Red Lake school shooting

[buffalospirit]

I don't know what anyone else thinks about this... but I am really worried. The school shooting at the Red Lake Reservation in Minnesota (Ojibwe) has really affected a lot of people... Not only is it sad because people are dead and the youth of today's society is in big trouble, but I am worried what people will think of us as a Native people. Are people going to think that natives are more prone to kill people? I am just worried and I think prayer is needed not only for those directly involved at Red Lake, but those elsewhere. We really need to band together... I am going to some funerals on Monday and Tuesday in Red Lake and I want to try to be of some help... But I guess the point of this post is to make people aware and make people think...

[lynellarainhawk]

Thank you tremendously for posting this. This is a very serious thing. And a lot of heavy prayer is needed. I think, that todays youth are in trouble. I don't like to talk about it cause' it is so tragic, but people for the most part, depending on the media, may associate this with the Columbine shootings. Therefore, I hope they will connect the two as children with troubled lives rather than a racial thing. My youngest son, Carl, went to Columbine. The second I heard on the news about what was going on there that day, I called my ex's house. My oldest boy answered and he said, "yeah, we're watching it on the news right now." I asked if Carl had gone to school that day. I was so panic stricken. Garrett said, "Oh, no mom, he's fine. He's been sitting here playing video games all morning." Come to find out, Carl had actually secretly dropped out of school one month before the incedent. I feel strange saying it, but I am extremely happy that my son is a high school drop out! Had he been there, he would have been in that library and died right along with every kid on his debate team. It has been really hard on him. Having lost so many friends all at once in such a heinous way. But he perseveres. He got his GED, took some tech classes and now lives in Miami, on a knew computer software engeneer job that started at $48,500.00 Plus excellent benies, AND his daughter is due on April 20th. The aniversary of the day of the Columbine shootings. I think if people look at all the incidents everywher it is pretty easy to see that it is not any particular race, it is a lot of children everywhere having problems without having coping skills. And it is far too easy for them to get their hands on weaponry and ingredients for creating disaster. WE DO NEED TO HELP OUR CHILDREN. Carl, knew both Eric Harris and Dillon Kliebold very well. The year prior he hung out with Dillon a bit and he says he would have never thought either of those kids capable of doing such a thing. I think, sometimes being a drop out has it's advantages;) atleast, in Carl's case. If there is anything you come up with that will help with this problem, let me know. I would like to do something too. For all of us who have kids, this hits too close to home. I really do thank you for posting this. It is very important that we all try to do what we can to help our children, our future. I also don't think kids quite understand how final such acts are. Well, this is bound to be an upsetting subject, so if you want to e-mail me about it, that would be fine. lynellarainhawk@yahoo.com. Thank You, Lynella.

[Patty]

I've wanted to post on this topic, but I just have no words.

[lynellarainhawk]

It's a very hard thing. I can't help but wonder just what these poor children's lives must have been like? What have they endured or even gotten themselves in to? Patty, if you can think of anything we could do, if it pops into your head in the middle of the night or something. Please let me know. I just think on the whole, if we have opportunities arrise where we can just point out to people that it is not a racial problem or a matter of who has money and who don't. I can assure you both, Harris and Kleibold were not poor by any means. I had picked Carl up from Dillon's house once, they were not rich either, but I would say in the upper middle class at the very least, and he was a very polite boy. If we get chances to just point stuff like that out and remind folks that it happens in many societies, in different states. Whether the kids were on Dr. prescribed medications or not, it just happens. We need to figure out a way to be there for all the kids and let them know there are other ways of dealing with things. I know I'm sounding awfully Polyanna-ish here. I don't like being Pollyanna, but I'm a mom. In my mind no matter how old my kids get, I won't fully accept that they are grown adults and I'll always see them as two little guys ruff-housing in the Oshkosh B'Gosh overalls mom made them wear, beating one another over the heads with Tonka trucks and biting each other. So I have a big mushy soft spot! :) Sometimes I feel really desperate, that I need to do something. Does that make sence? Well, I'm really on a bent here! Love & Light, Lynella.

[lynellarainhawk]

Hmmm. Maybe now I'll go bake some cookies!:)

[buffalospirit]

What we can do is kind of difficult... Prayer is a big thing if you do that... I know there will be many Christian people there... but now is not the time to push religion, but to be a support if needed...
One could also send money, but I would beware of this... If you do send then really take a look at the organization and know where your money is going and how much of it.
The other is probably the hardest... I would say parents need to be there for their kids... teach them positive values and be there for them... This can be hard with work and school and etc... but if you start earlier then it will be easier when they grow up... just talk to them and be involved! As a kid myself I can say that if I had this kind of relationship with an adult there would have been many things in my life that happened that could have been stopped. School is a hard place... especially nowadays. I have been pushed far... pushed into fights... pushed into wanting to kill... I got kicked out of high school my junior year for bringing a weapon... I did not intend to hurt anyone else, but I planned to hurt myself. I am grateful that I had a teacher I could talk to and who helped me even though it got reported and ended up getting blown out of proportion and really hurt a lot more... but I would be dead if it were not for that teacher. I love my parents but it has been difficult. As kids I guess we need to take the ball and move it where we need it... in older kids who do not have good parent relationships established then this is important... If you need help try your best to get it...
Well I will climb off of my box... I am packing to go to Red Lake right now... I have used a lot of sweet grass lately and prayed a lot concerning this trip... I hope all is well.

[buffalospirit]

Sorry to hear about how close the Columbine shootings hit... That is difficult... Any death what one experiences is difficult, but when you are so close and it is someone so young it is extra horrible.
Thank you for posting on my post. I didn't know if anyone would... I am new...that was my first post ever... but thanks.
I like your screenname. Is Rain Hawk your indian name? Well, I would love to talk to you sometime... my email is never_again4444@yahoo.com I hope all is well and those cookies turned out good.
~Amanda

[lynellarainhawk]

Amanda,

Thank you very much for your beautiful insight. You have good intent in your heart, so you should go far! Some times it's hard to get grown adults with bad habbits to change them. It's sort of like trying to retrain a bear to not @#*! in the woods. But hopefully parents will try to mend fences and be more active with their kids. I stuck to mine like glue and honestly we grew up together. Although I think they've actually passed me now!;) And yes! Those cookies were yummy, nice and hot from the oven! I hope to hear a lot more out of you around here. Love & Light, Lynella.