Who was the man who killed a number of people, and wounded Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D)? Fox has him down as a person against fiat money, suspicious of federal power and ranting about the Constitution. His YouTube Channel, however, also puts him down as a fan of the Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf.
Wikipedia’s entry says “18 people were shot during a Congresswoman’s meeting in a Safeway grocery store parking lot in Casas Adobes, near Tucson, Arizona … According to The Arizona Republic newspaper, 6 people were killed. Someone from the crowd, possibly a security agent, reportedly fired at the gunman, but the gunman survived.” The gunman was Jard Lee Loughner.
Jared Loughner, the 22-year-old man who sources identify to Fox News as the gunman in custody in the deadly shooting rampage Saturday in Arizona, is suspected of posting a series of YouTube videos that show a focus on literacy and currency — as well as his distrust in the government.
“Hello, my name is Jared Lee Loughner,” one of the videos says, in words appearing on the screen. “This video is my introduction to you! My favorite activity is conscience dreaming; the greatest inspiration for my political business information. Some of you don’t dream – sadly.”
The video, posted Dec. 15, later turns more political.
“The majority of citizens in the united states of America have never read the united states of America’s constitution. You don’t have to accept the federalist laws,” the video’s titles say. “In conclusion, reading the second United States constitution, I can’t trust the current government because of the ratifications: the government is implying mind control and brainwash on the people by controlling grammar. No! I won’t pay debt with a currency that’s not backed by gold and silver! No! I won’t trust in god!”
But he’s other things too. On his YouTube channel, Loughner says: “I had favorite books: Animal Farm, Brave New World, The Wizard Of OZ, Aesop Fables, The Odyssey, Alice Adventures Into Wonderland, Fahrenheit 451, Peter Pan, To Kill A Mockingbird, We The Living, Phantom Toll Booth, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Pulp,Through The Looking Glass, The Communist Manifesto, Siddhartha, The Old Man And The Sea, Gulliver’s Travels, Mein Kampf, The Republic, and Meno.”
His YouTube channel says he went to school in the following places: Thornydale elementary,Tortolita Middle School, Mountain View Highschool, Northwest Aztec Middle College, and Pima Community College. Maybe somebody remembers him from those places.
Loughner’s last video shows him hunched over a flag to the tune of “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor”. One of Loughner’s last messages from his MySpace page (now taken down, here is the cached version) says, “Goodbye friends, Dear Friends … don’t be mad at me. The literacy rate is is below 5%. I haven’t talked to one person who is literate. I want to mak…” From his entries on MySpace, Loughner was a little short in the literacy department himself. Here’s a selection of his postings, the nature of which indicate that he may have been a few sandwiches short of a picnic.
My sleeping bg is at an interstate wash from Tucson to Pheonix … am unable to sleep, but the …
I know how to graduate without a cult ceremony: Please! Don’t think of murdering.
Well, the fucking pigs are genociding … no public property for housing and no jobs for me. Die you fucking pig1 I know your brainwashed to love them fuckin cops — fuck you.
Literate Letter: Dear Reader, Brainwash … I’m searching. Today With every concern, my shot is now ready for aim. The hunt, a mighty thought of mine, for everyone …
Dear Reader … in confusion over being single starting. My current situation revolves around prostitution. A prostitute, that …
But Loughner’s mental state is unlikely to comfort his victims, one of whom was a 9 year old girl. Neither should his political affiliation be a factor. Caitie Parker, who claims to know Loughner, says on her Twitter page.
caitieparker Saying Jared Laughner was the gunman. Really hoping that’s not the same guy I went to HS with, really good friend. Freaking out right now!!!
caitieparker @antderosa it’s loughner just checked my year book.
caitieparker @antderosa I went to high school, college, & was in a band with the gunman. This tragedy has just turned to horrific.
caitieparker @lakarune I haven’t seen him since ’07. Then, he was left wing.
caitieparker @antderosa he had a lot of friends until he got alcohol poisoning in ’06, & dropped out of school. Mainly loner very philosophical.
caitieparker @antderosa he was a pot head & into rock like Hendrix,The Doors, Anti-Flag. I haven’t seen him in person since ’07 in a sign language class
caitieparker @antderosa As I knew him he was left wing, quite liberal. & oddly obsessed with the 2012 prophecy.
Whenever a gun spree occurs or a public official is shot, the first reactions of political partisans is to spin it. In this case it seems fairly evident that any attempts to portray Loughner as a Tea Party activist, Communist, Anarchist, Left winger, Right winger, Republican or Democrat are probably not meaningful. From what evidence is available, Jared Lee Loughner was nuttier than a fruitcake.
I doubt, however, whether attempts to hang the rap on one side of the political fence or the other will stop. Whenever a tragedy occurs the first reaction is to ask “why?” Sometimes there is no sane reason why, and that’s all you can say.
Link to Wretchard’s novel “No Way In” print edition
Link to Wretchard’s novel “No Way In” Kindle Edition”
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