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Thanksgiving Day Rampage

These sickening tragedies are all too common

by sarah (Mon Nov 30, 2009)

Did you see over the weekend that a man in Florida killed his aunt, two sisters and his cousin's six-year-old daughter at a Thanksgiving dinner party? And I am horrified to say, that I didn’t feel much emotion in response to this sickening news. I know that it’s terrifying and horrifying; however I am becoming increasingly immune towards the horrors of which I read everyday. Are people becoming evermore sick and twisted, or was the world always this bloody?

A friend of mine is adamant that all of the incomprehensible family murders… and honour killings… and unprovoked attacks… and school shootings… are committed by the mentally ill. She is not blaming the mentally ill: she is blaming the State. For it is we, the State, that do not provide adequate support for the mentally ill, or for their families. And that is why so many of them become killers.

I have taught in special needs and mainstream education and I have felt despair at the lack of information provided for people who have, or teach, children with additional needs. These children, possibly because their education and home life is not adequately tuned to meet their needs, presumably do grow up misunderstood and frustrated. They are never given the opportunity to realise their full potential. More concerning, they are never taught strategies to contain or control their emotions and reactions.

According to the Miami Herald, family tensions were running high on Thanksgiving night for the ill-fated family. Is this meant to offer an explanation to these deaths? I cannot equate family tension with murder (to be facetious: if I did equate feeling tension to committing murder, my family would be long dead). We deal with tension, we deal with stress, we find ways to make light of bad situations, confide in friends – we have outlets to prevent ourselves committing psychotic reactions to situations. So the questions I’m asking is: why doesn’t everyone have these outlets and how do we make sure they do?

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Sue

Posted Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 9:40 am Reply Delete

You pose a big question here, and one I don't have the answer for. There is increasing inability in our society to cope with pressures that then spill into violence. However I am sometimes concerned that people claim (or are told to claim) mental illness, albeit temporary, as mitigation for their violence when they are more than capable of knowing what they are doing but do not curb it.

1 reply, Last reply by Toni on Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 8:04 pm

Toni

Posted Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 8:04 pm Reply Delete

@Noname: It seems to be more like impulsivity than mental illness, and the two are not the same.

Jean James Report Abuse

Posted Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 3:26 pm Reply Delete

When you combine mental illness with firearms with a family holiday gathering, a tragedy like this seems unavoidable. It's easier for the mentally ill to acquire a handgun, than it is for them to receive some kind of interventional services. When a new mother is overwhelmed, she can drop off her infant at any police/fire/or emergency room station, no questions asked, but an adult with mental illness is considered to have capacity to make their own decisions. They need to seek help independently. Unfortunately, most who commit these violent acts, don't realize they are in need of help.

1 reply, Last reply by Toni on Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 8:03 pm

Toni

Posted Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 8:03 pm Reply Delete

@Jean James: Absolutely agree. How many of us have joked that we "could murder" someone, yet the majority of us wouldn't know where to even get a gun. Unfortunately, for some, it's as easy as opening a drawer - and they do.

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