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Old 01-11-2011, 08:23 PM   #1
C. David Henderson
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Tucson

A beautiful place; a horrible tragedy. No politics; grief. The shooter's family is shattered along with those of the victims. Horror. And heroism; like the elderly man who saved his wife's life by shielding her with his body; or the intern who saved the congresswoman's life by using his hand as a compress over her head wound; or the folks who wrestled the shooter to the ground. And the appearance of evil, overlain upon suffering, in the face of a killer's booking photo.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 06:42 AM   #2
lbb
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Re: Tucson

David, I agree with most of what you say. But no politics? That's naive. People like to call events like this "senseless" because it absolves them of trying to understand, much less act, or out of a mistaken belief that understanding the reasons and causes of an evil act equals agreeing with it. In reality, acts like this are not "senseless": they have causes, and politics was one of the causes in Tucson. Politics most certainly played a part in this tragedy: in the painting of a target, in the use of violence-laden language in political diatribes, in the creation of public policies that created easy access to firearms, failed to prevent access for the mentally unstable despite past tragedies that clearly indicated the need, and cut treatment and programs for the mentally ill. And more. "No politics"...no, no.
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Old 01-12-2011, 07:35 AM   #3
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Mary Malmros wrote: View Post
politics was one of the causes in Tucson.
Well, they've now interviewed schoolmates and neighbors of the shooter and he appears to have mainly been a pot-smoking, anti-war lefty radical. Documents found in his house and statements by acquaintances indicate that he had some sort of fixation about Giffords, who was a Democrat. The shooter also had a history of mental problems and a history of run-ins with the law (although for some reason they can't find a record of arrests and the mother is an employee of the Pima County board of commissioners).

There sounds like some inter-weaving of politics, but not much. Sounds like the guy had a screw loose. Lefty, pot-smoking radicals don't usually shoot Dems for political reasons. Nowadays, the problems more often bring into questions why we allow so many people with mental disorders to range free within society.

2 cents.

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 07:41 AM   #4
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

Hi Mary,

Thanks for your response.

When I wrote "no politics," I was talking about my own response, primarily, and a desire -- political if you will -- to find what we have in common, not what separates us.

Oh, BTW, there is this from a well-known psychiatrist to suggest the contrary hypothesis to the one you've offered.

http://www.salon.com/news/jared_loug...hrenia_and_why

From the times I've been involved in cases involving paranoid schizophrenia, I was inclined to agree with the view presented there.

The best way to have prevented this tragedy or another, IMO is make treatment available for the Jared's of the world. (And maybe to renew the assault-weapon ban?)

A measure of how effective modern drugs are at controlling the symptoms of this disease is how relatively simple it is to treat someone like Jared to competency after they commit a crime so they can stand trial. Perverse, but true.

As for violent rhetoric, I think without saying there is a causal link we can reject violent language because, as human beings, we reject it as wrong, just as we might reject a celebration of senseless violence in a film, music, or video game -- without hypothesizing a connection between them and a specific violent crime.

Which brings me, personally, back to my response to the human tragedy....

Take care

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 07:46 AM   #5
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

Mike,

Oddly enough, there are signs that this guy stopped smoking pot in '09, and then got worse.

Not a typical pattern for the onset of his disease.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 07:56 AM   #6
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
Mike,

Oddly enough, there are signs that this guy stopped smoking pot in '09, and then got worse.

Not a typical pattern for the onset of his disease.
I just looked it up... apparently the shooter had his encounter with Giffords in 2007 that he seemed to fixate upon. He even kept a momento from the day. I.e., the indications are that whatever set him off had an inception that pre-dates any current political discussions.

FWIW

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 08:07 AM   #7
lbb
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
The best way to have prevented this tragedy or another, IMO is make treatment available for the Jared's of the world. (And maybe to renew the assault-weapon ban?)
Both of which I said, and both of which didn't happen due to politics.

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
As for violent rhetoric, I think without saying there is a causal link we can reject violent language because, as human beings, we reject it as wrong, just as we might reject a celebration of senseless violence in a film, music, or video game -- without hypothesizing a connection between them and a specific violent crime.
I wish I had a copy of Karma Cola with me. If I did, there's a passage I'd love to quote you about the insanity of believing that indulging in anger can ever result in anything but more anger, and actions based in anger.
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Old 01-12-2011, 09:41 AM   #8
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

Hi Mary,

Yep, you did say both of those things, and I only focused on the idea that separated us -- so much for my ambitions to find common ground, I guess.

