to say and thank you ladies and gentlemen for for hearing my heart at this very moment in the cemetery and
southern Denver Chapel Hill Cemetery
they're erecting the 13 crosses that I
think are well known across the country
as a permanent memorial at the head of
my daughter's grave and my heart really
longs to be there with my children
Bethany and her husband Don Dana Craig
and Mike but it's with their blessing
that I'm here today and I appreciate
that I realized that I'm a mere pawn in
today's hearings but I'm a willing pend
because I dare to believe that I can
make a difference every once in a while
a pond has been used to checkmate a king
and I have no hidden agenda
and of course I have no political
aspirations I simply speak to you as a
broken hearted father and only ask that
you allow your heart to hear me for the
next few minutes
since the dawn of
creation there's been both good and evil
in the heart of men and women and we all
contain those seeds we contain the seeds
of kindness and the seeds of violence
and the death of my wonderful daughter
Rachel joy Scott and the deaths of that
heroic teacher and the other 11 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 at the NCAA the National Club
Association the true killer was Kane and
the reason for the murder could only be
found in his 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'm not a
hunter I do not even own a gun I'm not
here to represent or to defend the NRA
because I don't believe they're
responsible for my daughter's death
therefore I don't believe they need to
be defended by me if I believe 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 focusing us to look
at where the real blame lies much of
that blame lies here in this room
much of that blame lies behind
pointing fingers of the accusers
themselves
I'll wrote a point just four
nights ago that expressed my feelings
best and it was written before I knew
that I would be speaking here today and
I'd like to read that
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 have a body and we have a soul and we
have a spirit and I believe we fail to
recognize that third element that really
does need to be recognized by the
legislative bodies of this country
that's been ignored for so long
spiritual influences were present within
our educational systems for most of our
nation's history many of our major
colleges began as theological seminaries
and we know this is a historic fact
what has happened to us as a nation we've
refused to honor God and in doing so we
open the doors to hatred and violence
and when something is terrible as
columbines tragedy occurs
politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA
they immediately seek to pass
more restrictive laws that continue to
erode away our personal and private
liberties we don't need more restrictive
laws
Eric and Dylan would not have been
stopped by more gun laws or metal
detectors no amount of laws can stop
someone who spends months of 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 and there is a spiritual awakening that's taking place that will not be squelched
we don't need more religion we don't need more gaudy television evangelist spewing out verbal religious garbage we do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people are there basic needs are being ignored
we do need a change of heart and humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle
of simple trust in God
when my son Craig lay under that table
in the school library and saw his two
friends murdered before his very eyes he
didn't hesitate to pray in school and I
defy any law or politician to don to
deny him that right
I challenge every young person in America and around the world to realize that on April 20th 1999 at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools
don't 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 conscience and denies your god-given right to communicate with him
and 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 you cast the first
stone
my daughter's death will not be in vain
the young people of this country
will not allow that to happen
and remember that even a pond and a
master's hand can accomplish much