The headline said it all: “13 Shot Dead During a Class on Citizenship.” I usually do not get emotional while reading the newspaper, but last Saturday was a first. As I strolled into the library to get a quick look at the cover of The New York Times, I noted that the shooting occurred in Binghamton, New York, a town in upstate New York. That was the first thing that caught my eye. I had been to Binghamton many times when my parents visited me at camp. After I had finished reading the article—a gruesome account of a man who stormed into the American Civic Center and killed 13 people—I reflected on other major shootings. What kind of a person does such a crime? Do I know people like the man in Binghamton? I then went online and did some research into the most horrific high school shooting in United States History, the Columbine shooting. I learned quite a bit. The two shooters, Dylan Kleibold and Eric Harris, were outcasts who happened to be best friends. Other students constantly harassed them, and, over time, they planned revenge against those who had bullied them. I also looked into the Virginia Tech shootings and found out that Seung-Hui Cho, the perpetrator, also led an isolated existence. I then researched other shootings and found out that most if not all of the perpetrators were loners. These shootings may have been stopped if people had taken the time to get to know these outcasts and treat them as equals. This theory does not excuse the fact that these perpetrators are responsible for what they have done. I’m not trying to justify their actions. But we can learn from certain trends that led up to events such as the Columbine High School shootings. I have noticed that after a horrific shooting, people immediately take a black and white stance: the shooter was an evil person who was out to kill his fellow classmates who had done absolutely nothing . Between grievance and anger, people do not stop to learn how to prevent such a thing from happening again. Some people may say, “We have learned from such an event! Look at our crisis programs and our 19 steps on how to stop bullying.” I believe that the road to prevention is simpler than any program; get to know the person sitting next to you—the person who sits alone and who no one may notice or like. I am not saying that every person who sits alone is a gunman. But I have been a loner before, and I know that a lot more goes on in someone’s head than we choose to see. I use the word “choose” deliberately. It is our choice whether or not we work to understand someone. I do not mean to say that every person should take a course on psychology. The secret to understanding someone is simple: ask them questions and show them that they are important. Through understanding we can feel compassion for these people, and perhaps their anger will be relieved. They know that somebody cares about them. I do not talk with a loner out of fear that they will shoot up the school. I converse with them because I know how they feel. When I listen to them, I can sense their latent anger towards those they deem “exclusive” and “popular.” When I walk into Commons and see that person sitting alone, I see myself. I see that second grader who wanted to feel included. Alienation creates anger and frustration. Eric Harris and Dylan Kleibold were never included. At a certain point they simply gave up. Overwhelmed with anger, they shot and killed 12 students and a teacher. It is our responsibility to include those who do not know how to be included. Most of us have adequate social skills. Let us use these skills to prevent others from feeling alienated and angry. Do not take my point the wrong way: there is no excuse for shooting up a school. There is no doubt that when that person has the gun in their hands, they are responsible for what they are doing. I am saying, however, that we can learn from such atrocities and perhaps prevent future ones. There have already been three major shootings in the U.S. this year. Perhaps those people who committed such atrocities were bullied and rejected by those around them. I will not deny that there are people who are born insane. In that case, getting to know them may solve nothing, and they belong in protective care. But the next time you walk into Commons and you see that person, who sits alone, talk to them. Get to know them. Let them know you care. Ben Talarico is a two-year Lower from Suquamish, Washington. btalarico@andover.edu
