Who, and what, is to blame for Elliot Rodger?
What happened this weekend in Isla Vista, Calif., once again shows that crazy
people with the urge to kill will find a way and use anything to do the job.
More important, however, is the fact that despite plenty of warning signs and
even an intervention attempt, Elliot Rodger fell through the mental health
safety net.
Anti-gun folks blame handguns — Rodger had three he’d legally purchased along with about 400 rounds of ammunition when his rampage ended, and he shot some of his victims. But this isn’t a case where guns can be blamed, or even are an issue, other than the fact a mentally unstable individual in therapy was able to legally buy firearms.
He also knifed, bludgeoned and used his car on his victims, yet there won’t be an outcry to ban cutlery, blunt instruments or automobiles. This is an instance where the killer used whatever was at his disposal to carry out his crimes, which he not only planned but outlined quite specifically in an extensive, rambling diatribe and YouTube videos. He probably would have thrown rocks, too.
A Washington Post movie critic blamed movies such as the comedies of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen as a reason for Rodger’s rampage. Her assessment was the sophomoric behavior in those films with the schlumpy loser getting the beautiful girl in the end fed Rodger’s anger at not being able to make friends or get a girl friend. More likely it was Rodger’s inner anger at himself and the possibility some folks, especially girls, just found him off-putting and maybe even a bit creepy. That’s just a thought, not a diagnosis since I’m not a mental health professional, and neither is the Washington film critic.
There’s a social media movement — #YesAllWomen — that’s taken off on Twitter in response to Rodger’s spree. I haven’t read through all the thousands of tweets, although ones I have seen don’t bode well for men in general. Many have a men vs. women attitude, that apparently most men are misogynistic neanderthals whom women constantly have to be on guard against. This incident, they suggest, is one more example of a widespread hatred of women.
Rodger was not an example of men in general. He was an example of a mentally ill individual enraged because of his rejection by women socially and sexually and he also developed a hatred of men whom women did not turn away. What does it matter if his misogyny was the result of mental illness, or his mental illness was a result of his misogyny?
Here was man who apparently through most of his life had mental problems, whose family was well aware of it and regularly sought treatment for him. He’d been under therapists’ care and had been prescribed medication to help yet remained in the dark fantasy world in his head.
In April, when his mother saw YouTube videos he’d posted in which he talked about what he wanted to do and gave more than enough indication that he was planning something horrific, she contacted Rodger’s counselor, who was concerned enough to contact a mental health service, where they were concerned enough to contact authorities. They all took the steps they could.
When officers made a wellness check, they found Rodger to be a friendly if somewhat shy young man who didn’t seem to pose an immediate threat to himself or anyone else. They said good-bye and went on their way. Did authorities make a mistake? Some say yes, but the officers were not trained to do an extemporaneous mental examination at his apartment.
That’s part of the overall problem. People expect the police to be able to make decisions on the street about mental health issues, but it’s beyond their scope of capabilities. Sometimes people leave no doubt they have mental issues, and it doesn’t take a professional to realize it. But there are instances like this, where a young man presents a polite, pleasant appearance while seething inside as he plotted heinous crimes. Even Norman Bates presented a good front.
When mental health professionals express concern about the potential for violence in someone known to be mentally ill, authorities should be able to take them in for a professional evaluation, not just knock on a door and make a life or death judgment call.
Yes, Elliot Rodger was mentally ill, he was misogynistic, he was violent, and no doubt movies, media and the world around him contributed to his growing rage. But it’s not the fault of the world around him that he went on a rampage he planned in detail, nor is it the fault of his family or anyone else. Could the killings have been prevented? Hindsight says possibly and that can help in the future.
What’s needed is to take that knowledge, look forward and fix the flaws in our national mental health net so when warning signs present themselves in others they can be reached before their rage overflows.
in.
Anti-gun folks blame handguns — Rodger had three he’d legally purchased along with about 400 rounds of ammunition when his rampage ended, and he shot some of his victims. But this isn’t a case where guns can be blamed, or even are an issue, other than the fact a mentally unstable individual in therapy was able to legally buy firearms.
He also knifed, bludgeoned and used his car on his victims, yet there won’t be an outcry to ban cutlery, blunt instruments or automobiles. This is an instance where the killer used whatever was at his disposal to carry out his crimes, which he not only planned but outlined quite specifically in an extensive, rambling diatribe and YouTube videos. He probably would have thrown rocks, too.
A Washington Post movie critic blamed movies such as the comedies of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen as a reason for Rodger’s rampage. Her assessment was the sophomoric behavior in those films with the schlumpy loser getting the beautiful girl in the end fed Rodger’s anger at not being able to make friends or get a girl friend. More likely it was Rodger’s inner anger at himself and the possibility some folks, especially girls, just found him off-putting and maybe even a bit creepy. That’s just a thought, not a diagnosis since I’m not a mental health professional, and neither is the Washington film critic.
There’s a social media movement — #YesAllWomen — that’s taken off on Twitter in response to Rodger’s spree. I haven’t read through all the thousands of tweets, although ones I have seen don’t bode well for men in general. Many have a men vs. women attitude, that apparently most men are misogynistic neanderthals whom women constantly have to be on guard against. This incident, they suggest, is one more example of a widespread hatred of women.
Rodger was not an example of men in general. He was an example of a mentally ill individual enraged because of his rejection by women socially and sexually and he also developed a hatred of men whom women did not turn away. What does it matter if his misogyny was the result of mental illness, or his mental illness was a result of his misogyny?
Here was man who apparently through most of his life had mental problems, whose family was well aware of it and regularly sought treatment for him. He’d been under therapists’ care and had been prescribed medication to help yet remained in the dark fantasy world in his head.
In April, when his mother saw YouTube videos he’d posted in which he talked about what he wanted to do and gave more than enough indication that he was planning something horrific, she contacted Rodger’s counselor, who was concerned enough to contact a mental health service, where they were concerned enough to contact authorities. They all took the steps they could.
When officers made a wellness check, they found Rodger to be a friendly if somewhat shy young man who didn’t seem to pose an immediate threat to himself or anyone else. They said good-bye and went on their way. Did authorities make a mistake? Some say yes, but the officers were not trained to do an extemporaneous mental examination at his apartment.
That’s part of the overall problem. People expect the police to be able to make decisions on the street about mental health issues, but it’s beyond their scope of capabilities. Sometimes people leave no doubt they have mental issues, and it doesn’t take a professional to realize it. But there are instances like this, where a young man presents a polite, pleasant appearance while seething inside as he plotted heinous crimes. Even Norman Bates presented a good front.
When mental health professionals express concern about the potential for violence in someone known to be mentally ill, authorities should be able to take them in for a professional evaluation, not just knock on a door and make a life or death judgment call.
Yes, Elliot Rodger was mentally ill, he was misogynistic, he was violent, and no doubt movies, media and the world around him contributed to his growing rage. But it’s not the fault of the world around him that he went on a rampage he planned in detail, nor is it the fault of his family or anyone else. Could the killings have been prevented? Hindsight says possibly and that can help in the future.
What’s needed is to take that knowledge, look forward and fix the flaws in our national mental health net so when warning signs present themselves in others they can be reached before their rage overflows.
in.
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Any person on anti-psychotic drugs should HAVE TO MAKE HIS APPOINTMENTS or a cruiser shows up at your house and takes you to the hospital for a test for your drug levels. If you are at the therapeutic level, no problem, the cruiser takes you home with a warning NOT TO MISS the next meeting ... if you are low, you should be admitted to the locked ward until your level comes up to the therapeutic level.
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