Statement on the Assault at Evergreen High School

Our hearts, once again, have been torn due to another act of violence perpetrated by a teenager who expressed his rage outwardly against classmates and inwardly against himself. The action of Desmond Holly at Evergreen High School has been wrapped in the language of “radicalization” and “extremism” while increasingly being interpreted through the lens of the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre.

The assault on Evergreen High School has become another experience of terrorism in America. As interpreters point to past events with similar dynamics, I hope we will not overlook several critical aspects of the human experience. One matter that we should remain aware of is that Holly had a suicide agenda. The cases of suicide among teenagers have grown at a phenomenal rate. Although the reasons may range from experiences of bullying to nihilism, without a doubt, the experience of teen life is, for many, leaving little room for imagining a future full of promise and possibility. We should not ignore the impact on the family that Desmond Holly has left behind. Consider the judgment they are experiencing from others and the questions that they must navigate. They are, no doubt, tormented by feelings of guilt and complicated grief.

Another matter we should remain aware of is the trauma borne by those who continue to carry the scars of the Columbine High School Massacre. Iliff’s professors, the late Larry Kent Graham and recently retired Carrie Doehring, partnered to work with the Columbine High School community. They accompanied the survivors through the trauma. Just as the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA is symbolic of the War Between the States, Columbine High School has remained a symbol of terror and trauma within American culture. We must remain aware of the post-traumatic impact every time Columbine is invoked to explain a new traumatic event. Iliff School of Theology remembers with care and compassion the victims and perpetrator, the terrorized and traumatized, the confused family and friends, and the community that carries guilt and shame from the violence that now marks Evergreen High School.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Lee Butler, Jr.

President and CEO of Iliff School of Theology