On December 6th, Marc Lépine went into ÃÂcole Polytechnique with a Ruger Mini 14 semi-automatic rifle, murdered 14 women and wounded 14 others, 10 women and 4 men. In the novel December 6th, Heidi Rathjen tells an eyewitness account of the Montreal Massacre by a student who after the cataclysmic event organized the schools memorial and went on to, with Wendy Cukier, formed the Coalition for Gun Control. Fighting Canada's lax gun law, they forced 2 gun control bills through Parliament. The following essay will discuss their work as well as focus on several other meditations on the tragic events of that day.
Gamil Rodrigue Gharbi was born on October 26th to Rachid Liass Gharbi and Monique Lépine. His parents did not get along; his father verbally and physically abused his mother causing them to divorce when he was only seven years old. When he was seventeen he applied to the Canadian Forces, but was rejected during the interview process.
The Arms of the École polytechnique
Exterior of the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal
Plaque on the exterior wall of École Polytechniqu...Gharbi changed his name to Marc Lépine in 1982 because of the hatred towards his father. His childhood could have been part of the reason why he was the way he was. What was he like? Depressed? Jealous? Afraid? Marc hated feminism, which was his motif for the massacre. His friends and family never saw it coming. ÃÂHe was a quiet person. Always polite. I am surprised he did this.àSaid his landlord, Maurice Dutrisac.( Eglin, Peter. Hester, Stephen. October 2003)(ss3) His landlord said Marc Lépine always paid his rent on time, always at the beginning of the month, but didnÃÂt pay his rent for December.
ÃÂSoon after the shootings, Lépine was labeled a mass murderer, although in one crucial respect his actions did not fit the stereotype. Rather that selection a target group basis of religion, race, social class...