Overheard regarding BTK

[mapsedge]

Gotta love talk radio:

The fact of the matter is, serial killer or no, he's just like me.  He's just like you.  He's just like each of the callers.  He had a job.  He bought groceries.  He had a family, went to church, had Sunday dinner, watched TV, and listened to talk radio.  For all anyone knows, I'm a serial killer with a dozen notches in my lead pipe, and would the girl who rings up my gasoline know that to look at me? 
 
What really gets under folks' skin is the thought, "Jesus...that could be ME."  The denials fly, we hotly proclaim that we could NEVER do that, and should someone have the temerity to ask "Yeah, but haven't you ever said, 'Damn, I could just KILL that guy...'" we explode into a righteous rage and shout, "There's a big difference between saying it and doing it!"
 
Is there?  As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.  What we don't understand is that it's a reaaaaaaally short walk from soapboxing to hitting, from hitting to hurting, from hurting to harming, and from harming to killing."

Comments

[starwyse.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, it's just one step.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Yep. Once again, my friend, you and I think similarly for all our interesting differences in politics/theology/philosophy (which I'd love to have the leisure time to sit and explore sometime!)

A truth that I faced *early* on in life is that I know I have the capacity within to kill; premeditatedly and in cold blood. In a way it's a comforting thing to know. There's no hiding or equivocating; I know that under the right circumstances I could say, "Yep, that one's gotta go." and do it. I know what my limits are and when I'm approacing them.

I've never claimed to be a pacifist. I prefer peace. I'm the most sentimental slob I know. I cry if I run over a squirrel in the car. But I know if I needed to protect myself or someone I love, that I could do whatever it took. It makes me comfortable to know that I'm in control of myself and that I have all the choices open to me.

Most people hide that fact or the potential of discovering it from themselves, uncomfortable in the recognition that "there but for the grace of God (Goddess, whatever you choose) go I."

I do feel sorry for the guy but I actually feel sorrier for the ones who continue to lie to themselves throughout their whole lives. And then they wonder why their relationships/families are not all that they wish they were.

[billthetailor.livejournal.com]

Differences, yes. What I find gratifying is that we enjoy those differences...even revel in them.

On a lighter note, from my brother: "Down South, 'He needed killin'', is a valid defense."

[fantomas71.livejournal.com]

A nitpicky point, perhaps: Yes, we are surrounded by killers. Many of us are one step away from killing, given the proper stimulus. But I think that even guys who are in prison for murder are pretty far from serial killers. They're really a breed apart, and even within their own ranks defy taxonomy. I don't have the context of your radio guy's argument, but BTK is a completely different creature than most of the rest of us.

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

When I was younger, I was introduced to the theory that everyone on the planet is capable of murder; all it takes is the introduction of the "right" person and circumstance, and any one of us could be perfectly capable of killing that one other person. And that's normal. Most of us are fortunate enough never to meet that person and those circumstances at the same time, or at all. Which seems logical to me, so I pretty much agree with the theory. Serial killers seem to be wired to seek out that "person", and those circumstances, over and over again. Not so normal in my estimation.
I think Christopher Titus got it right in his stand-up routine where he talked about the fact that whenever they catch a serial killer, the news is always full of interviews with shocked neighbors who talk about how quiet the guy was, and how he kept to himself and never troubled anyone. According to Titus, if he ever finds a guy like that living in his neighborhood, he's "taking him out". 'Cos quiet, normal guys can't be trusted. :)

[eacole72.livejournal.com]

Something that is coming out from interviews with people who came into conflict with the gentleman accused of the BTK murders is that he had deep issues with needing to control any situation. I saw an interview with the man who used to be responsible for prosecuting offenses against city codes in Park City. He brought out the 80+ pages of documentation that the gentleman had created for a simple "dog not under control" complaint. Several hundered entries from a database, where the gentleman had taken down entries of "Dog out of yard from 09:35:42 to 09:41:50". Forms that were meant to be filed in single copies filed in duplicate and triplicate.

Whether or not the gentleman in question is guilty of the crimes of which he is accused, he very definitely was/is controlling. It is a much shorter step from deep-seated control issues to sociopathic behavior than it is for normal people to make the jump to commit murder.

(Or so says the person who admits she can load the 9mm pistol in her sleep and has publicly stated that should someone break into her home while she is there, they have declared their own life forfeit, because she values her own life far more than theirs.)

personally...

[themadblonde]

I don't go to church, watch TV OR listen to talk radio, but I HAVE considered a career as a serial murderer. ;-) First victim would be my virulently passive aggressive co-worker....

& for the record, I am RARELY serious. ;-P