Isabella Clark, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, asserts that the real bully at Stoneman Douglas High School was Nikolas Cruz, not the innocent victims. In the wake of such a devastating incident, it is common for those affected, including witnesses and survivors, to seek someone to blame. Over the past several weeks, various groups—from the NRA to online commentators—have shifted the focus away from the shooter, placing unwarranted blame on the students who survived.
This misguided perspective not only lacks understanding but also reveals a troubling inability to grasp the complexities involved. Isabella Clark’s poignant op-ed in the New York Times, titled “I Attempted to Connect with Nikolas Cruz, Yet He Still Took My Peers’ Lives,” powerfully illustrates this point.
The Misunderstanding of Mental Illness
In her piece, Clark addresses the dangerous notion that if students had been more compassionate towards Cruz, perhaps the tragedy could have been averted. She recounts a distressing encounter from years prior, where Cruz assaulted her in the school cafeteria. Despite this, she attempted to extend a hand of friendship by tutoring him in high school, an effort met with discomfort as he objectified her. Clark argues that the #WalkUpNotOut campaign, which emerged during the #NationalWalkoutDay, would not have changed the outcome of the shooting at their school.
“The suggestion that Mr. Cruz’s mental health issues could have been resolved through increased affection from peers is a profound misunderstanding of mental illness,” she writes. “This dangerous belief risks placing children in harm’s way.” Clark emphasizes that it should not fall on students to place themselves in precarious situations with known aggressors, but rather on school authorities to identify those in need of help and provide appropriate interventions.
Resonating Voices
Her op-ed has resonated widely on social media, as who better to illuminate the realities of the Parkland shooting than a student who lived through it and had personal interactions with the shooter? It raises a critical question: how many times must these survivors declare that Cruz posed a threat before we cease to blame them for the loss of their friends? Is it fair to hold them accountable for not sitting with him during lunch, especially when his violent tendencies were known?
The intricacies of this tragedy extend far beyond mere lessons in kindness. While promoting empathy remains vital, simply encouraging politeness isn’t a sufficient remedy in situations like these.
Understanding True Nature
When someone reveals their true nature, it’s crucial to acknowledge it.
I understand what it feels like to be bullied, to hide in the bathroom during lunch out of fear, and to fake illness just to escape the dread of facing peers. Those experiences stay with you, and you remember the few who showed you kindness. However, the Parkland shooting is a different matter entirely—the shooter was not a victim but a perpetrator.
Offering a friendly gesture to a troubled individual would not have changed the trajectory of Cruz’s actions. “No amount of kindness could have altered who Nikolas Cruz is or the horrific acts he committed,” Clark states. “This reasoning only serves to deflect responsibility from the systemic failures of our schools, our government, and our gun laws.”
Further Reading
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Summary
Isabella Clark, a survivor of the Parkland shooting, challenges the notion that students could have prevented the tragedy by being kinder to Nikolas Cruz. She recounts her attempts to connect with him, arguing that it’s not the responsibility of students to confront known threats. Clark emphasizes the need for systemic accountability instead of placing blame on vulnerable individuals.