Echoes in the Columbine Archive

Columbine memorial featuring crosses for Eric and Dylan, after the original ones from the 15 wooden crosses got taken down.

The Fifteen wooden crosses were erected and made by Mr. Zanis.

The aftermath

In the aftermath of the tragic Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999. Fifteen wooden crosses were erected. 13 for the victims and two for the perpetrators. This inclusion of the shooters sparked immediate and intense debate within the community and beyond.

The Initial Reaction

Many, including the victims’ families, found the presence of crosses for Harris and Klebold to be deeply offensive. Brian Rohrbough, father of victim Daniel Rohrbough, was particularly vocal, stating:

“It makes me sick to even have to hear the names Klebold and Harris in the same sentence as my kid.”

In protest, he removed the crosses dedicated to the shooters, an act that was both supported and condemned by various groups.

Nuance

Others argued that the crosses for Harris and Klebold were not intended to honor the shooters but to acknowledge the grief of their families. The Klebolds and Harrises, like the victims’ families, lost children that day and were also left to navigate the aftermath of their sons’ actions. Some believed that removing the crosses denied these families a space to mourn.

The Defacement and Removal

The controversy over the memorial crosses escalated when the crosses for Harris and Klebold were repeatedly defaced. Messages such as “Murderers burn in hell” were affixed to the crosses, and some individuals vandalized them with graffiti and other forms of desecration before being removed.

The defacement and removal of the crosses sparked further debate about the appropriate way to memorialize the events of April 20, 1999. Some argued that the actions taken were a form of censorship, while others believed it was a necessary step to prevent the glorification of the perpetrators.

The Permanent Memorial

Despite the controversy, the community eventually established a permanent memorial in Clement Park, behind Columbine High School. Opened in 2007, the Columbine Memorial honors the victims, survivors, and all those affected by the tragedy. It serves as a place for reflection and remembrance, aiming to promote healing and understanding in the years following the event.

Debate

The debate over how to memorialize the events of Columbine continues to this day. Some individuals believe that acknowledging the perpetrators’ families is important for a complete understanding of the tragedy, while others feel that doing so diminishes the memory of the victims.

I personally believe the crosses weren’t meant to honor the shooters, but to acknowledge the complexity of the tragedy. While Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold committed unthinkable acts, they were still human beings who had families and loved ones. People who are now left to grapple with grief in a very public and painful way. In that sense, the memorial isn’t about excusing their actions; it’s about recognizing the wider ripple of loss that extends beyond the victims to include those connected to the perpetrators.

While I see the crosses as a way of acknowledging the complicated layers of grief, I also understand why many of the victims’ families reacted so strongly against them. Their pain was raw, their losses unthinkable. In those early days after the shooting, emotions were still overwhelming. The backlash, in that sense, wasn’t just about the memorial itself, but about the need to protect the dignity of their loved ones in the midst of unimaginable sorrow.

However crosses challenge us to hold space for mourning in all its complexity, even when that space feels uncomfortable or contentious.

( still being updated more will be added ….)

Pages: 1 2