Angry loners--what should we do about them to prevent random massacres?

[Jenna]

What should we do about angry loners to prevent massacres? I thought of this after reading the thread about the Omaha mall shooter:

http://www.lawenforcementforums.com/...d=1#post295270

The description of this shooter does sound like the descriptions of most other mass murderers and even suicide bombers (who may consider "martyrdom" a good way to commit suicide without going to hell).

On the other hand, it also sounds like the description of lots of angry loners who never end up shooting anyone. Most of us probably know some angry loners. We can't tell which of them will start a shooting spree until it actually happens. Is there anything that the friends, family members, teachers, classmates, co-workers, and employers of these angry loners can do to keep them from becoming mass murderers? Or anything that police, judges, or social policies can do?

[TwanimusPrime]

I personally think this phenomenon is a creation of the media. It started with Columbine. They portray these shooters as larger than life supervillians and plaster their face everywhere. Is was even worse with that virgina tech kid. The media just posted that picture with him and two guns everywhere.

So, the next one who thinks about it KNOWS that if they do the same thing, the media will also give them the same treatment and they'll be famous.

If the media was responsible (which we all know they arn't) they would cover these stories making little or no mention of the idenity of the shooter, and defininatly not glorify him. Concentrate more on the victims, they matter more anyway.

Hell, when I was younger a lot of people would have described me a an "angry loner." I didn't get over it until I was in college. Its irresponsible to think of them all as these mass shooters when there are MILLIONS of angry loners out there, and we've only had 4 or 5 of these shootings in the past 10 years.

Its called Media hype. They obsess and sensationalize to get a good news story, and portary these people as super villians, when they are just small weak cowards.

[Terminator]

Jenna I think you're an angry loner.

[cntryboy0531]

I was considered an "angry loner" if you wish to describe it as that, while growing up. I had a good family life however, and parents who were generally involved in my life. I didn't suffer from any mental disorders, and for the most part, enjoyed life... I just didn't like people (still dont ). I think these nutjobs can be found to have severe mental problems, and an unstable family life.

Finally, one day, they just snap and start killing. I think they do it for the attention personally.

I don't think there is much we can do to stop it other than the media stop glorifing these psycho's in their news stories.

[Jks9199]

Get 'em all hookers.

Then they won't be angry or alone anymore.

Oh, wait... this is a real question?

Some years ago, the same people were called "spree killers." Or described as "going postal." The factors that drive each killer are unique; generally, they're responding to some sort of crisis in their life, and they lack the coping skills to find a better way. To me, the bigger concern that comes out of the Virginia Tech killing is to develop EFFECTIVE follow up, tracking and reporting of mental cases that shouldn't have access to guns legally. (We'll ignore the minor issue that there are plenty of illegal ways to get guns...)

[countybear]

You have displayed the thinking of the liberal mind perfectly, Jenna.

The enemy is the "angry loner", we should immediately seek to intervene in the lives of everyone who could fall into this class. The government must study and find a means to identify "angry loners" and help them, whether they need it or not, especially if they are gun-owning "angry loners"... perhaps a ban on the sale of weapons to anyone who has a history of ever being angry and alone! Imagine the lives we could save!!

Better yet, lets start a mandatory educational unit in anger-management and how to make friends! Program those kids at risk to weave baskets when they get pissed off!

[Coloradocop]

I, again, agree with the idea of this being a media creation that started around the time of the Columbine HS shooting.

I will refer again to my previous idea: Every picture of the gunman who is shown on the news should have the words "I AM A COWARD" written across it. Takes away a little of the "glory", I think.

[Doc_Holliday]

Simple answer....as a society we cannot do SQUAT. Its up to the kids parents, and close family. No amount of education, counseling, or any other liberal psycho-babble will "help" these losers. There needs to be less coddling and more focus on personal responsibility. Society didnt make you an EMO loser, you did. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, take up a hobby...I dont care if its football or the math science club, do SOMETHING rather than sitting around listening to remixes of the Cure and Nirvana. Just find some reason for you to be here on my planet.

[lewisipso]

Arm every legal law abiding citizen and lets have it. I think my 1911 can adjust an angry loners attitude. I have some heavy metal head bangers just looking for some company.

[gwebb1981]

I will refer again to my previous idea: Every picture of the gunman who is shown on the news should have the words "I AM A COWARD" written across it. Takes away a little of the "glory", I think.

I agree with this. Along with the posting of pictures on the internet. People photoshop pictures all the time to make them look ridiculous. Why not with the pictures of killers?

[Jenna]

Jenna I think you're an angry loner.

Well it's good I don't have a gun!

Stop feeling sorry for yourself, take up a hobby...I dont care if its football or the math science club, do SOMETHING rather than sitting around listening to remixes of the Cure and Nirvana. Just find some reason for you to be here on my planet.

Or post on LEF.

[dadyswat]

I'm with Lewisispo, arm the law abiding so someone is there to wax their butt. Have the government stop making unarmed victim zones.