I'd agree that one of the reasons violent rhetoric is "wrong" is that it perpetuates violence, most often in ways that are difficult to trace or to see. There is simply so much violence in the world. To the extent political speech played a role in either shaping or targeting this act of violence is difficult to say.

I'd also say, however, that on one level violence is an overdetermined response, given the world we live in, for anyone who is susceptible to being influenced to commit a specific act of violence because, for example, the "targeting" of Congresswoman Gifford's district, the talk of "Second Amendment Remedies," or "Don't Retreat; reload," in connection with the last election.

At the same time, political reasons may tend in many -- but not all --cases to amplify the victim count when killers clothe themselves in the mantle of an assassin.

Here, on a human level, I can't say the Tucson shooting was worse than the shooting a few years ago at, say, the W. Va. university, which cost more lives.

On a political level, I can't even say the Tucson shooting was worse because it involved highly placed public figures as well as other innocent victims -- the chapter of our response to this tragedy as a nation has yet to be written fully, and since nothing really came of, for example, the W. Va. episode, any positive outcome here would arguably be an improvement.

There are also, I believe, better examples of causation to be found since the '08 elections -- where deranged people acted violently and then explained their reasons in terms of the language and ideas they'd absorbed on cable news.

But I think the case against violent political rhetoric in our society may become politically stronger now because all members of Congress are thinking about that person they had an encounter with that scared them, and seeing they have some interests in common.

Regards,

Last edited by C. David Henderson : 01-12-2011 at 09:43 AM.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 11:03 AM   #9
Marc Abrams
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Re: Tucson

Most of my work involves conducting forensic, psychological evaluations. I have a large base of experience upon which I reflect upon the tragedy of last weekend. My thoughts are as follows:

1) This young man, most likely is in the early stages of paranoid schizophrenia. This is a terrifying descent into severe mental illness. I am frankly astounded that his family did not act in a more assertive manner in having him assessed and treated my mental health professionals. I have worked with numerous families at the early stages in assessing and creating treatment plans for young people who were developing severe mental illnesses. It is not uncommon for the families to initially play Ostrich and not want to acknowledge and act upon what they see. The longer they wait, the worse off things tend to be. As shocked and upset as his parents might be, his parents have a degree of responsibility for not actively seeing to it that their son was evaluated by mental health professional.

2) The violent rhetoric involved in politics today is not directly responsible for what happened, but it is tangentially responsible. There is a saying that there is no such thing as a dumb paranoid. Paranoia involves a relatively high level of intellect. It takes quite a bit of intellectual capacity to find small bits of information and weave them into some themes that remains relatively stable and coherent to the person formulating the themes. This young man, obsessed with the primary victim was obviously exposed to some violent rhetoric that was directed towards the congresswoman during her last campaign. As is typical of a paranoid process, some of this information was most likely taken grossly out of proportion and forced to fit within the mental themes that he created about her. There is too much inflammatory, violent rhetoric for a mentally intact person to hear and not have some emotional response. The impact upon people with severe disturbances in thinking and affect is likely to be idiosyncratic and most likely not helpful to their fragile states.

3) I am glad that the Sheriff of Pima County mentioned the issue of gun control. Handguns are primarily designed to shoot other people. That standard clip for a Glock 9 mil. hold 15 bullets. The assailant was using clips that held 30 bullets. I am not asking people to deny a person a reasonable right to carry a reasonable firearm. What is wrong with directly linking "Freedom" to "Responsibility?" What exactly is a civilian use for a 30 round clip? We have gun control laws that have been intentionally created to be ineffective and essentially useless. We have people who have no problem advocating for rights without any apparent responsibility. What will it take for reasoned minds to come up with sensible laws that balance both responsibility and freedom?

