High school shootings are undoubtedly horrific and devastating
events that become infamously famous due to the sheer evilness and seemingly randomness of the shootings. Chardon high school shooting took place in February 2012. Three people were killed and another three critically injured, with one now paralyzed for life. The shooter, seventeen year old T.J Lane, did not actually attend the school but was waiting for a bus in the area. It is reported he knew the victims and was bullied by them. He was described as 'an outcast'; a typical comment on someone who is bullied.
What strikes me as the most chilling aspect of the whole situation, was T.J's lack of remorse and empathy for his victims and their families. His somewhat iconic murder trial, in which he revealed a white shirt with the word 'KILLER' drawn on it and his constant smirks and smiles when face to face with the victim's distraught families is something that will no doubt go down in history as an epitome of evil. In addition, his incredibly chilling line, "The hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the thought of it. Fuck all of you." has now become infamous.
What strikes me as the most chilling aspect of the whole situation, was T.J's lack of remorse and empathy for his victims and their families. His somewhat iconic murder trial, in which he revealed a white shirt with the word 'KILLER' drawn on it and his constant smirks and smiles when face to face with the victim's distraught families is something that will no doubt go down in history as an epitome of evil. In addition, his incredibly chilling line, "The hand that pulled the trigger that killed your sons now masturbates to the thought of it. Fuck all of you." has now become infamous.
What I've been researching is a
question that ran through my mind after watching his actions throughout his
trial; is T.J a psychopath or was he conditioned that way due to horrific
bullying from his peers?
When I was at school I was bullied. I can clearly remember what it was like to go through such immense distress of the name calling and psychological torment I was subjected to for years. What adults tend to forget, is that from the ages of five until sixteen (eighteen in America) school is a constant in your life. It takes up most of your time, and throughout those childhood years you are travelling through the most soul-searching period and experiencing your first tastes of socialisation. Also, you are constantly told that the adults in authority are there to protect you. From first hand experience, this is not the case at all. Children, specifically young adults will attack and abuse in situations when adults are not there. Personally I was bullied in a maths class for nearly two years every single day at a table at the back of the class. The teacher never noticed despite for a whole hour, every day, for five days in the week, I was being severely tormented. The psychological damage of these experiences throughout school still effect me to this day in terms of confidence, self esteem and anxiety. However I am finally starting to feel stronger and more confident in myself, albeit a slow process.
If you are subjected to bullying throughout the first stages of your socialising, more times than not you are left with a negative and poisoned view of the people in the world, specifically the ‘popular’ ones. Not only do you grow to resent the people, but the location itself becomes a heinous hellhole that you dread going back to, over and over again. I can still remember the butterflies that filled my tummy with immense anxiety and fear when I walked back to that school, knowing I was about to experience yet again torment and abuse for the day.
When I was at school I was bullied. I can clearly remember what it was like to go through such immense distress of the name calling and psychological torment I was subjected to for years. What adults tend to forget, is that from the ages of five until sixteen (eighteen in America) school is a constant in your life. It takes up most of your time, and throughout those childhood years you are travelling through the most soul-searching period and experiencing your first tastes of socialisation. Also, you are constantly told that the adults in authority are there to protect you. From first hand experience, this is not the case at all. Children, specifically young adults will attack and abuse in situations when adults are not there. Personally I was bullied in a maths class for nearly two years every single day at a table at the back of the class. The teacher never noticed despite for a whole hour, every day, for five days in the week, I was being severely tormented. The psychological damage of these experiences throughout school still effect me to this day in terms of confidence, self esteem and anxiety. However I am finally starting to feel stronger and more confident in myself, albeit a slow process.
If you are subjected to bullying throughout the first stages of your socialising, more times than not you are left with a negative and poisoned view of the people in the world, specifically the ‘popular’ ones. Not only do you grow to resent the people, but the location itself becomes a heinous hellhole that you dread going back to, over and over again. I can still remember the butterflies that filled my tummy with immense anxiety and fear when I walked back to that school, knowing I was about to experience yet again torment and abuse for the day.
I hope that people can realise the seriousness of what I believe situations at schools can do. I think it does definitely have the power to cause someone to snap, especially in a country such as America where guns are easily accessible. Bullying needs to be taken incredibly seriously, and children shouldn't have to be forced to sit classes with students day after day when it's evident they are being tormented by their peers (Are you listening, Chafford school?) When you have been oppressed for a long time, and you feel like you have nothing to loose, what will stop you?
T.J Lane was sentenced to three life sentences to be carried out consecutively in February 2013. Due to him being only seventeen at the time of the killing, he was ineligible for the death penalty.
T.J Lane was sentenced to three life sentences to be carried out consecutively in February 2013. Due to him being only seventeen at the time of the killing, he was ineligible for the death penalty.
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