Anger and Violence

In the last year and a half, school shootings have killed at least 29 people. What causes teens to be violent? It's an age-old question that we may never know the answer to.

Whom do we blame? Who or what is the cause of violence among teens? A recent CNN gallup poll showed that teens blame themselves, not the media or gun manufactures. 40% of all respondents said that peer issues were the cause of all the school shooting at Columbine, with 16% voting that it was personal problems, 7% saying that it was because warning signs were ignored, and 4% that parents and family were to blame.

So what can we as teens do to prevent violence and detect warning signs? The first thing to do is: if you suspect anyone may act violently towards you, your friends, or even your enemies, alert a teacher or any responsible adult that you feel comfortable with. You may think that's like being a tattle-tale, but the many victims of the Columbine shooting wished there was a tattle-tale to stop the rampage before it began.

One thing we can possibly learn from Columbine and the other school shootings is that the kids that killed their peers were unhappy. It's important that teens around the country learn that neglecting and teasing a peer can push them over the edge and make them do crazy things. Peers may not be the sole cause of violence, but by accepting or at least respecting our fellow classmates and friends, we can help prevent violence and other tragic outbursts.

What ever you do, if you see any sign of anger that could possibly lead to violence, alert someone who can responsibly take care of it. It could save your life and the lives of others.