The tragedy that we face can present us with opportunities to gain greater awareness about mental illness, so that we can dispel negative stigmas and continue to force insurance companies and state agencies to provide appropriate services and reimbursements for the services. We, as a nation, can stop pretending that all speech is "free." Words have cognitive and emotional meanings to them. Our political discourse has been divisive and filled with violent rhetoric at a time when our nation demands of our politicians a united effort to help our country out of the many problems that we are currently stuck in. Agreeing to disagree should be the new standard. It would be nice if we as a nation, would move away from the notion of gun control and move toward some discussion or reasonable firearm manufacturing, ownership, and usage.

I sadly believe that the bipartisanship that this tragedy has created will soon fall apart because of the disproportionately loud voices on the left and right that are already starting to unleash the overly distorted and emotional rhetoric that has poisoned our country to a sickening degree already. I hope that our politicians prove me wrong.

Marc Abrams
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Old 01-12-2011, 11:19 AM   #10
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

Hi Marc. Thank you for your thoughts.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 12:09 PM   #11
Eric Joyce
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
Most of my work involves conducting forensic, psychological evaluations. I have a large base of experience upon which I reflect upon the tragedy of last weekend. My thoughts are as follows:

1) This young man, most likely is in the early stages of paranoid schizophrenia. This is a terrifying descent into severe mental illness. I am frankly astounded that his family did not act in a more assertive manner in having him assessed and treated my mental health professionals. I have worked with numerous families at the early stages in assessing and creating treatment plans for young people who were developing severe mental illnesses. It is not uncommon for the families to initially play Ostrich and not want to acknowledge and act upon what they see. The longer they wait, the worse off things tend to be. As shocked and upset as his parents might be, his parents have a degree of responsibility for not actively seeing to it that their son was evaluated by mental health professional.

2) The violent rhetoric involved in politics today is not directly responsible for what happened, but it is tangentially responsible. There is a saying that there is no such thing as a dumb paranoid. Paranoia involves a relatively high level of intellect. It takes quite a bit of intellectual capacity to find small bits of information and weave them into some themes that remains relatively stable and coherent to the person formulating the themes. This young man, obsessed with the primary victim was obviously exposed to some violent rhetoric that was directed towards the congresswoman during her last campaign. As is typical of a paranoid process, some of this information was most likely taken grossly out of proportion and forced to fit within the mental themes that he created about her. There is too much inflammatory, violent rhetoric for a mentally intact person to hear and not have some emotional response. The impact upon people with severe disturbances in thinking and affect is likely to be idiosyncratic and most likely not helpful to their fragile states.

3) I am glad that the Sheriff of Pima County mentioned the issue of gun control. Handguns are primarily designed to shoot other people. That standard clip for a Glock 9 mil. hold 15 bullets. The assailant was using clips that held 30 bullets. I am not asking people to deny a person a reasonable right to carry a reasonable firearm. What is wrong with directly linking "Freedom" to "Responsibility?" What exactly is a civilian use for a 30 round clip? We have gun control laws that have been intentionally created to be ineffective and essentially useless. We have people who have no problem advocating for rights without any apparent responsibility. What will it take for reasoned minds to come up with sensible laws that balance both responsibility and freedom?

The tragedy that we face can present us with opportunities to gain greater awareness about mental illness, so that we can dispel negative stigmas and continue to force insurance companies and state agencies to provide appropriate services and reimbursements for the services. We, as a nation, can stop pretending that all speech is "free." Words have cognitive and emotional meanings to them. Our political discourse has been divisive and filled with violent rhetoric at a time when our nation demands of our politicians a united effort to help our country out of the many problems that we are currently stuck in. Agreeing to disagree should be the new standard. It would be nice if we as a nation, would move away from the notion of gun control and move toward some discussion or reasonable firearm manufacturing, ownership, and usage.

I sadly believe that the bipartisanship that this tragedy has created will soon fall apart because of the disproportionately loud voices on the left and right that are already starting to unleash the overly distorted and emotional rhetoric that has poisoned our country to a sickening degree already. I hope that our politicians prove me wrong.

Marc Abrams
Thank you for sharing Mark. On the news last night, Charles Krauthammer (who was also Chief Resident in Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital before going into journalism) pretty much stated the same thing that this guy, based off Dr. Krauthhammer's previous training, was probably suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Also, I also heard that the school he attended tried several times with local police to have something done about him and his erratic behavior. Apparently he was scaring the students. However, the police couldn't do anything until he actually did something...which unfortunately happened this past Saturday. A lot of questions are on my mind: Was he taken to a doctor, did he have a mental illness, was he being treated/not treated for it, did his parents try to have him committed, etc.

