity boot camp, starting with MY size 9 and a halfs up their backsides? How dare you bring shame to your school? How dare you even walk the halls of Edmond North knowing you are responsible for the turmoil you've caused not only the students you targeted, but the entire student body, the teachers, the staff and the community? Are you so clueless that making these threats is only a joke, a game to you? As the mother of two North graduates, it infuriates me that people like you attend such a fine and outstanding school.

If these people are so dedicated to their "beliefs", why didn't they sign their names to their threats? It's because they're cowards, that's why. Only cowards make threats like this. They have yellow streaks down their backs a mile wide, because they don't care about anyone but themselves. All they wanted was to see the result of their actions on the news. Hello, but have you heard of Columbine? Yes, that did happen five years ago, long before these kids ever got to high school, but schools have been dealing with what happened there and how to prevent it at their schools since then. The people who are responsible for this should be punished, but by the school district and the courts, not by students seeking revenge.

I'm happy to say that the kids at North, the staff and parents, and the school district are a fine group of people. It only takes a few to ruin it for the many. Racism is NOT TOLERATED, at North or anywhere else. If there are people inclined to think that way, keep it to yourself. Yes, I know this is the South and racism is an unfortunate "tradition" here, but it never has been and never will be cool.

And kids don't just happen upon these beliefs, they have to get them from somewhere. Parents, are you passing things along that you don't mean to pass along, such as intolerence? I know these are trying times for our country, and there are a lot of feelings about what's going on in a certain part of the world. Do your kids hear the things you say and adopt them as their own? Maybe it's time, then, to check yourselves. Racists are made, not born. Are you making a racist and don't realize it?

Many people fear what they don't understand, and stereotype an entire ethnic group with their fears? Is it time for a reality check, or some education about certain racial, religious, or gender groups? Knowledge is power, and ignorance is NOT bliss.

--MorelaterZ--


Please Note: The preceding is the opinion of the author and does not reflect the views or policies of Blogger, HaloScan, Edmond North High School, or the Edmond Public Schools. This article from The Edmond Sun is the basis of this post. Any and all comments left regarding this post are at the discretion of the author, who has the right to edit or remove any comment she deems offensive. This post ©2004, all rights reserved.