"We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death
of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the
other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel
out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, National Club
Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.
"In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not
a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA because I don't
believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore, I do not believe that they need to be
defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder, I would be their strongest opponent.
I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy - it was
a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame
lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.
"I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best.
This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today.
Your laws ignore our deepest needs.
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws
Through legislative creed
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
"...We have refused to honor God, and in doing so, we open the doors to
hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs, politicians
immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive
laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties.
"We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have
been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning
this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. Political posturing and
restrictive legislation are not the answers. The young people of our nation hold the key.
There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched!
"... We ... need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this
nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!
"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his
two friends murdered before his very eyes he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law
or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to
realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School - prayer was brought back to our schools."
"Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare
to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God -
given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA - I give to
you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's
death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"
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