Galt's Gulch

Add Comment

FORMATTING HELP

All Comments Hide marked as read Mark all as read

    -
  • Posted by WWJGD 13 years, 8 months ago
    It's as predictable as rain in Oregon.

    Anytime there's a tragedy: Blame the gun owners. Blame the Preppers.

    Because once you have demonized someone, then you have made him less than human. And if s/he is not a human being, then s/he has no human rights, does s/he?

    So you can start taking away his rights. And not feel any twinge of guilt over it.

    Including the ultimate right: the right to Life. Because, after all, this person isn't really human... right?

    All of which leads directly to loading people in rail cars.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
      -
    • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
      Do you really think rail cars will be used? I'm thinking drones. As long as they're not made with union labor, because that would make them more expensive than thugs.
      Also, this is the first time I've heard the word "preppers." I don't like it. it reminds me of being part of a fraternal society. The opposite of Individual.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
    -
  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 13 years, 8 months ago
    The tenor of the article brings to mind the quote from former Whitehouse chief of staff Rahm Emanuel—“Never let a crisis go to waste”. I do however believe that the mother, knowing she had a child in the house with mental issues, should have taken better precautions in securing the weapons against unauthorized use.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
      -
    • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
      it's the first time I read about the mental health issues. Have you read that viral piece on I am (not writing the shooter's name anywhere to keep the infamy going) mother? Interestingly, it did not refer to guns-but anything that could be lethal. It was emotionally charged and hooked me at the beginning-but when I was done sloughing off the emotional part, you could sum it up as someone saying they needed help, the system needs to provide more, it's no one's fault, it's everyone's fault, and a desperate plea for Obamacare to ramp up mental health benefits. I'm being a little cynical here, but I saw lots of solutions in the drama described and not one of them involved public schools or government. :)
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        -
      • Posted by LetsShrug 13 years, 8 months ago
        As you know I don't have facebook...I had no idea what "viral piece" you were referring to when I read this earlier, but my husband just ran across what I believe is the same blog. I will post it here for those others in the Gulch who haven't gone to the dark side (facebook)...which probably only means I'm posting it for what's-his-head...itisntluck. I feel really bad for these mom's who have to deal with fearing their kids. (Although, as I mentioned to my husband, who brought this up when I mentioned Aspergers, she does NOT mention Aspergers as one of the many possible diagnosis. Not sure if that has any meaning at all, but from what I've seen and read violence isn't a usual trait with it.) http://anarchistsoccermom.blogspot.com/2...
        Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
    -
  • Posted by LetsShrug 13 years, 8 months ago
    Being a prepper has nothing to do with paranoia..it has to do with being prepared. How do we know the guns weren't under lock and key and he got them out? We don't know if he's ever shown any signs of violence before (violence with an aspergers is not typical behavior, they lack empathy and do not understand others emotions or queue into facial expressions of others and are usually very smart in certain areas, and lack social skills), so perhaps there was no way for his mother to see this coming. I refuse to blame her. Everybody wants to place blame somewhere...guns, the Mom, the mental health professionals...how about we just blame the shooter? There will be more shooters, lets focus on how to stop shooters once their shooting...none of the rest who might "be to blame" won't matter in that moment anyway.... THAT'S the issue we need to address the most, and first.
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
      -
    • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
      I should have read your post before I wrote mine. :)
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        -
      • Posted by LetsShrug 13 years, 8 months ago
        I don't even think "mental illness" fits into aspergers...aspergers and autism have close ties and don't hear anyone saying autism is a mental illness....but I'm no Dr.
        Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
          If you look it up, you are correct. It is classified as a brain disorder. I did watch a program on autism and teenage rebellion once. It can be the fixings for a bad time, but that is not a given. Other than that, I would just be throwing in my anecdotal observations. I will say, I find it hard to believe that all households with AS members with guns and a strong sense of preparedness makes for a disaster waiting to happen.
          Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
    -
  • Posted by terrycan 13 years, 8 months ago
    As the facts come out this sounds more and more like a disaster waiting to happen. The shooter suffered from aspergergers syndrome. People with AS often do not have the emotion of guilt. The Mom was a doomsday prepper. She was hoarding supplies. The son was trained to shoot. Add paranoia, guns, and mental illness. What could go wrong/
    Reply | Mark as read | Best of... | Permalink  
      -
    • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
      I read some of that. I am reserving judgement on the "prepper" business. Hmmm, who might have wanted THAT to be part of the picture? Being prepared in case of economic collapse when there are clear signs it could occur is not paranoia. I don't know enough about AS to say much, but I will say it is not unreasonable for someone with AS to know how to shoot a gun.
      Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        -
      • Posted by terrycan 13 years, 8 months ago
        We all make judgement calls everyday. A certain amount of prepping is reasonable. I maintain a supply of hand tools. We need less gun control not more.
        Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
          -
        • Posted by Non_mooching_artist 13 years, 8 months ago
          I have tools, a bat, some canned goods..... Am I going to be scrutinized because I go to Costco on occasion? I could throw a 28oz can of tomatoes. That would hurt. Does that make me armed and dangerous? Oh, and a cat with all of his claws.... I could launch him.... I'm trying not to laugh right now. We know a few people who have kids that have Asperger's and autism, respectively. The one w/aspergers is the most laid back kid I know. He tends to go in phases of obsessing over things, but never prone to violence. The other child with autism tends to have outbursts, but not violent. Verbal, not physical.
          Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
            -
          • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
            lol. I have this really heavy ice cream scoop. I think you should get some more cats. everyone knows with a cat lady it's just a matter of time...
            seriously, levity is exactly what you need right now before you pick up the kids from school
            Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        -
      • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 13 years, 8 months ago
        Hello khalling,
        I have regular exposure to two young men who have AS. One is now seventeen, the other is ten. The first has become relatively well adjusted through therapy, though I would not allow him access to firearms. The second one is worse off. I do not see him becoming capable of holding a job of even the most rudimentary kind. There is quite a bit of variability in the level of incapacity, but also there are often enhanced capabilities in some areas; they are somewhat savant like in this respect. Both of them display a lack of self control/ temper and the younger one will become violent when his routine is interrupted. Because they don’t always have the same level of impairment some can quite easily pass for someone responsible with only brief exposure. Many are quite capable, even very proficient at mechanical tasks.
        Respectfully,
        O.A.
        Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        • Posted by khalling 13 years, 8 months ago
          Thanks for the clarification OA. I only have experience with one autistic young man. He is also high functioning but will meltdown when his routine is interrupted. He has never been violent, though. He is also supervised with a counselor at college and his parents have the ability to monitor his emails. He does not take medication. I don't know medically how things are handled with AS and Autism. IT seems more of a controlled environment thing? When I was reading more today, although the parents referred to the monster as having AS, authorities have no evidence there was a medical diagnosis.
          Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  
        • Posted by Non_mooching_artist 13 years, 8 months ago
          Very true. Therapy is a must. The young man we know is a college freshman, and is doing quite well. But he has a counselor at the university that checks in to make sure he's doing ok, taking meds, etc. Very good with computers, and any kind of technology related to them.
          Reply | Mark as read | Parent | Best of... | Permalink  

FORMATTING HELP

  • Comment hidden. Undo