Marilyn Manson: Scapegoat or Wisdom in Tragedy?

In the aftermath of the Columbine school massacre in 1999, Marilyn Manson's music was used as a scapegoat for savagery. Lyrics like "You'll understand when I'm dead" (Manson, Antichrist Superstar) were damned by the media. Michael Moore, a documentary filmmaker, asked Manson what he would say to the shooters. Contrary to perception and public image, Manson procured an unprecedentedly insightful response, which was, "I wouldn't say a single word to them. I would listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did" (Moore, Bowling for Columbine). Seventeen years after Columbine, Manson's sentiments remain as sonorous and relevant a clarion call as when they were first uttered, evidenced by the fact that there are more mass shootings in

Geraldine Hills put a strong emphasis on debate and productive argumentation in the "Better Gun Policy” workshop. She believes that the exploration and analysis of policies is enhanced when every voice is heard. Very often, there is more consensus than expected. World leaders should have employed more of these tactics in the early 21st century. There have been 242,000 violent deaths in Iraq since 2003, 156,033 to 174,490 of those being civilians ("Iraq Body Count"). With the rise of the ISIS in the past few years, it's hard to argue that anything was accomplished through such carnage. According to the encyclopedia Britannica, "diplomacy is the principal substitute for the use of force or underhanded means in statecraft; it is how comprehensive national power is applied to the peaceful adjustment of differences between states." The world needs more diplomacy and a vehement aversion to violence. In negotiations, wars that cause the death of a quarter of a million people should only be entered in absolute desperation, when all other peaceful options have been exhausted. Diplomats and politicians should "know themselves" and speak to each other with mindful consideration to achieve these