In the novel Frankenstein, Dr. Victor Frankenstein creates a creature that is horribly, brutally hideous. The creature has a heart of gold and a beautiful soul. It is eager to learn and be part of the society it sees around it. But the creature is rejected, insulted, beaten, and hated by everyone it meets. Soon enough the creature becomes a violent and hateful monster, killing people close to it and destroying its home.

The question inevitably arises: who is responsible for the damage wrought by the creature? The creature, Dr. Frankenstein, or the people who abused it? It's a tangled ethical conundrum.

A year and a week ago, two American youths armed themselves and carried out a plan to kill people close to them and destroy their home, before killing themselves. This was not the first time American youths had used firearms to kill schoolmates at their school, but the April 20, 1999 killing spree at Littleton, Colorado was the most media-covered school massacre. The kind of tragedy where most people remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard about it.

Schools are supposed to be second homes. It goes without saying that students should feel safe, comfortable, and happy at school. They're all there for the same reason. They're all stuck in the same boat of studying for the same diploma exams and going to the same assemblies. One would think there would be some sort of solidarity.

Instead, there's certain people who are convinced that there's one way to be, and whoever adheres the most closely to that recipe is the "best". This generally involves buying the right clothes, buying the right cds, buying the right cars, styling your hair like the right advertisements, buying the right magazines, and dating the right people.

Ironically, those who don't, or can't, adhere to these criteria are not left out of the system. Another of the rules determining who are the best people is who abuses the people who don't follow these rules. One would think that the "cool" people would want nothing to do with the people who aren't. Instead those who would prefer to follow other rules and guidelines are kept within the "cool" system, constantly reminded that they are inferior.

Now, marking one year since the Littleton shootings, it is natural to solemnly reflect on that event. It is logical for everyone to strive to understand the cause of the tragedy, to prevent further similar violence. I hope that people do not decide to be more vigilant in picking out freaks and outcasts and separating them from the "healthy" population to prevent them from hurting innocent people. Separation was what sparked the violence.

We have to take this moment to reflect on society, on the social dynamics of large groups. How kind are people to other people today? Why are kindness and joy not the standard, the default manner to greet someone, used until another manner is necessary? Why were the Littleton killers so angry? Hundreds of thousands of other people listen to the same music and watch the same movies. Why did they shoot a home video before the massacre, picking out certain types of people?

Those two youths were not innocent, by any stretch of the imagination. But now is not the time to shrug blame onto victims-turned-criminals. Now we must ponder that tragedy as a symptom of a loveless environment. The two killers were likely tired of defending themselves, of being spit on and laughed at.

If we don't want people to turn into Frankenstein's monster, we shouldn't treat them like monsters.