In light of what happened Monday, March 21, on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, it’s difficult not to think about the killings and wonder what went wrong. It is so sad that innocent people’s lives were snuffed out in a reign of terror that lasted only a few minutes. Two family members, a teacher, a security guard and fellow students lay dead in the wake of Jeff Wiese’s rage – first at the home of his grandfather and then at the high school. What went so terribly wrong? It’s being called the “Columbine Copycat,” because of the seemingly similar behavior – admiration of Neo-Nazi web sites, among other things – of Wiese and the Columbine (Colo.) High School killers. And likely the sheer number of those left dead in both cases also draws comparisons. When we were in high school, I think the most dangerous substance we had to deal with was beer. Drugs meant “aspirin.” There was an occasional “illegitimate birth” – a term that isn’t even part of our vocabulary anymore, since it’s become so common a trend and acceptable in today’s society. Divorce was practically unheard of. If/when these things did happen, they were talked about in whispers and disbelief. And at the end of the day most children went home to a stable, loving environment. Yes, most of us from my era probably grew up in two-parent homes, where Dad went to work every day, and Mom may have worked outside the home, too, but when she came home at night she usually had help from the children. In our neighborhood it was the norm for the children to share in the household chores. We were responsible for much of the inside household work, as well as assisting with outside chores on the farm. It seems nowadays that children have so many material things – cars, TVs, stereos – without having made any investment in obtaining them. Instead they are “given” so much! And we (my generation) as children might have been aware of illness or depression plaguing a parent or family member, but I think much of the time we were shielded from sickness or discord. Was that right or wrong? Was our small town/rural slice of life too isolated? I don’t know the answer, but I do know that by the time we were young adults, unplanned pregnancies and divorce seemed to explode. This baggage from a relatively young adult age, was in turn, often carried throughout adult life. Our generation was slow to grow up and mature, and subsequent generations were even slower. I grew up 30-35 miles from Red Lake, so we encountered Native Americans in our small town. I was reluctant to say this until I read an article in the Star Tribune, but we were generally taught to believe that the Indians were lazy, and someone we should be wary of. The author said, “We in the Twin Cities often hear rumblings of how difficult it is to teach on the Red Lake Reservation.” Well, even living close to the reservation some 40-50 years ago, there was plenty of negative press. It didn’t help their cause that they would come into town and some of the adults would go into the liquor store while the children stayed in the car for hours – heated by the hot summer sun. And I remember that they would occasionally bring fresh fish in a pail – walleye and northern – to sell to the local folks. This was prohibited, but we white folks perpetuated the problem by grabbing up the fish. The point I’m making is that now I know these people probably weren’t any lazier or anymore dangerous than you or me. They were just different from us. With each generation there have been new challenges, greater temptations and bigger obstacles to a contented life. Because it is more difficult than in decades past, and adults carry their problems into middle age and beyond, there is no place for the youth to turn. We were fortunate in that we were able to go to our parents if we had a problem. But now with many adults as confused and troubled as their offspring, whom can the children go to for guidance? And drugs are so commonplace now. (We were shocked when my husband attended a countywide lake meeting this past winter and the participants were warned to keep an eye out for unusual behavior or activity in fishhouses, as meth labs are so rampant now in Wright County.) And it’s not just young people cooking it up! Jeff Wiese must have felt so alone. His own father had committed suicide, and his mother suffered brain injury as the result of a car accident. Then he was moved from Minneapolis to Red Lake to live with his grandfather. There is no excuse for murder! But he must have felt so sad and lonely with the two major adult forces in his life gone – one dead and one incapacitated. We will never know what ultimately drove Jeff Wiese to perform this unspeakable act. But I just have a feeling that if he had grown up in a stable, loving environment like many of my generation did, he wouldn’t have been so alone and angry. But then I think about so many of my peers now, and how bridled with problems and unhappiness they are. We just encountered the frustration later. What is the answer? Why is there so much sadness and discontent in our world?
Sharri Rau is one of three contributors to the Senior Views column. She and her husband, Ray, enjoy living on a small lake and appreciate the slower pace, as well as the natural beauty of the region, that Annandale offers. Both are involved in environmental projects. They have two grandchildren, to whom they are doting grandparents. Sharri adds, “My passion is writing.”
