Goth Style in a Violent Culture

Re “Shedding Light on the Dark Side,” May 2.

I am neither a high school student nor a parent. But having been a Goth, I can identify with the students described in this article, and as a future parent I can understand parents’ desire to keep their children safe.

I take offense at the pigeon-holing and fear associated with one segment of the youthful population. After the horrific tragedy in Littleton, it seems as though everyone is looking for someone to blame. Whether it be a particular style of dress, style of music or the themes of certain books, it is easier to attack elements of culture than to address the real cause of such tragedies: the overwhelming lack of personal responsibility.

Ventura County school trustee Marty Bates was quoted as saying, “It is a violent culture and we have to overcome violent cultures.” But it can’t be done by restricting personal freedoms and neglecting to instill in our children a sense of respect and responsibility.

The emotions that trigger violent behavior are not new emotions. Alienation, loneliness, despair, anger and rage have been around forever. Technology and the social climate of our times cause these feelings to resonate more deeply in our children’s lives.

The only thing we can do to lessen their effect is to raise our children to deal with these emotions constructively. One way to do this is to trust them to express themselves in a manner they choose.

These Goth kids may be a bit misguided and they may be doing these “bizarre” things more out of a desire to be shocking than for true personal expression, but they aren’t harming anyone.

We must be truly involved in our children’s lives. Simi Valley school trustee Norm Walker was correct in saying that we need to help kids see beyond the nihilist philosophy, but no one mentioned how that kind of questioning is essential to discovering one’s identity.

No one is going to change the fact that, for a lot of young people, growing up is a difficult, lonely time. And yes, this loneliness can be enough to send some people over the edge. But it doesn’t have to.

Be involved, parents. Be interested. You are raising our future.

LEA NICOLE OZUNA, Ventura