The same ideas keep going around – better mental health services, tighter weapon control, more restrictions on everyone in the name of security, ad nauseum. But the kooks will continue to exist, they’ll want their moment of fame and mass killing provides it.
So in the name of the greater good let’s give them their moment now - in advance of the massacre – and save wear and tear on TV talking heads, the cops, bone-weary society, and most of all the innocent victims.
Give them their moment in the sun, a real moment of fame such as a publicized visit with the President, or a national TV show featuring a different kook every week, or hold an honors dinner at the state capitol, or name a mountain after them, or erect a monument at their local park, or…..I don’t know.
I truly don’t know, but I submit this half-an-idea for discussion. I don’t know how to separate the truly dangerous from everyone else who wants fame, or how to prevent copycats, or all the other problems. But perhaps, just perhaps, siblings and friends and neighbors and teachers and cops and parents could nominate the young man who is showing the signs. Nomination for a positive reward is better than reporting suspicions to authorities that can’t do much until after the blood has been spilled anyway. As a specific guy receives more nominations his name rises toward selection.
So please, everyone, try to flesh this idea out. Find a way to provide the needed recognition to those – particularly the young men – who feel that society has dealt them such a rotten hand that they must resort to mass violence. I am not saying society has dealt them anything, but they feel that way and we need to address their feelings before the bullets fly. If fame will accomplish the objective, isn’t it worth consideration?
Ideas?