Where Is The Love?

In light of all the chaos that has taken place over the last several months, and more recently this week, I've decided to blog about the shootings that have or were threatened to have happened. NIU was a horrible tragedy, and knowing that the killings were completely random put fear into us all. I mean, as bad as it sounds, I think we all would have taken just a little bit of comfort if there had been some sort of reason behind the slaughter. You hear about it happening in other schools, its only logical to question the probability of it happening to our own. I'm left to wonder what I would do in similar situation, would I be able to keep myself alive, would I risk my life for the life of a friend? I honestly don't know, its a question that you can never really answer unless you're unfortunate enough to face those terrifying circumstances. I'd like to think that I would be brave, but at the same time I know I would be to frightened to think.

My brother told me about an incident that happened at SWIC (South Western Community College). A student threatened to kill everyone in the school who wasn't quote "emo."

A Southwestern Illinois College student faces charges after police said he threatened to shoot students on Friday at the Belleville campus.

Steven E. Ellis, 21, of 300 Warrensburg, near Belleville, was charged Saturday with one count of falsely making a terrorist threat.

Ellis approached another student Friday and attempted to recruit him in a plan to shoot SWIC students in a plot similar to the shootings at Northern Illinois University the day before, St. Clair County Sheriff's Department Capt. Steve Johnson said.

'The individual that he spoke to didn't want anything to do with the plot and immediately told the college's Public Safety Department,' Johnson said.

Officials in the department then called the sheriff's department, which immediately sent investigators to the campus to pick up Ellis for questioning, Johnson said.

Investigators said they did not know whether Ellis was serious about his plans, but that they were taking the threat seriously.

While Investigator Mike Hundelt interviewed Ellis, other investigators searched Ellis' home, Johnson said.

'We found nothing to substantiate the threat,' Johnson said, noting that, if any weapons or plans were found, Ellis could face a stiffer felony charge that carries a possible penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

Ellis remains in the St. Clair County Jail on $100,000 bail. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

SWIC officials released a statement Saturday regarding Ellis' arrest:

'Southwestern Illinois College has a comprehensive safety policy and procedures in place that brought this to light in a most timely manner,' the release stated.

'This case was handled successfully because of the cooperation of the Southwestern Illinois College Public Safety Department and the Sheriff's Department,' Johnson said. 'We don't want people to be afraid to send their kids to classes; that's why we will act aggressively in pursuing threats at college campuses.'

Further investigation revealed Ellis, who wore black and dressed in 'gothic' fashion, stated he wanted to shoot 'everyone who was not gothic,' Johnson said.

The goth subculture began in the 1980s as an offshoot of the punk music scene and has influenced fashion, hair and makeup styles and music.

The day before police said Ellis made the threats, five students were killed when Steven Kazmeircak, a former NIU student, walked into a geology class and started firing a gun.

In July, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville student Olutosin 'Tosin' Oduwole was charged with making a terrorist threat after police said he ordered several semiautomatic weapons and then found a threat scrawled on a piece of paper in his car, threatening a 'murderous rampage.
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So hearing all of these stories of violence has been making me question human nature. I know I sound like a hippy when I say this, but why can't we all just get along? Where is the love? I've actually heard of a proposed bill to increase student's access to hand guns in light of these events. Uh huh.. that makes so much sense! Let's increase the amount of ammunition that we can posess! I'm sure that's going to make things better... (obvious sarcasm there). I seriously don't understand why humans should be using these weapons on other humans. This issue has been heavily debated for a long time, there will probably never be an agreement, but I just thought I'd share my views on the off chance that I could convince someone else to agree. The violence must end, it's just that simple.