"it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for"-- george carlin

[niyad]

that quote keeps running through my head, as every story seems to refer to robert dear as "quiet, a loner", etc.

[immoderate]

1. Tautology alert!: The noisy ones are easily visible.

--imm

[malthaussen]

2. That seems to be a common thread with excused terrorists.

There seems almost to be an insidious implication that being quiet and introspective makes one more dangerous. Like, if he were nicely well-adjusted, liked partying with his bros and spending lots of money on entertainment, he wouldn't do such nasty things. Like, if one spends time "brooding," he must inevitably be a danger to himself or others. I haven't really examined the question in depth, but I tend to view all social commentary as having at least a partial agenda to control and produce good little consumers.

-- Mal

[niyad]

7. that was hardly carlin's agenda. the repeated insistence of all who knew robert dear that he

was "guiet" just reminded me of that carlin riff.

[malthaussen]

11. Didn't think it was Carlin's intent...

... but rather the intent of those who strive to depict domestic terrorists as mentally disturbed. They are always quiet, regular guys...

-- Mal

[niyad]

13. thanks. brain not functioning at full capacity after this weekend.

[malthaussen]

15. I hope for the best of reasons.:)

So many have a terrible time with relatives at Thanksgiving. I am fortunate, in a way, that my only living relative is also fairly liberal.

-- Mal

[niyad]

17. no, the massacre was right up the road from me, and I know people working there, plus I have

friends who normally stop at the king soopers there after a standing VA appt.

as for t-day itself--spent it with wonderful, progressive, intelligent friends. no fundies allowed.

[malthaussen]

18. Ouch, that is painful.

I'd say you have every right to be a little distracted. Or even distraught. We forget, perhaps, in citing brilliant factoids about the "odds" of this or that killing, that there are those who are victims, or close to victims, who beat those odds, however small.

-- Mal

[niyad]

19. what makes it scarier about my friends coming from the VA? one of them is a severely disabled

vet, who would have essentially been a sitting duck.

[malthaussen]

20. Life is an exercise in denial.

And the difference between life and death can be trivial. It leaves you in the position of feeling glad your friends are safe, and feeling survivor guilt for feeling that way. Deep breaths, yes?

-- Mal

[niyad]

21. yes, indeed. and deep draughts of cognac.

[snooper2]

3. weird, I thought this thread was going to be about mumble mouth

[niyad]

6. who, or what, is "mumble mouth"?

[snooper2]

8. he is running for PRESIDENT!

Watch Mumble Mouth!

[niyad]

10. sorry, have not had enough caffeine since thursday.

[Oneironaut]

4. True. But some people are just shy too.

It's impossible to tell quiet wackjobs from people who are just quiet.

[niyad]

5. true

[Jeroen]

9. Loners are natural born killers

Like myself. I have learned to exploit my reputation as a dangerous loner.
That's why my neighbors are very quite and I always have a place to park the Lone Mobile.
And I don't have to carry my own groceries.

[malthaussen]

12. Still waters run deep...

... "and stagnant," as a friend of mine was wont to say.

-- Mal

[Jeroen]

14. Tasty avatar, cheers!

[bemildred]

16. Well, Carlin would say that. nt