Regarding the attempted assassination of Representative Gabrielle Giffords

[sorcyress]

I feel so young right now. Wide eyes, and looking to the grown-ups for an explanation, because nothing so far makes sense.

"But why would someone hurt¹ someone else? I thought hurting was bad. "

I really want my mommy.

R.


1: You're an intelligent lot. I shouldn't have to clarify this. But nonconsensually hurt someone. Duh.

Comments

[xalolo.livejournal.com]

By all accounts, mental illness :(

Sad story, all around.

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

Fah. Mental illness =/= violent asshole. Nor does it equal an excuse for being a violent asshole. Many (hell, most) people with mental illness manage to make it through the day just fine without killing anyone.

~Sor

[gnibbles.livejournal.com]

Explaining this horror away with a pithy "mental illness" is a serious disservice to all the people that suffer from it, and come out as beautiful people despite (and because of) it. (And even those who maybe sometimes don't.)

[xalolo.livejournal.com]

That's true, mental illness is a broad term that does encompass both functional and seriously impaired individuals. The fact of the matter though, is that this individual was deeply disturbed and it likely played a heavy role in what happened yesterday.

Yes, many people with mental illnesses both mild and severe make it through the day, year, and even their entire life without doing bad things to people. But others don't have good support systems, proper medical care, or any capacity to control their disease. People in situations like that are much more vulnerable to losing touch with reality and the ethics and morals they would otherwise have.

[gnibbles.livejournal.com]

That is true. I feel like that is another problem with our society -- not with politics in particular, but with our culture as a whole, starting with ourselves as people and going all the way up to government and more. Of course, no idea how to improve it. :(

[marcmagus]

Without comment on whether your assertion of his mental illness is accurate (I have no opinion one way or the other), it's neither necessary nor sufficient to explain his actions. Your original comment suggests it is both.

At most, it is a contributing factor. It's also possible it's a true but irrelevant fact.

[marcmagus]

I sometimes like to use "harm" as non-ambiguous.