Guess our national leaders didn't
expect this. On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of
the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to
address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our
national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully
truthful.
They were not prepared for what he
was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent,
every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and
every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are
powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this
man as a voice crying in the wilderness.. The following is a portion of the
transcript:
"Since the dawn of creation there
has been both good &
evil in the hearts of men and women. 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, the National Club Association.
The true killer was Cain, 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.
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!
"Men and women are three-part
beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge
a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and
hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. Spiritual presences were present within our
educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges
began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to
us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, 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.
"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!"
- Darrell
Scott
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