Because it seems people (not you, but others) want to give this guy an excuse by saying he was mentally unstable and incapable of having rational thought. It's like someone doing the insanity plea, when they're clearly not 100% insane. I'm sorry, I know I'm not the psychology major here, but planning something months if not years in advance, and knowing who your target is...to me shows he is capable of rational thought and is not as 'mentally unstable' as people are trying to label him. Sure he wasn't all right in the head, and of course his behavior was irratic, but there are signs and proof that this was in the works for a long time...and that Giffords was a target for a while. Perhaps I'm wrong, but would a completely mentally unstable person be able to plot something this thorough? Maybe I'm wrong, but I just have a problem with people instantly labeling people as mentally ill. I feel it's a scapegoat for that person's crime, even if that's obviously not your intent.
So this article was brought up on the 7pm Project last night and what I find interesting is that they were talking about how it's sparked new controversy about the loose gun laws the States have.
Yeah, if anything...forgetting about motivations/mental state, this (as tragic as it might be) may lead to better gun laws. It's sad it took this for it to happen, but as Keith Olbermann put it...there is no room for violence in our democracy.
Doubtful. If that didn't happen after Columbine/Virginia Tech/other school shootings, it's not going to happen now, sadly.
Imo. As a psych major.. Having a mental illness can't and does not mean you cannot rationalize things, or have rational thought. This person clearly had issues that lead up to this event. Murder doesn't mean you have a mental illness, though it might be without pretty damn good justification, but one who is mentally ill can murder. Rational thoughts and mental illness aren't mutually exclusive. It doesn't mean they are sound rational thoughts to others, though, but they are capable of rational thoughts and rationalization. Imo, I'd set aside his political motives, and just say he's just crazy.
http://www.aolnews.com/2011/01/10/c...-sentence/?icid=maing|aim|dl1|sec2_lnk2|35773 According to Dr. Park Dietz, a forensics psychiatrist, the shooting has nothing to do with a heated political debate and has everything to do with the distorted thinking that accompanies mental illness. "The real issue here has to do with the fact that serious mental illness can transform any political or religious thought into a justification for murder, assassination, mass murder and genocide," Dietz, president of Park Dietz & Associates, told AOL News. Mental illness does not necessarily make rational thought impossible, it changes the rationale. It distorts thinking. What's logical to this guy is clearly not logical to a healthy person.
If he does escape a jail sentence, he'll probably go to a mental institution if he pleads mentally insane.
She's now breathing on her own and has an "101% chance of survival". It's also now been made illegal to protest at a funeral in AZ, meaning those westboro baptist assholes will all get thrown in jail if they even try it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/jared-loughner-family-statement_n_807703.html
Jon Stewart had some riveting things to say about this tragedy. Think of him not as a comedian, but as one of the last remaining articulate and intelligent people on television: http://tv.gawker.com/5730178/watch-jon-stewarts-poignant-speech-on-the-arizona-shooting
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/01/13/arizona.shooting/index.html She's made a lot of progress. She's opened her eyes, can respond to commands, move body parts...this is incredible.
The thing is, there being nuts like this out there is exactly why Palin and others should probably drop that sort of rhetoric. When they scaremonger they play their part in creating a climate where fear and paranoia on that level are going to seem more legitimate and, whether or not it's their intent, in light of that something along these lines is probably the next logical step for someone with the right kind of mental problems.
It's not anyone's fault but the murderer. But when you have such power and your words reach everyone in the country who's listening, you should still realize there are people out there who aren't stable and can take your words too literally. Why can't politicians just give us a resume and what they stand for? There would be no negativity for crazies to feed off of and stuff like this wouldn't happen. We don't want you to bash your opponents to make yourself seem better. You all look foolish together.
I hate all the scaremongering and tribalism in politics, but it's probably never going to go away. Not in our lifetimes at least.