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kpete

(71,898 posts)
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 10:38 AM Apr 2013

Boston. Fucking horrible.

Patton Oswalt wrote this:



Boston. Fucking horrible.

I remember, when 9/11 went down, my reaction was, "Well, I've had it with humanity."

But I was wrong. I don't know what's going to be revealed to be behind all of this mayhem. One human insect or a poisonous mass of broken sociopaths.

But here's what I DO know. If it's one person or a HUNDRED people, that number is not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the population on this planet. You watch the videos of the carnage and there are people running TOWARDS the destruction to help out. (Thanks FAKE Gallery founder and owner Paul Kozlowski for pointing this out to me). This is a giant planet and we're lucky to live on it but there are prices and penalties incurred for the daily miracle of existence. One of them is, every once in awhile, the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled and they're pointed towards darkness.

But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evil doers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We'd have eaten ourselves alive long ago.

So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, "The good outnumber you, and we always will."

https://www.facebook.com/pattonoswalt/posts/10151440800582655



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HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
1. Unfortunately even Oswalt can't escape it...
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 10:46 AM
Apr 2013

"the wiring of a tiny sliver of the species gets snarled", clearly a reference to mental defect of structure or function.

Defaulting to stigmatizing language in the use of trying to rationalize a horrendous event...

You can criticize me for pointing this out, however, a mere 3 sentences later Oswalt is telling us to be alert to
bigotry, intolerance, and ignorance.

GaYellowDawg

(4,443 posts)
2. I disagree.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:04 AM
Apr 2013

I do not criticize you for feeling this way. I do, however, disagree. And this comes from the perspective of someone who's been discriminated against because I have had to be on antidepressants from time to time (I have a very slightly overactive serotonin reuptake mechanism).

First, the vast majority of people know that there are many different mental defects, some which make people violent, some which don't.

Second, someone who does this kind of thing does have their wiring snarled. You can't do this kind of thing unless you are a mental and emotional monster. Do you think that a normal person carries out this kind of action? I don't. How else can you possibly explain this bombing besides someone being a monster who is turned towards darkness?

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
4. Fine, you disagree, so, there's no point in pointing out your second point is merely a belief
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:07 AM
Apr 2013

that terrorist acts, like violent military actions don't require a person to be a mental and emotional monster.

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
5. What is your argument? That sane people blow up and kill innocents?
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:10 AM
Apr 2013

That we shouldn't distance ourselves from these actions but claiming they are the acts of madman?

Or are you upset that by describing these as crazy acts, we stigmatize people with mental illness?

Bryant

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
6. My point is that the construction of the chauvinistic narrative of "us" good "perp" bad.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:23 AM
Apr 2013

relies on the use of language about mental illness that isn't warranted by the facts in evidence.

We are admonished to not say anything about particular religions or ethnicities which might be involved, but that consideration isn't extended to mental illness. Isn't that curious? Well no, it's just a statement of how deeply our bigotry about mental illness is engrained in our culture.

I do think that sane people blow people up. I think United States Air Force drone pilots do it on a regular basis.

Government at all levels seems to be united around the idea that this is a terrorist act. Terrorists, like Airmen, don't conduct their violence because they are insane, that do so because they believe their acts are acceptable within their cause.

el_bryanto

(11,804 posts)
7. But some would argue that the chain of logic that gets them to that point is itself mad
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 11:32 AM
Apr 2013

OK - the drone program is not good because it is 1) not accountable and 2) liable to kill innocents along with whoever they are targeting. But they aren't actually trying to kill innocents.

Whoever planted the bombs in Boston was trying to kill innocents. Or non-combatants at the very least. And many would argue that that is not the act of a sane person.

I understand how you might be upset that this stigmatizes people who suffer from mental illness.

Bryant

HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)
9. They argue it because our culture makes mental illness a safe target.
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 01:17 PM
Apr 2013

I can understand, within context, someone saying Michelle Bachman is crazy as a descriptive term of bizzare statements.

But the intentional equation of mental illness with criminality is really very wrong. It emerges from and promotes prejudicial attitudes. Those prejudices become real discrimination in hiring, promotion and social associations.

Today's national narrative is that "WE" are good, it's the OTHERS that are bad. And the language being used suggests that rought 67 million of us are BAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ILLNESS.

How tolerant and progressive IS that?

I'd say, really not very.

 

cascadiance

(19,537 posts)
8. I'm beginning to hate April 15th. Was just in Boston almost exactly a year ago...
Tue Apr 16, 2013, 12:47 PM
Apr 2013

... and loved that great town then, but didn't have a chance to enjoy it then either, as I was there on a business trip the whole week and throughout that trip I was tortured by my 18+ year old cat and dear friend being very sick with kidney disease and cancer in vet hospitals the whole week and had to put her down the day after I got back a year ago yesterday. I'd only discovered her terrible ailments only a couple of days before I'd left on that trip. Now I have to think about today's tragedy at the same time remembering my sour memories from a year ago too.

I wish Boston well in its efforts to recover from this tragedy, and only can hope we can get to the bottom of this soon. Elizabeth Warren was a great candidate last time I was there and now a great Senator there. I'm hoping that soon she's also a great president from there and can help lead this state and this country from its messes now.

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