I'm sure as time goes on, we will learn more and more. I will continue to pray for all of those affected by this.

Last edited by Eric Joyce : 01-12-2011 at 12:15 PM. Reason: added txt

Eric Joyce
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Old 01-12-2011, 12:18 PM   #12
MM
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
3) I am glad that the Sheriff of Pima County mentioned the issue of gun control. Handguns are primarily designed to shoot other people. That standard clip for a Glock 9 mil. hold 15 bullets. The assailant was using clips that held 30 bullets. I am not asking people to deny a person a reasonable right to carry a reasonable firearm. What is wrong with directly linking "Freedom" to "Responsibility?" What exactly is a civilian use for a 30 round clip? We have gun control laws that have been intentionally created to be ineffective and essentially useless. We have people who have no problem advocating for rights without any apparent responsibility. What will it take for reasoned minds to come up with sensible laws that balance both responsibility and freedom?

Marc Abrams
I am not glad that these things are dragged into this.

When "reasoned minds" take note of the meaning of freedom, we will enforce sensible laws rather than act emotionally to enact useless ones.

Would you remove/ban all versions of the bible except for a scant few because a raving lunatic used those other versions to commit mass murder? Or perhaps the Catholic bible should have been banned after the crusades because "God wills it"? How many have been murdered all in the name of God? Do we then enact laws to ban those religions? After all, what need do we have of thousands of religions when a few reasonable religions will do.

Should we remove SUVs from the public because they are more solidly built and do more damage in accidents and drunks could kill more people because of that?

What reasonable right do people need with all those other versions of the bible, of religions, or SUVs? They would do perfectly well with a few approved versions.

Would it really matter if that were so? Do you think fanatics, psychotics, sociopaths, criminals, etc would care? Or would, yet again, law abiding citizens suffer?

Freedom is directly linked to Responsibility. However, "reasoned minds" will never understand that link because they keep attributing a ban on law abiding citizens as the means to end crime or murder. It doesn't work that way. The laws are already in place but yet mentally disturbed people and criminals by their very definition will never abide by laws. The most law abiding group in the United States is concealed carry holders. More lawful than LEOs and politicians. Freedom is Responsibility to those who understand Freedom.

Regarding the tragic events, my sincerest thoughts go out to all those involved. May you find comfort where there is none and light where there is darkness.

That's all I've got to say on the matter,
Mark
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Old 01-12-2011, 12:31 PM   #13
Marc Abrams
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Mark Murray wrote: View Post
I am not glad that these things are dragged into this.

When "reasoned minds" take note of the meaning of freedom, we will enforce sensible laws rather than act emotionally to enact useless ones.

Would you remove/ban all versions of the bible except for a scant few because a raving lunatic used those other versions to commit mass murder? Or perhaps the Catholic bible should have been banned after the crusades because "God wills it"? How many have been murdered all in the name of God? Do we then enact laws to ban those religions? After all, what need do we have of thousands of religions when a few reasonable religions will do.

Should we remove SUVs from the public because they are more solidly built and do more damage in accidents and drunks could kill more people because of that?

What reasonable right do people need with all those other versions of the bible, of religions, or SUVs? They would do perfectly well with a few approved versions.

Would it really matter if that were so? Do you think fanatics, psychotics, sociopaths, criminals, etc would care? Or would, yet again, law abiding citizens suffer?

Freedom is directly linked to Responsibility. However, "reasoned minds" will never understand that link because they keep attributing a ban on law abiding citizens as the means to end crime or murder. It doesn't work that way. The laws are already in place but yet mentally disturbed people and criminals by their very definition will never abide by laws. The most law abiding group in the United States is concealed carry holders. More lawful than LEOs and politicians. Freedom is Responsibility to those who understand Freedom.

Regarding the tragic events, my sincerest thoughts go out to all those involved. May you find comfort where there is none and light where there is darkness.

That's all I've got to say on the matter,
Mark
Mark:

You do not get off that easily in my book.

What is a bible for?

