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Romantic Heretic4/03/2014 8:54:38 am PDT

re: #320 Killgore Trout

Fort Hood Shooter’s Facebook Page Puts Face to Rampage

I see no reason why this shouldn’t be discussed as a possible factor in the shooting. Of course irresponsible discussions such as “Kill all the Muslims” or “Kill all the PTSD sufferers” is not helpful but there are facts regarding the case that shouldn’t be hidden because someone might take offense.

I do see a reason. It’s prejudice.

The huge majority of the mentally ill, including myself, are the most peaceable people. No wise person would accept a person’s colour or religion as a factor in such an event. They wouldn’t mention diabetes or cancer.

By hypothesizing about a person’s mental state before the facts are in is prejudice.

The original Tweet that started this discussion states there is no empirical link between PTSD and violent behaviour. Your response, so it seems to me, challenged that observation. You made it clear you do believe his mental state was a cause of his actions.

And I’m challenging you on this point. It’s false. Although his mental state might have influenced his behaviour it is not the cause of his actions.