Preventing Mass Killings
|
Preventing Mass Killings |
Mass Murder MURDER: Its
Forms. Conditions and Causes by Gerhard Falk is a book
based on an extensive study of this frightful
phenomenon. Mass murder is almost always conducted by white men aged 18-30. I found only one black mass killer in our sample. No women were involved in mass murder. The killers killed people they knew as well as many whom they did not know. Mass murderers hated themselves and did not care if they themselves committed “suicide by cop.” Almost all mass killers came from middle class families. Therefore the motive for mass killings differs from the motive for one on one murder. Mass killers suffer from relative deprivation. Relative deprivation is the belief that we are deprived of our rightful social standing and/or income or occupation and are demeaned by significant others who have more prestige, more money, better jobs, more friends, etc. Those who suffer from relative deprivation feel anger at everyone and want to not only kill others but want to hurt others as much as possible before they leave this unjust and miserable world. Mass
killers want to commit “suicide by cop.” They also want to gain some
attention and recognition. Unable to achieve any of these goals, they prefer the
negative attention that mass murder brings
with it, even if they lose their lives, as they hate themselves and everyone
else as well. This strategy works for these suicides. An excellent example of
this kind of mass killer was James Huberty, who killed 21 patrons of a
restaurant in San Ysidro, California, on July 19, 1984. The police shot and
killed him. Yet, today he is still remembered on your computer, where his name
and
mass murder is permanently
recorded. Huberty is also found in criminology books and academic journals.
Huberty was a college graduate in sociology. Unable to find work commensurate
with his education, he accepted a job in a factory in his native Ohio. During a
recession he was laid off and became an unemployed college graduate.
Therefore he told his
neighbor he would leave this country. He then drove to California with the
intent to go to Mexico. Arriving in San Ysidro, he changed his mind, as he knew
no Spanish and stayed in San Ysidro looking for work. The only job he could find
was night watchman. It upset him terribly to have to take so low a job. He
became angry and began arguing and fighting with his co-workers until he was
fired from this low level job. Therefore he took his rifle and a handgun
and murdered almost all who were eating at McDonald’s that day. Huberty
and so many other mass killers cannot be prevented from further mass kilings by
shouting slogans or depriving law abiding citizens of firearms. The problem has
nothing to do with the possession of guns. The issue is suicide by those who
despise their own lives because they regard themselves as failures in our
competitive society. To end these mass killings, we need to identify the
potential killers who usually tell others how they hate themselves and how they
want to kill themselves and others. These people can be identified if those who
know them will report those who talk about intentions to kill themselves and
others, bringing them to the attention of law enforcement and preventing them
from ever owning a gun. In addition, we have suicide prevention counselors and
psychologists, who can be far more effective in preventing mass murder than
politicians. There
are, of course, many Americans who are not satisfied with their social standing,
income and prestige. Such people often use alternative status systems to deal
with their disappointments. These alternative status systems may be becoming
president of a bowling league, chairman of a branch of the Knights of Columbus,
or getting elected to the local board of education.
That is how the vast
majority deal with status problems in this country. Gun control cannot achieve
anything, but help from family and friends and professionals will put an end to
these massacres. Believe me. I know. Shalom
u'vracha. Dr. Gerhard Falk is the author of numerous publications, including The American Jewish Community in the 20th and 21st Century (2021). |
|
|
