Stay Away From My Kid, You Sickos

Boing Boing, who I usually hit up for more pleasant topics than school shootings, has an interesting article about the topic:  School Shootings: Malignant, Contagious Social Meme? 

 

I've been trading emails with Loren Coleman lately about the rash of school shootings in recent weeks. On September 14, Canadian Kimveer Gill attacked. He was said to have had a fondness for the Columbine shooters (he certainly loved the game). A number of similarly of deadly incidents followed, right up to today's death spree at an Amish school in Pennsylvania. Seems like a lot in a short period of time. Coincidence, or social phenomenon?

 

No idea.  Flash mobs were a meme.  All Your Base is a meme.  School shootings?  Yikes.

 

However, check out this report:

(CNN) -- Pennsylvania schoolhouse killer Charles Carl Roberts IV told his wife he molested young relatives 20 years ago and was dreaming about molesting children again, police said Tuesday.

Investigators talked to relatives and analyzed suicide notes as they tried to determine what made Roberts barricade himself inside the tiny Amish school, tying up girls and shooting them -- five fatally -- before killing himself Monday.

Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Roberts may have targeted the school for its girl students and -- given various items found in the school -- intended to molest the children. ( Watch police describe the molestation confession -- 1:34 )

Roberts brought KY Jelly lubricant to the schoolhouse where the assault occurred, but there is no evidence that the victims were sexually assaulted in any way, Miller said.

CNN.

 

That's no meme.  But yes, you read that right. 

 

KY Jelly.

 

Oh, dear.

 

Exactly when does one get that particular idea, to bust into an Amish schoolhouse with some KY, kick out the male students, segregate the female kids, execute them, and off himself?  When?

 

Dark days.  Dark, indeed.

 

By committing suicide, this man got off rather easily, indeed.