At 11:09 AM 12/17/2012, Sean Andrews wrote:
>On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 9:24 AM, shag carpet bomb <shag at cleandraws.com>wrote:
>
> > Cullen actually argues that it is imperialist violence and warfare on the
> > part of the US that is connected to these sorts of killings. In that
> > climate, we see more and more pscyhopathology.
>
>
>I am sort of surprised no one has brought up Mark Ames book Going Postal in
>this thread so far - but maybe I missed it. He makes many of the same
>observations as Richard about the emasculating abuse of workers by their
>superiors and also notes that there is a sense in which the psychotic
>element is actually indicative of some recalcitrant nugget of rationality
>on their part.
>
>He doesn't celebrate this, just profiles a swath of the workplace rage
>murders and notes that it is no surprise that many of the people who will
>defy the social norm are also a little off mentally.
>
>"Several things are interesting about Nat Turner's doomed, gory rebellion.
>First, Turner was clearly delusional and yet his response to the madness of
>slavery was, from our vantage point today, the most sane and heroic of all.
>Joseph Wesbecker (perpetrator of one of a string of workplace shooting
>sprees) suffered from depression and was belittled for having a persecution
>complex and for being generally crazy, yet some of the normal people who
>worked with him sympathized with his attack on the company. The fact that
>Nat Turner may have been schizophrenic of delusional does not disqualify
>the inherent political nature of his rebellion. Rather, it suggests that
>sometimes only someone not mentally healthy - not normal - is capable of
>rising up against objectively awful injustice. A normal, healthy person
>finds a way to accept his condition, no matter what."
>
>He goes on to offer a similar critique of Cullen's article on Harris and
>Klebold, e.g. "Blaming evil or psychology is far more comforting [than
>examining the context for actual enraging elements]. Cullen even admits
>this, calling his explanation for Columbine 'more reassuring, in a way.'"
>
>In the present context - which I've found deeply disturbing - I think it is
>worth exploring the fact that, whatever this kid's mental status, his
>mother was a bit nuts as well. The Telegraph reports that she was one of
>the rather nutty crowd called "preppers"
>
>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/9749217/Connecticut-school-shooting-Adam-Lanzas-mother-was-preparing-for-disaster.html
>
>BLOCKQUOTE
>
>Nancy Lanza, whose gun collection was raided by her son Adam for Friday's
>massacre at Sandy Hook school, was part of the "prepper" movement, which
>urges readiness for social chaos by hoarding supplies and training with
>weapons.
>
>"She prepared for the worst," her sister-in-law Marsha Lanza told
>reporters. "Last time we visited her in person, we talked about prepping
>are you ready for what could happen down the line, when the economy
>collapses?"
>
>BLOCKQUOTE END
>
>These proud, survivalist views were discussed around town, with anyone who
>would listen, and made her possession of a high powered assault rifle seem
>rational. No doubt she had shared these views with her seemingly "off" son
>on some level. What part the local elementary school played in this. In
>any case, there is certainly a combination of factors here, but it is
>inarguable that, without a high powered assault rifle, he couldn't have
>mowed down 20 first graders and their teachers in a matter of minutes.
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