Friday Opinion
Read Kay Coles James, Marc A. Thiessen, Tony Perkins, David Harsanyi, Michael Reagan and more.
Best of Right Opinion
- Kay Coles James: Remembering Columbine, 19 Years Later
- Marc A. Thiessen: The Senate Must Confirm Pompeo
- Tony Perkins: GOP Senses Gravity of NASA Vacancy
- David Harsanyi: Comey’s Handling of Hillary Clinton Shows Us He’s No Hero
- Michael Reagan: The Sad State of My California
For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.
Opinion in Brief
Kay Coles James: “Nineteen years ago today, Americans turned on the news. And we saw it: The harrowing footage of students running out of Columbine High School. I learned later the Columbine attackers tried to prevent those students from leaving. They planted a powerful bomb in the school cafeteria and set it to go off when the room would be full of kids. The bomb didn’t explode, thank God, but if it had, police say hundreds would have died. As it was, the attackers took 13 precious lives, injured 24 other students and teachers, and left a scar in our nation’s soul that remains with us still. … This solemn anniversary needs to be a day for both mourning and commitment. Nothing can bring back the lives and innocence lost 19 years ago, but we can — and must — resolve to take the action that has yet to be completed. … That means taking real action on the many warning signs of danger that tend to come to light only after an attack has occurred. It means recognizing and proactively treating mental illness, which has afflicted so many of those involved in mass public attacks. It also means putting an end to bullying, which the Secret Service says was a factor in two-thirds of America’s premeditated school attacks. It means taking concrete steps to secure our schools and improve law enforcement. And it means taking a hard look at the crises in our culture — including media violence, broken families, and the absence of faith — that are present in so many of these attacks. … Let’s not let another 19 years — or even another 19 days — go by without getting serious about school safety.”