The Presbyterian Layman March/April 2000 Volume 33, Number 2 Posted April 3, 2000

Guest Commentary ‘Their blood cries out for answers’ The following is excerpted from the testimony by Darrell Scott, father of two Columbine High School students, before the Subcommittee on Crime, House Judiciary Committee, U.S. House of Representatives. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other 11 children must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers. The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel … The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain; and the reason for the murder can only be found in Cain’s heart. In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA – because I don’t believe that they need to be defended … I am here today to declare that Columbine was … a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies. Much of that blame lies in this room. … I wrote a poem … that expresses my feelings best … 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 Yet fail to understand That God is what we need!… What has happened to us as a nation? 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. … No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. 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. 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. ... 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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