In light of the recent tragedy in Colorado, I would like to recount to you an experience I had the following day. My daughter and I rode over to Farmingdale High School to drop off some gifts for the Headstart Program there and as we approached the back of the school, outside of the boys workshop, we saw a young male with a Mohawk hairdo, shaved on both sides and wearing a black trenchcoat.

To say it was a disturbing sight is an understatement. Not only did it say to me that this young man had very little respect for himself, but he obviously had no respect at all for the victims of the day before. Now I realize that we are all entitled to our freedoms, but perhaps we have gone too far in allowing our young people to do whatever they want.

In my day we had dress codes in school, not a bad idea, as we at least looked like decent human beings; we had respect for the people who made the rules and it taught us how to follow them. Not a high price to pay for all that was given to us. Maybe this young man is trying to make a statement and if he is I would certainly like to know what it is. Is he someone we should be afraid of; are there more like him in this school; could we be another Colorado?

Not so far-fetched these days, as more and more of our young people are becoming violent. Do the parents of this young man agree with him being different and why? Do they listen to him or ask questions? Have we become so used to these violent happenings that we have become blasé? How sad for us if that's true. I would like to know if the principals of our schools ever confront people like this young man to find out just what their purpose is or do we not want to confront?

I am not an alarmist; I hope to God we never have an incident like Colorado, but isn't it worth the time to investigate why these youngsters are doing what they do? To know that we might have a trenchcoat Mafia in our midst is very disturbing and needs looking into. I hope all parents will sit down with their son or daughter and talk about the tragedy that has occurred and pray that it isn't visited upon us. Please, listen and watch your young people, and if you find something that doesn't make sense to you, investigate and ask. It may save a life.

I hope that young man never has to experience what those students in Colorado have gone through. I hope he sees the light.

Margaret Corbett