Dear editor,
As a clerk in a video dept I preview a good deal of movies. Recently one of the movies we received was a set of true crime movies.
From my perspective, movies taken from true life people or events can often be far more enthralling than fiction. For this reason I dedicated a weekend to watching the entire set, start to finish.
Imagine my surprise at the end of one of these movies to see a personal thank you to one of my classmates of Warren Area High School, Brent Scarpo.
However, upon reflection I remembered that this story and the young victim's mother were part of a program Brent tried to bring to our local students. At the time schools far and wide were paying to bring this program into their schools. The fee was either being waved or covered for our school....his hometown. Yet a few closed minded individuals decided this was unfit for all students. Talk about burying your head in the sand! No violence, bullying, or prejudice in our little corner of the world....Really?
I applaud the Shepard Family for opening up their family tragedy in hopes of preventing another such senseless act. I applaud Brent for trying to reach all young people and open their eyes to what results can come from one thoughtless decision. One such thoughtless act can never be reversed. The aftermath leaves many victims in its wake.
No one wants to think these things could even happen in their town. No one wants to think a member of their family capable of such; but more and more often such things are in all news.
But the good people of Columbine never thought it could happen there either...
Sincerely,
Tracy Venezia
Warren