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NOTE: Darrell Scott, father of Columbine High School shooting victim
Rachel Scott, gave stirring testimony before a subcommittee of the U.S.
House of Representatives Judiciary Committee. Mr. Scott's testimony was so
powerful that a lot of folks who receive an email about it doubt its
authenticity. It is true, however. His remarks were before the subcommittee
on crime of the House Judiciary Committee on May 27, 1999 at the
Rayburn House office building in Washington, D.C. TruthOrFiction.com has a
transcript of it. (
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/d/darrellscott.htm )
DARRELL SCOTT TESTIMONY
Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm?
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, and 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. This was written way before
I knew I would be speaking here today:
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, soul, 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 reek 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. 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! We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy
television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need
more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are
being ignored. We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that
this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!
"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!"
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