[Twan007]

I think that at some point in everyone's life (or at least the vast majority) we all feel ostracized - whether by choice or forced by our peers... the problem occurs when a very small percentage feels that the way to have a higher self-worth is to project their feeling of being victimized into a point where they do something to cause someone/thing else to become the victim...

this action then relieves the outcast for a short period of time - and also gives them a rush of emotion, similar to a high, that they begin to need to repeat - much like someone addicted to narcotics... until they finally either do something big, or bounce back into the good graces of society

Now in no way am I saying that all angry loners act this way, but probably most do. I'm not saying that they victimize by crime, sometimes it might just be them lashing out verbally at a random person, or a friend. I'm not saying that violence is always in their continuum. I'm saying that the truth of the matter is, it's rare to find someone who has not felt like the "loner" at some point in their life... so I reached the point of thinking a long time ago that how can you be a loner when that's what everyone around you is also feeling... it's a mental thing that we bring upon ourselves, we add to that by not being the one who wants to ask the "dumb question" or the one to finish a test first.

Society (media mostly) has created this "evil person" profile that makes everyone who doesn't hang out in the "cool crowd" get looked at twice - whether we're talking about the school grounds, or work environment. If you're not a sheep - you must be a wolf... that's the way the media portrays it.

Now Jenna, you're asking what we can do about the "angry loners" who go nuts and shoot up/blow up/victimize everything around them?

who knows if there is anything... a hug isn't going to do it... shooting them at the first sign of "lonerism" won't work (like my new word )...

now I'm gonna try to not bash too much - but the fact that this phenomenon even came into being should fall on the media... and now the media is yelling at society to fix it... but would it really be a phenomenon at all if society didn't eat it up with a spoon, while staying in their little glass houses and continuing on their little self-absorbed, self-centered, entitled to the world, lives - thinking that "this will never happen to me"...

Do I think that we should have more people packing guns? sure do - but I also feel that before they can get a concealed weapon permit, they should all be required to complete some form of academy - maybe a citizen's academy taught by police officers...

Do I think that's gonna stop the problem? nope...


ok... this has gone on for too long... sorry =/

[TheeBadOne]

1) The price we pay living in an open/free society is that someone with bad intentions and do this.

2) I agree with the Media attention giving these losers a gigantic carrot.

jmho

[TXPO710]

Angery loners either:

1. Adjust

2. go on killing sprees

3. become cops!!

[gozling]

they are born that way

lol

it is their destiny

pfft...

[jato]

What should we do about angry loners to prevent massacres?

Allow an armed society the way the Bill of Rights intended. The people (should) have the right to protect themselves from death or great bodily injury.

[lewisipso]

Arm every legal law abiding citizen and lets have it. I think my 1911 can adjust an angry loners attitude. I have some heavy metal head bangers just looking for some company.

I hope I did not come off the wrong way. Let me add a little to this. There is no way I would condone the callous or blatant arming of untrained individuals. The responsibility of carrying a weapon is immense. The utilization of that weapon, even in a legal sense, is another entirely. I am horrified at the taking of any life. I hope I never have to play God. However, I do feel it is sometimes necessary.

Now, onto my rant. It is difficult to say how hard life is from one person to another. My childhood, as I considered it, was rough by an extreme measure. No pity party here, I won't bother with any details. On the other hand I have no doubt there have been and will be persons who’s lives are horrid on so many deeper levels. The “liberal” side of me would ask ,what happens to that person due to the conditions they have lived in? Hard to say, I think. One situation is different than another. The “conservative” side of me still, and will always, stand by “We are who we chose to be”. I can feel for people who have or currently endure environmental conditions that adversely effect their lives, but people overcome all sorts of odds everyday. Childhood abuses of all kinds are dealt with in a variety of forms from medication to therapy to faith. It is not society’s fault that these methods do not work in all cases. It is an individual burden and responsiblity.
That being said, what is the cure? The simple truth is held in an old saying. You can lead that horse to water but you cannot make it drink. If the individual believes there is no cure then there is none. If a person makes the decision to cure their life’s ills with violence then it is made. It is up to them to suffer whatever consequences that come.
Society has become so “liberal” that it is more concerned with not violating the rights of the “poor soul with the anger management issues” than the rights of the innocent! The safety of the innocent in society is disregarded with reckless abandon. We cannot go to church, school or the mall without being mowed down like summertime landscape.
I have pity for the person who takes someone into their sites if I am in a position to intercede. They will find it necessary to halt their aggressive actions in order to bring attention to the draft they suddenly feel between their eyes. I will then hope that the offender has given their heart and soul to God for salvation and judgment because their ass will have belonged to me.
The problem of angry loners and or similar physiological and behavioral problems are not NECESSARILY that hard to figure out. I know there are always exceptions. However, if the system would take a more hard line approach to this issue many of them could be headed off at the pass. Unfortunately society as sheep in general (no offense Jenna) will not allow this to happen. Therefore it is up to the select few who refuse to stand helplessly by while the true wolves of this world eat from the flocks of our malls and churches. I truly hope, God help me, that the next “angry loner” views justice down the barrel of a well trained, armed and confident citizen than the cowards view of his own.

[BEK]

Open up more State Hospitals.

[AITG]

I will then hope that the offender has given their heart and soul to God for salvation and judgment because their ass will have belonged to me.

+1,000,000. That has to be one of the best lines I've read all day.

I agree with most everything posted here.
We can't fix everyone.
We can't identify everyone who might become violent.
We can't stop people who might be intent on violence.
We can stop bombarding people with violence in the guise of entertainment.
We can stop glorifying people who do violence.
We can stop giving violent people gun free killing zones.
We can come to grips with the idea that there is no lower limit to human hehavior.