These are the people who were killed in the Colorado movie theater shooting.
I would like to suggest that their names and their lives, as well the names and health of the injured become the names that as a society we choose to speak of and focus upon.
I say this because like everyone else out there, I am deluged with the media driven mantra of this killers name, splashed across every headline, News program and and the Web, since this man-made tragedy happened.
I understand the almost reflexive need to understand what kind of human being could wreak this
type of mass violence upon our brothers and sisters, and why. But what I am speaking of is sensationalism - greedily repeating this killers name, showing his face which is exactly what he/they excpect and it feeds these losers that committ murderous rampage in order to garner attention and fame that they cannot achieve in any constructive fashion. Hence a big part of " the why?"
I've read some Op-eds opining thier pet stances: Many are saying that Gun control is certainly a big part of this crime and others that resemble it such as columbine shootings. Others are chastising PEOPLe for this opinion pointing at the "real culprit" "our disregard for mental illness," which they assert, the colorado murderer obviously sufferred with."
( I suppose that writer believes it is easier for us to weed out and forcably treat every mentally ill person rather than make it extremely difficult or impossible for them to buy body armour and semi-automatic weaponry with relative ease.)
I have poured over the information available and once again I must reiterate: personality
disorders are not mental illnesses. One look at the killer's match.com page and his photo therein, compared to the over circulated and obviously - affected (for the public the court, media's cameras) wild eyed crazy person with a 'what am I doing here?" look on his frightened looking countenance... A layman can see a huge disparity in these photos, body language expression everything.
This disparity doesn't mean the killer has multiple personalitys, what it does indicate is a cunning individual, highly manipulative, deceptive already setting the stage for an insanity defense. He knows that there are legions of well intentioned suckers, many armed with PHD's, that cannot differentiate schizophrenia from socio-pathology, and not having scads of exposure to the latter, can never truly understand that Sociopaths and other personality disordered people have moral disorder, a lack of conscience, an obsession with self, these are not mental illnesses.
The match.com profile and photo reeks of arrogence and self absorption narcissism and misogyny, even going so far as to say " would you visit me in prison?"
Undoubtedly he was is looking for attention and prematurely desiring and counting on that bizarre yet predictable syndrome whereupon otherwise intelligent women take up the causes of stone cold killers, often even marrying them in prison. At the very least these men often develop a gaggle of empathetic groupee types. Again pre-meditation and attention mongering.
And our media is aiding and abetting this.
I suggest we do our part to nip all of this in the bud. For starters there should be a ban on this killer's name. This man who dressed himself in full armour, lest he get injured by police or a gun toting moviegoer in the fray. Let;s stop giving this man and other predators what they hunger for; attention and ( fleeting) fame.
The lasting legacy belongs to the men and women who died in Aurora Colorado and the many people that acted heroically in the midst of violence and terror.
The victims in Aurora Colorado. May they all Rest In Peace...
Jonathan T. Blunk, 26
The Navy veteran and father of two pushed his girlfriend under a seat for protection, she told NBC’s “Today” show.
Alexander J. Boik, 18
The recent high school graduate planned to attend Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in the fall. He enjoyed baseball and pottery, his family said in a statement to Denver’s ABC 7.
Jesse E. Childress, 29
The Air Force staff sergeant was a reservist on active duty at Buckley Air Base a few miles from the theater, serving as a cyber systems operator with the 310 Force Support Squadron, the Air Force said. He was single and had no children.
Gordon W. Cowden, 51
From Centennial, Colo.
Jessica N. Ghawi, 24
The sports journalist and graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio had recently escaped a mall shooting in Toronto.
John T. Larimer, 27
The Navy petty officer third class with the cyber command of U.S. 10th Fleet was stationed at Buckley Air Base. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native was athletic and excelled in recent volleyball and kickball tournaments at the base, a fellow sailor said.
Matthew R. McQuinn, 27
The recent Denver transplant from Ohio worked at a local Target with his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, who was injured by the gunman. McQuinn was struck three times as he shielded Yowler from gunshots.
Micayla C. Medek, 23
Medek was a community college student and restaurant worker, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Veronica Moser-Sullivan, 6
The youngest victim of the attack died of her wounds in a hospital. Her mother was listed in critical condition, according to the Associated Press.
Alex M. Sullivan, 27
Sullivan worked at the Century Cinema and was celebrating his 27th birthday at the theater, his cousin said. He was a passionate Colorado Rockies fan and loved cooking and comic books.
Alexander C. Teves, 24
The Phoenix native recently graduated from the University of Denver with a master’s in counseling psychology, according to the school. His girlfriend wrote on Facebook that Teves saved her life in the theater.
Rebbecca Ann Wingo, 32
Wingo was a waitress and mother of two, according to the Denver Post.
Rest in Peace.
