Defenders and Debunkers

Abstract

At the heart of the entire Columbine martyrs phenomenon—both in its religious and political dimensions—are simple questions of fact. Were Cassie Bernall and Rachel Scott asked at gunpoint if they believed in God? Did each of the girls declare their faith and die a martyr’s death? In short, what really happened? These are simple questions. I cannot, however, offer simple or definitive answers given the available evidence. An unknown quantity of evidence collected by law enforcement agencies remains unavailable to the public. Not only are we limited by what is available, the quality of the material is uneven and often ill-suited for resolving the questions I am asking.