What is an SUV for?

What is a handgun for?

What is a civilian use for a 30 round clip?

You can take things out of context and distort them as much as you would like. My point had nothing to do about the lawfulness of concealed firearm license holders. My issue is with how our country approaches the issue of access to and use of firearms. Rhetoric and abysmal laws combine to create a growing danger in this country. Reasoned minds can come up with logical and fair solutions to real-life problems. You simply spouted more of the same NRA rhetoric that helps to foster the problems that we do have. By the way, I happen to own firearms.

Marc Abrams
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Old 01-12-2011, 12:49 PM   #14
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
What is an SUV for?
We use them for traction and load-carrying out here. Some few numbers of people use them as getaway cars from bank-heists, to show off how manly they are, and so on, but there's always going to be a few of those. And there will always be people who 'hate SUV's' because their self-identified fellow-believers tribe have that trend as a tribal banner.
Quote:
What is a handgun for?
To shoot things. For self-defense when your Aikido doesn't work. Most people have handguns for self-defense, plinking cans, and so on. Like every other article in life (including Aikido), a handgun can be misused. As the number of nuts-on-the-loose goes up, a good argument could normally be made that handguns should be restricted because certain elements of society will misuse handguns. As Bill Clinton delicately put it: the demographics of the country have changed since the early days when everyone had guns.
Quote:
What is a civilian use for a 30 round clip?
You don't have to reload as often. Whether for legitimate or illegitimate usage, an extended clip is so that you don't have to spend so much dang time trying to cram bullets against the magazine spring.
Quote:

You can take things out of context and distort them as much as you would like.
Exactly.

It's odd how all these worries about "rhetoric" have only recently become a big deal. Didn't hear a word about it back during the last administration when no one said a word about a movie depicting the assassination of George W. Bush was released, very harsh comparisons, etc., were made by top members of Congress, etc. Depends on whose Al is being Gored, I guess. So let's toss out the "rhetoric" as being questionable and focus a bit more on the guy being a loon. "Rhetoric" is possible, of course, but so is "typical angry left-wing radical pot-head", but no one is making a rush to issue that kind of blame, not that I've heard. Oh... just re-read this. If "loon" is a Politically Incorrect term, my apologies; I meant "whack-job".

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 01:15 PM   #15
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

I dunno Mike,

The principles at stake have to apply to everyone, sure, and people often find it easy to dismiss threats when they don't identify with the targets of those threats. I know conservative politicians receive death threats too.

I hope none of them come to pass either.

Anyway, there is this from today:

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/433303_congress12.html

Overreaction from law enforcement? Maybe.

Dunno.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 01:25 PM   #16
Marc Abrams
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Mike Sigman wrote: View Post
We use them for traction and load-carrying out here. Some few numbers of people use them as getaway cars from bank-heists, to show off how manly they are, and so on, but there's always going to be a few of those. And there will always be people who 'hate SUV's' because their self-identified fellow-believers tribe have that trend as a tribal banner. To shoot things. For self-defense when your Aikido doesn't work. Most people have handguns for self-defense, plinking cans, and so on. Like every other article in life (including Aikido), a handgun can be misused. As the number of nuts-on-the-loose goes up, a good argument could normally be made that handguns should be restricted because certain elements of society will misuse handguns. As Bill Clinton delicately put it: the demographics of the country have changed since the early days when everyone had guns. You don't have to reload as often. Whether for legitimate or illegitimate usage, an extended clip is so that you don't have to spend so much dang time trying to cram bullets against the magazine spring. Exactly.

It's odd how all these worries about "rhetoric" have only recently become a big deal. Didn't hear a word about it back during the last administration when no one said a word about a movie depicting the assassination of George W. Bush was released, very harsh comparisons, etc., were made by top members of Congress, etc. Depends on whose Al is being Gored, I guess. So let's toss out the "rhetoric" as being questionable and focus a bit more on the guy being a loon. "Rhetoric" is possible, of course, but so is "typical angry left-wing radical pot-head", but no one is making a rush to issue that kind of blame, not that I've heard. Oh... just re-read this. If "loon" is a Politically Incorrect term, my apologies; I meant "whack-job".

