re: #148 J.S.

there are a gazillion studies out there saying basically that terrorists are not deranged. Here’s one such review (pdf format) of the literature from a psychologist…(this is circa 2002). I’ve read other analyses (from Israel — the researchers concluded that the builk of the terrorists were actually middle class, well educated, upwardly mobile, etc. This was during the Second Intifada, etc.)

With all due respects to the studies, to be a ‘terrorist’ and ‘not deranged’ seems to be a contradiction in terms. Take oneself as a point of reference: one day, you decide to take out as many people as you can before you’re gunned down, explode, or whatever. That’s not deranged?