Thursday, December 27, 2007

Mass Murders Close to Home

Newspapers and newscasts all over the world are giving front page coverage to the story of the mass murder of six family members in Carnation, WA on Christmas eve. People all over the world are unnerved by this heinous crime and the fact it was committed on Christmas eve. Here in Washington state, people are particularly rattled because this is our home, our backyard and even our neighbors. There are faces on the news of people we recognize! How could this be?

Killed were a married couple in their early sixties, her daughter and son-in-law and their two young children, a six year old boy and a three year old girl. According to the reports the daughter and her family were killed because they came for a visit for Christmas eve and stumbled upon the murder of the parents. They were killed to not leave any witnesses.

The breaking news
on this story last even was that the perpetrators of this crime are actually the daughter and boyfriend of the older couple murdered. They lived on the site in a separate home.

An unidentified family member last night stated that the daughter was disgruntled with her family. She felt that she had not been treated fairly and was being cut off and rejected by them.

This is the part that gets to me. It seems that all of those involved in mass killings complain about being mistreated by society or their families. I'm getting really tired of hearing their excuses and the fact that the press seems to jump all over those complaints like they have some validity. Instead of using that information as the clue it is into sociopathic behavior, they just sensationalize it.

At the same time this whole thing makes me nervous and a little afraid. Easily any member of any dysfunctional family has the potential to be the one to go off the deep end and commit such a crime. Unless one has the skills of an FBI type profiler, being able to detect sociopathic behavior, there is no way to even begin to protect oneself.

Even at that there are many sociopaths out there who will never cross this particular line so it would still be a guess at best. But it is still unnerving to have it happen this close to home. It makes me think about my children at their jobs and my grandchildren at their schools, preschools and day cares and wonder who they come in contact with might be capable of such violence.

Obviously, this isn't a question I am going to get answered. At the same time with this so freshly before us, I can't help but worry. There just are not enough people out there working on their issues for there to be any remedy soon for this kind of behavior. I think until the average person learn to accept one another and live in harmony, there's not much chance this is going away.

We human beings, being what we are, learn from all kinds of behavior, good and bad. The number who have learned that killing is a remedy for their unhappiness grows with each new episode. The result is that occurrences like this are happening more and more frequently. That is what scares me the most. Where will it end? Or better yet, When?

7 comments:

Spilling Ink said...

I think that the only way for it to end is for people to simulataneously take seriously the complaints these people have against their families while speaking out against the killings. If more people were listened to and had someplace to be taken seriously, perhaps there would be less violence. For all the big talk in this country, we really have not made many inroads toward the compassionate acceptance of the complaints of young people, ESPECIALLY when those complaints are against family memebers. One day, when this society can honestly expose the lie that one's family of origin can do no wrong, we will be well on our way to peace. I have not followed this particular story, but I do wonder if the accused had enough listening and care from compassionate witnesses in her childhood or young adulthood. My gut says no. It's terrible that it became too late. People should not have to die over it.

Kahless said...

I had heard a bit of the story here in the uk, but now our news if filled with Bhutto's assassination. That is scarey too. What will happen with Pakistan now.

Makes me think of the saying "There but for the grace of God go I."

imo said...

We have no intimate details so we will not even attempt to surmise what caused this tragedy, only to say how horrendous it is and how all too often it happens, everywhere. There are other options than murder, like divorcing yourself from those who are hurtful to you. It is a sad commentary on our society in general as mankind continues to resolve all differences with the taking of a life.

peace and blessings and comfort to you

Keepers

Anonymous said...

close to home to me too, being from vancouver. my family still lives there, and im planning to move back.
i get a little miffed at the media as well for blowing these things up, but it sells, and thats the name of the media game.
kïrstin♫

Anonymous said...

I have been watching the news about this terrible murder from my home in Canada. Like you...I am disgusted that any credence would be given to the daughter because she was " disgruntled".

Many of us have suffered and overcome terrible abuse in our lives...and yet we have not struck out at anyone..not even the perpetrators.

This was a cold blooded killing of 6 innocents...no matter how the press chooses to portray it.

Rising Rainbow said...

lynn, there are a lot of dimensions for me to your comment.I think I'm going to address your comments in a post. I

kahless, that is exactly how I feel. There seems to be so much craziness everywhere.

jm, yes, we have a long way to go.

kirstin, rhe media exploitation of such crimes adds to the problem I think.

casey, I couldn't agree with you more, many victims don't lash out because they've been abused.

Kahless said...

And Pakistan is a nuclear nation; what happens if the fundamentalists get control of the country?

Or alternatively what errors of judgement are Bush and Brown (our unelected prime minister) capable of...!