Mike
Mike:

The right has always made an issue about of anything coming from the left and the left is now learning to make an issue out of anything coming from the right. And so it goes.....

Easy to write-off serious mental illness as a whack-job, loon, etc.. Isn't it the right who is so interested in saving money by cutting back even more than has already been slashed from community mental health resources? I guess it helps to balance giving more money back to the wealthy.

Simple Summary: Young man developing a severe mental illness, not taken for assessment or treatment, legally purchases firearm, ammunition, extra-large ammo clips, uses weapon to kill and injure a whole bunch of innocent people. Event happens in a political climate filled with animosity and violent rhetoric.

So what do you propose Mike?

Happy New Years?

Marc Abrams
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Old 01-12-2011, 01:35 PM   #17
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
I guess it helps to balance giving more money back to the wealthy.
So you think in terms of "giving back money" to the people who made it as doing them a favor? I.e., it's not really their money? Interesting perspective.
Quote:
Simple Summary: Young man developing a severe mental illness, not taken for assessment or treatment, legally purchases firearm, ammunition, extra-large ammo clips, uses weapon to kill and injure a whole bunch of innocent people. Event happens in a political climate filled with animosity and violent rhetoric.

So what do you propose Mike?

Happy New Years?

Marc Abrams
IIRC, it was during the enlightened Kennedy administration that it became fashionable to not sequester people with borderline mental stability. It's difficult to 'put people away' nowadays, Marc, budgets or not. Since the story is still developing, I'll wait and hear a few more facts before I get to wound up over this one.

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 02:32 PM   #18
Marc Abrams
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Mike Sigman wrote: View Post
So you think in terms of "giving back money" to the people who made it as doing them a favor? I.e., it's not really their money? Interesting perspective. IIRC, it was during the enlightened Kennedy administration that it became fashionable to not sequester people with borderline mental stability. It's difficult to 'put people away' nowadays, Marc, budgets or not. Since the story is still developing, I'll wait and hear a few more facts before I get to wound up over this one.

Mike
Mike:

I would prefer fair taxation across the board- businesses and individuals alike- Flat or VAT systems seem to be fairer to me.

It had nothing to do with the Kennedy administration, but everything to do with the advent of anti-psychotic medications. The next major change was after the Willowbrook "discovery" about how the mentally ill were treated in facilities. After we medicated them and let them out the doors, they have become forgotten people. They are harmless for the most part. Every once and awhile, one of them makes news in a big way (like now). Unfortunately, nobody wants to pay for the assessment and treatment of the mentally ill. It is easy to cut back on paying for the disenfranchised. They have no political clout.

Marc Abrams

ps- you neglected to mention that handguns were designed as tools to primarily kill people and animals.
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Old 01-12-2011, 02:52 PM   #19
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
Mike:

I would prefer fair taxation across the board- businesses and individuals alike- Flat or VAT systems seem to be fairer to me.
Me, too. In the meantime we have 47% of the country who don't pay income taxes, which is the standard scenario throughout history in which Democracies fail... once some groups understand they can vote themselves other peoples' money, democracies spiral downward. California would be a good laboratory example of what happens when too few pay too many taxes and too many feel entitled to the productivity of "The Rich" (tm).
Quote:

It had nothing to do with the Kennedy administration
Quote:
During the Kennedy Administration beginning in 1961, the Community Mental Health Act was passed, partly due to the President's personal beliefs and experiences with loved ones challenged by mental illness. The belief that "out of sight - out of mind" was the best approach gradually changed to the belief that like physical illness, mental illness can be effectively treated, often on an outpatient basis.
Quote:
ps- you neglected to mention that handguns were designed as tools to primarily kill people and animals.
Both offensively and defensively. Unfortunately, there are times when having a deterrent like a gun is necessary, humans being what they are.

FWIW

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 03:43 PM   #20
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

The de-institutionalization of the mentally ill originally was intended to be offset by an expansion of community-based mental health services, because of the documented problems with warehousing patients in large mental hospitals. The problem came when it was time to fund the alternative, which never really happened.

This failure is bipartisan. It came to notoriety, however, during the Reagan administration.

Still, it remains to be seen what we should do, based on Marc's summary.

