As proponents of various political and ideological camps attempt to push the alleged Arizona assassin, Jared Lee Loughner, into the territory of their opponents it is becoming increasingly obvious that he belongs in none of them; rather he is part of the shadowy world of the extremely mentally disturbed. The New York Times describes his background.
Paul Schwalbach, the spokesman for the Pima Community College, said one video that Mr. Loughner had prepared was considered particularly troubling by campus administrators, motivating them to suspend Mr. Loughner in September.
College "police and other officials viewed it and found it very disturbing," he said. After he was suspended, Mr. Loughner and his parents met with administrators, who said he would require a mental health clearance if he wanted to return to college. It could not be learned on Saturday whether Mr. Loughner ever saw a psychiatrist or other professional or was diagnosed with a mental illness.
Loughner allegedly caused numerous disturbances in classes and the library, alarming the administrators, causing his suspension.
Nevertheless, based on Loughner's very public internet postings there seem indications that Loughner was schizophrenic.
[T]he rambling, disconnected writings and videos he has left on the Web are consistent with the delusions produced by a psychotic illness like schizophrenia, which develops most often in the teens or 20s.
Loughner is 22.
Mental illness strikes people of all backgrounds, all political persuasions. Hopefully most people will keep that in perspective and quickly isolate those who try to capitalize this horror for sleazy points.
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