A cavernous void separates the civilized from the homicidal

[RC]

John Helgeland letter: A cavernous void separates the civilized from the homicidal
The Forum - 11/18/2006

Bill Cosgrove published a series of commentaries based on his attendance at the trial of Alfonso Rodriguez. The last commentary (Nov. 12) in The Forum wrestles with Rodriguez’ degree of guilt and his path to homicide. This path led him into a “naturalistic” world that looks to Cosgrove like that of “19th-century Social Darwinism” in which Rodriguez chose the wrong side of individual responsibility.

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What I found behind the prison walls was the almost uniform presence of abuse – physical, psychological, sexual, spiritual – that removes its victim from the world in which we academics live. It robs the abused inner self of the qualities of imagination, the concern for the distinction between right and wrong, the ability to appreciate the value of others’ lives, and an awareness of consequences.

<SNIP>

Since Cosgrove nowhere states that he talked with Rodriguez, what we have here is an example of attempting to make social and existential theory fit the specifics of this case in an abstract way.

<SNIP>

So I write this not to defend or condemn Rodriguez, but to try to understand this homicide and others, and how they are shaped by forces beyond their control, usually in their younger years. Existentialism is not helpful here since it sees the individual as the sole agent in the outcome of personal decisions. But Rodriguez had “help” to become a monster.

http://www.in-forum.com/Opinion/articles/146614

Someone gets it. Killers are made, not born. Killing killers diddles with the symptoms. Our society is so messed up, extreme abuse is excepted as normal, even good, as in the case of "our leaders"
War is extreme abuse. Our own government practices the very abuse that makes killers.
More and more I believe we as a socity are too willing to ignore the actions of the mentaly ill because we think of them as normal, even healthy. After all some of them are our leaders.

[ixion]

1. you can also thank the so-called 'War on Drugs' for this

by taking non-violent offenders and placing them in this environment. The US prison system is, in essence, a breeding ground for 'natural born killers'.


It would be great to see a Penal Reform movement rise up among the other anti-fascist movements.


I would disagree with the author, though, that the difference is 'cavernous'. Rather, it's a fine line. We're all animals at heart, and when thrown into the jungle that is the penal system, the most erudite among us can become primal when properly 'motivated'.

[RC]

2. Rodriguez was bred at home by his mother, not any penal system.

His mother was very religious and also had a very warped view of sexuality.