Estranged family seems to be a recurring theme with mass killers

[fried eggs]

The Uncle in MD said he didn't talk to the brothers in over 4 years. The Sandy Hook shooter hadn't talked to his dad or brother in years. Do you have family who you've written off as weird or crazy? Maybe it's time to reach back out to them and make sure they're OK.

[Fumesucker]

1. Estranged family is damn common in America

You read about it here on DU on a regular basis, personal tales of family estrangement.

Indeed, all but one member of my family is estranged from me and I've written of it before here on DU.

[haikugal]

12. Same here Fumesucker...

I think it's more common than people realize.

[MgtPA]

2. I watched the uncle live, and heard him say he hadn't talked to the brothers in 3 months.

When the talking head on MSNBC recapped the uncle's interview, he said 4 years. My daughter and I both said WTF??, that's not right!

[Bonobo]

3. Surprise. Two parents are important.

And yes, men can play a positive (as well as negative) role in child rearing.

[LisaL]

5. And those two had two parents.

Whats your point?

[Bonobo]

7. I guess it is on my head. nt

[fried eggs]

13. Not sure what their situation was,

but this statement bothers me because it points a finger and doesn't offer any solutions. I heard robme and other republicans mention single parents in response to mass shootings, but all statements like that do are demoralize millions of women who are single parents. Relationships fail. What are you suggesting to women who cannot (for whatever reason) be in a relationship with their child's father?

[Enrique]

4. two brothers committing a crime together

seems the opposite of "estranged family" to me.

[deutsey]

6. And their dad said he spoke with them by phone the other day n/t

[Zax2me]

8. They are brothers.

Appears this is Islamic terrorism. Nothing too difficult or complex here.

[Kingofalldems]

10. How many times have you posted pretty much the same thing?

[avaistheone1]

9. Columbine killers carried out their plans right under their parents' noses.

[SoCalDem]

11. Or not.

Some family members are just people you would NEVER associate with if not related to them. As kids, you are thrust into their midst whether or not you like it, but at some point in time, many of us give ourselves permission to cut loose from them.

Family members are different people, with different life-experiences. The tv-movie-of-the-week family is not reality. I'm guessing that many (most?) families are not close once people grow up and start living their own lives.

Parents who do not approve of their grown up siblings' family-style, can certainly keep their own kids away from that family...and many do exactly that.