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 03:47 PM   #21
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
The de-institutionalization of the mentally ill originally was intended to be offset by an expansion of community-based mental health services,
Thank you for agreeing that it started during the Kennedy administration, this move not to put emotionally troubled people away.

Mike
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Old 01-12-2011, 03:54 PM   #22
C. David Henderson
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Re: Tucson

Yes, I do agree. I looked it up when you first commented. Do you disagree with the remainder of what I said? I think it's also an accurate statement.

Also, are you advocating putting people back in centralized institutions and paying for it?

Doing nothing?

Doing something else?

Those are sincere questions, btw.

Regards,

David Henderson
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Old 01-12-2011, 04:02 PM   #23
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Charles David Henderson wrote: View Post
Yes, I do agree. I looked it up when you first commented. Do you disagree with the remainder of what I said? I think it's also an accurate statement.

Also, are you advocating putting people back in centralized institutions and paying for it?

Doing nothing?

Doing something else?

Those are sincere questions, btw.

Regards,
I'm not advocating anything, David. If anything I'm commenting along the general lines of "how did this happen" (whether it was "rhetoric" or mental instability or what). If the plausible main fault is mental instability, a further question is about how we got to the situation where so many borderline mentally aberrant people are free in society. My comment is that this seemingly positive move started during the Kennedy administration. Often there are unexpected consequences from seemingly beneficial and caring choices. California going down the tubes would be a good example of that, as would the decline of so many major metropolitan areas (been to Detroit lately?). Regardless of the tangents, I think we're still basically discussing the tragedy in Tucson and what really happened there.

FWIW

Mike Sigman
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Old 01-12-2011, 05:02 PM   #24
Marc Abrams
Dojo: Aikido Arts of Shin Budo Kai/ Bedford Hills, New York
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Mike Sigman wrote: View Post
I'm not advocating anything, David. If anything I'm commenting along the general lines of "how did this happen" (whether it was "rhetoric" or mental instability or what). If the plausible main fault is mental instability, a further question is about how we got to the situation where so many borderline mentally aberrant people are free in society. My comment is that this seemingly positive move started during the Kennedy administration. Often there are unexpected consequences from seemingly beneficial and caring choices. California going down the tubes would be a good example of that, as would the decline of so many major metropolitan areas (been to Detroit lately?). Regardless of the tangents, I think we're still basically discussing the tragedy in Tucson and what really happened there.

FWIW

Mike Sigman
Mike:

You are absolutely correct in that the unintended effects of anti-psychotic medications is that we created a situation where people ON the medication are no longer actively psychotic. That, in and of itself, does not lead to being able to effectively function in our society. David was correct in noting that the intent was to create a network of support systems in our communities to help them function as highly as possible. The reality is that even when there are adequate community supports, some mentally ill people prefer not to be on medications (which have significant, negative side effects) and live on the streets. The larger reality is that our country has made choices to not put the money in place needed to maintain adequate community supports.

The tragedy in Tuscon has shined a light into an area that few people really want to have to look at for long. It is too easy to walk past the "wacko's" on the side of our streets. It is still too difficult for many people to acknowledge that they or their loved-ones have serious, mental disorders. Political rhetoric will return, our country is not ready to talk sensibly about firearms. In other words, SNAFU

Marc Abrams
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Old 01-12-2011, 05:21 PM   #25
Mike Sigman
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Re: Tucson

Quote:
Marc Abrams wrote: View Post
Mike:

You are absolutely correct in that the unintended effects of anti-psychotic medications is that we created a situation where people ON the medication are no longer actively psychotic.
I never said a word about anti-psychotic medication. I simply said indicated that Loughner being on the street was due in some part to a trend that started in the Kennedy administration. So many intellectually handicapped/unstable homeless people in large cities are also partly due to the trend. I.e., there's pro's and there's con's.

I think the sudden worries about "rhetoric" (i.e., "fingerpointing as a way to take advantage of an unfortunate situation") were fairly shallow and a poll released today indicates an large majority of people think the same way, so we're back to a bad situation.
Quote:
Political rhetoric will return, our country is not ready to talk sensibly about firearms. In other words, SNAFU
If by "talking sensibly" you're referring to people who agree with your opinion, you may be right that the country is not ready.

Mike "If I Agreed With You, We'd Both Be Wrong" Sigman
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