Last night on FRONTLINE there was a special on
what motivated 15 year old Kip Kinkle into murdering his parents, 2 high
school students and attempting to murder 22 other students. The most
troublesome to law enforcement officers was that Kip came from a
well-to-do family and was raised in a loving home. His parting words to
his Mother just before he shot her in the back of her skull was, "I love you
Mother". In his taped interview with the police after his arrest he sobbed, "
My parents were good people, I loved them, but I had to do it...." Then he
yelled, "Damn these voices in my head...."
What struck me about Kip was that he was NOT the
teen with the weird hairdo or leather jacket and chains. He was NOT the teen
that drank and smoked pot and swore and had a outward tough attitude, rather,
Kip was a shy, clean-cut, small in stature and withdrawn teen. He had a
fascination with guns and knives and explosives. His father in trying to find
something in common with him purchased a gun and he and Kip would go shooting
- ironically this weapon would be the one that would end his life. In
retrospect, everyone has an opinion about why Kip did what he did. By his own
confession he was filled with despair, sadness, doubt and fears. He wanted to
die, yet lacked the courage to kill himself. A life without Christ is
hopeless. If there be ANY virtue in life, anything that is beautiful, and
pure, honest and good - think on these things and thank Jesus for HIS mercy
and grace.
Our joy is our strength, remind your Rangers
that only Jesus can set us free. What about Kip? Kip has been sentenced to 110 years in
prison without parole......
Cdr-Jen
