Sunday, January 9, 2011

Arizona Tragedy

It is unfortunate that so many reporters from the MSM are already seizing the opportunity to turn this shooting into a political event. Watching the press conference which included the Sheriff jumping to conclusions that political discourse somehow led to this shooting is very disingenuous at best and horribly inappropriate. And this article already posted on NPR's site is just one example of this politicizing process, which we'll see more and more of in the coming days.

First of all, at the risk of stating the obvious, our prayers are with all persons involved and their family members.

Secondly, from viewing this man's profile and his recent writings, one can reasonably state that this individual has had a "break" with reality. I cannot assume a diagnosis without more information, but it seems reasonable that this individual was suffering from a form of schizophrenic or had developing schizophrenia and was likely in the midst of a psychotic episode. This is seen by the incoherent ramblings in writing and in video by the suspect, and interviews with friends. This idea is bolstered by his paranoid ideation of "mind control".

An example of this (just to make the point) see here can be found in his writings:

"If there's no flag in the constitution, then the flag in the film is unknown. There's no flag in the constitution. Therefore the flag in the film is unknown. Burn every new and old flag that you see. Burn your flag!"

"I bet you can imagine this in your mind with a faster speed. Watch this protest in reverse! Ask the local police, 'What's your illegal activity on duty?"

"The government is implying mind control and brainwash on the people by controlling grammar."


These are textbook statements by an unmedicated schizophrenic.

Just look at the first sentence above. In his break with reality, he has completely unrelated and unconnected ideas but in his mind he has woven a connection. He brings up a "flag" and the "constitution", and attempts to make a connection there. Then we see the idea of a "film", which has nothing to do with either topic. So he is discussing a "flag", the constitution and a "film". In short, these ideas make no sense (except to him). Somehow, in his mind these ideas are connected (when they obviously are not connected) - and then, based on these idea makes a story. This is classic for an unmedicated schizophrenic.

This is just one small example of his apparent break with reality. You can see the same patterns in his other quotes above. Someone in his apparent condition, for instance, could feel that the weather report on the local news is actually a way of giving him specific instructions from God. There is just no connection to reality.

But the point to be made is below:

What could be labeled "more lies and distortions" - we will see the following. The MSM will attempt to make a case (as they already are) that any discussions which paint the U.S. Government as overreaching or any form of protest against the government will immediately be considered as "hate speech" - speech which will lead "unstable" people to commit violent acts. Then we will hear the typical calls for gun control.

But here is what interests me, as a prophecy watcher. First, let me preface this by saying I don't believe the ideas given below have anything to do with the shooting (given his apparent mental condition). But if some connection were to be connected as a root cause for the shooting, wouldn't the below be the most reasonable connection?

The shooter's favorite reading material included Hitler's manifesto, "Mein Kampf" (see link provided above).

We also know that congresswoman was not only Jewish, but apparently quite outspoken about her religion:

Jewish congresswoman shot in Arizona

Giffords highlighted her Jewish identity as part of her first Congress campaign.

“If you want something done, your best bet is to ask a Jewish woman to do it,” she said at the time.

Strong connection to Israel

Giffords is the granddaughter of Akiba Hornstein, the son of a Lithuanian rabbi who in the 1940s moved from New York to Tucson. He later changed his name to Giff Giffords in an effort to avoid anti-Semitism.

Gabrielle Giffords first visited Israel in 2001 as an Arizona senator, later saying that she felt very committed to Judaism and that the visit provided her with a basis to better understand who she is and where she came from.

Upon returning to Arizona, she introduced legislation that helped Holocaust survivors.

Giffords was in Israel again last month and also visited a synagogue. She was planning to return to Israel in the summer.

In a recent visit at the Temple Emanuel synagogue she told the congregation that the US must remain committed to Israel, the Middle East's only democracy.

Last week, she wrote in Arizona's Jewish newspaper that there would be no peace in the region before the Palestinian leadership and other organizations accept Israel's right to exist.


The main points are this:

- The man in custody is clearly not in reality and probably has a form of schizophrenia.
- The "connections" that he makes mentally have no basis in reality.
- No one knows what his internal "thought process" was in terms of his being "led" to commit this act.

- If there WAS a connection to be made (and again, it is a useless exercise when dealing with someone who has had a break with reality) - then wouldn't the OBVIOUS one be the fact that the shooter was obsessed with Hitler's "Mein Kampf" and the victim was an outspoken Jew who voiced unrestrained support of Israel?

Good luck finding anyone in the MSM who makes this "obvious" connection (if you are inclined to play this game) - in their efforts to score political points.

Once again - you cannot even attempt to make "connections" with individuals who have no ties to reality - such as the person responsible for these shootings. Their thought process is simply to disconnected and not in any way linked to reality.

It really is sad that we live in an era in which every tragedy must have political significance, with one side using the tragedy as a political stick to hit the other side with. It is the truth that gets lost in these scenarios.

But then again, we are living in an era of "lies and distortions", so it shouldn't be surprising.

Our prayers go out to each of these affected individuals and their families and loved ones.

2 comments:

Expected Imminently said...

Hello Scott

What a deeply troubled world this is!

“…could feel that the weather report on the local news is actually a way of giving him specific instructions from God. There is just no connection to reality".

You could be describing Postmodernisms Seeker Sensitive, Purpose Driven, Emergent church here and their allegorical interpretation of the Bible and mystical ‘signs and wonders’. The schizophrenic church and their psychotic episodes that only make’s sense to them. Gleaned from the ideas of Immanuel Kant, from whom eventually came ‘Mein Kampf’.

I’m not making fun; it grieves me what is happening to people that I care about.

Sue :(

Scott said...

Yes indeed. The current state of the world reveals just how much we are in need of a savior. Hopefully, He will be soon. Its the only solution at his point.