Comments on: Bad and Badder

By: Madam Restora

Madam Restora — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 09:51:31 +0000

I think a lot of appauling, evil acts are carried out and explained away with the ambiguous defence of ‘mental illness’. Whatever the young man had, I can guarantee you there are thousands of people with the same condition who do not walk into a classroom and shoot 20 young children.

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:53:35 +0000

Heidi – Thank you, great essay!

Sue and Cricket9 – I will never understand the NRA or the appeal of guns.

By: Cricket9

Cricket9 — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:55:45 +0000

I don’t understand either. The gun sales in Newtown INCREASED after the shooting, and apparently it happens after each shooting.
The mom being “passionate about guns”, having several in the house, teaching her “disturbed” son how to shoot, and not a word about any kind of professional help was her son getting, or rather – not getting.
The numerous comments of Americans on FB along the lines “gun control is not even in the picture, never ever we’ll give up the right to bear arms”. Just in case there is a redcoat in your backyard, behind the shed?
In that context, I agree with a friend who said “you then may just as well let Iran have nukes. Nukes don’t kill people, people kill people, right?”

By: Heidi

Heidi — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:08:46 +0000

Sister, have you read Joan Walsh on the topic? http://www.salon.com/2012/12/18/imagining_nancy_lanza/?source=newsletter

By: Sue

Sue — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:23:42 +0000

I am not American and I find the reactions to this latest school massacre incomprehensible. I read a number of ordinary blogs written by people I like, so why I am reading comments like “there are no words” and “saying prayers” .

No. No. No.

Stop this madness. Why are the arid refrains of the NRA aired so often and not refuted? If I hear one more time the rubbish about guns not killing people I will scream, and as for the madmen who say if the school principal was armed she could have prevented the massacre. Rubbish.

Why does a suburban Mum need to stockpile assault weapons? Why is living in a “free” society so dangerous? What is so frightening about life in America that people are scared of the NRA?

I do not understand.

By: Suspended

Suspended — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:05:42 +0000

I also find your comments justified, Sister. It’s too easy to blame this young man. Anything else would require too much thinking; if we can package him up in a nice “evil” wrapping paper he’ll fit neatly on the shelf and life can get back to normal, quickly, because we’re busy.

Potentially, we are all “evil.” It’s chance that has kept you from such an existence. What he did was horrendous and as much as I feel for the victims, I can’t help but wonder about his obvious anguish. How sick he was. How alone and empty; emotions that will now fester in the hundreds of victims he has created. Even then, I think “at least they have each other.” He had no-one.

As a parent, losing my child is my worst nightmare, but now I picture a bigger nightmare, imagining my child, any child, unloved. It’s all so heart breaking and ugly.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 00:31:04 +0000

I did not find your comments “sensational” or controversial. I believe the act of killing was evil but the young man himself was not. He was a sick individual who fell through the cracks and did not get the help he needed. I am angrier at his mother than I am at him. Why collect assault weapons as a hobby? Why train your emotionally disturbed child to use them? There are other hobbies, other things to collect, and many more constructive ways to bond with your child. I am sick at heart over this. I am starting to wonder if the world can ever be made right.

By: Sister Wolf

Sister Wolf — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:48:05 +0000

Q – The last thing I want is to stir up “ire” or be “sensational.” I’m not talking about gun control because DUH, it’s a given, I have signed countless petitions and have been supporting the Brady organization forever. I’m not talking about poor innocent lives or grieving families because again, it is a given.

I’m bringing up an issue that seems likely to be overlooked and may prove to further stigmatize the mentally ill.

Someone should have intervened to give Adam Lanza the social skills he desperately needed. His father is a millionaire. But he was left alone in the care of a gun-crazed “survivalist” to be “hone-schooled”.

A tragedy for everyone, for all of us.

By: Q

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 22:05:11 +0000

Why would you want your contribution to this discussion to be that Adam Lanza is not evil? Just to be sensational? To stir up ire in the comments section? Well, you got it.
Irresponsible. Insensitive. Rubbish.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 21:59:06 +0000

Unfortunately all of us have design flaws, are mis-wired, broken, bitter or socially inept; unfortunately also, some of us have access to guns.

You cant fix everybody but you can get rid of the fucking guns.

If you don’t then you are putting guns and the gun lobby before the lives of innocents.

I’m sure the parents and families of those poor victims would make all the guns in the world disappear if it would bring back their loved ones.