Virginia Man Kills Family, Self Over Prospect of Obama Reelection - Polidicks

[img]http://i.imgur.com/Opckp.jpg[/img] "A man, his wife, and their two teenage sons are dead after a fatal mix of politics and paranoia." [quote]Albert Peterson, a defense contractor from Virginia, shot his wife, Kathleen, and two children, Matthew and Christopher, before turning the gun on himself. None survived. Peterson had recently lost a beloved uncle to suicide, and reportedly battled mental illness himself – including severe paranoia – for years. His acquaintances claim that in addition to those personal struggles, Peterson had become increasingly concerned with the state of the country and the prospect of President Barack Obama’s reelection as of late. He talked often of his worries that his two teenage sons would inherit the massive debt of an “irresponsible” government. A family friend revealed to the Daily Mail that he had begun sending frequent political emails that were increasingly paranoid, sometimes more than once per day. Apparently, Peterson had also told this friend that he was under a lot of pressure at work. As a defense contractor, he felt that Obama’s reelection would lead to a drastic reduction of defense spending, which he feared would cause him to lose his job. The defense industry is facing half a billion dollars worth of cuts thanks to a bipartisan sequestration measure that cuts a percentage of each department if Congress cannot reach a budget agreement. This isn’t the first tragedy that has political roots. In January of 2011, Arizona House representative Gabrielle Giffords was gunned down during a meet and greet with constituents at a local supermarket. Giffords survived, but six others did not, including a nine-year-old girl. The shooter, Jared Loughner, was also severely mentally ill and found incompetent to stand trial twice before pleading guilty. A small percentage of mentally ill persons have the propensity for shocking acts a violence; it’s a reality that is unavoidable without proper and accessible care. But is amped up negative political coverage adding fuel to the fire? It’s true that this is the most negative political campaign in history, on both sides. Super PACs, organizations that are not technically affiliated with candidates and can receive unlimited money from individuals, corporations, and other organizations without the barriers of campaign finance laws, are not allowed to explicitly endorse a candidate. By virtue, the majority of the ads these bottomless money pits will produce will be negative. The 2010 campaign, the first to take place after the Citizens United decision that allowed for Super PACs, was also quite negative. And beyond the campaign, the electorate has grown incredibly polarized since President Obama took office. The Tea Party, famous for its incendiary rhetoric and disregard for facts, took root as both a movement among conservatives and a serious faction within Congress. Media heroes like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck have been painting the Obama administration as the end of America. Politicians and pundits can’t be held personally responsible for how their statements land with those who struggle with paranoia, nor should they be. But unfortunately, as political discontent reaches a fever pitch, people who are already susceptible to paranoia and violence will be driven to violence. [/quote] [url=http://lawsonry.com/2012/09/virginia-man-kills-family-self-over-prospect-of-obama-reelection/]SOURCE[/url]

So Obama is creating job opportunities. After all, these gaps need to be filled. [sp]Off to hell with me[/sp]

god fucking dam it this did not need to have happened

I can see the Romney ad now: "Obama causes severe paranoia and death in American citizens." [quote][IMG]http://watchusplaygames.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/president-mitt-romney-2012-coin-pin.jpg[/IMG][/quote]

[QUOTE]It’s true that this is the most negative political campaign in history, on both sides.[/QUOTE] Nah

How weird, I have cousins called Matthew and Christopher. But yeah this is a bit of an overreaction. Although if he was unstable enough to commit triple homicide and suicide over politics, then it leads me to believe he probably would've ended up doing it over something else anyway. Shame that a whole family got wiped out by one guy.

We are already spending too much on the military. He wanted even more security.

I was hoping beyond hope that this was just an Onion post. This is disgusting, and these people are insane. Putting politics aside for a moment, this is no damn way to handle a situation like this. It's called expatriation, folks. If you're really that terrified, you go somewhere else (if you can). You don't gun down your family.

What a poor sport. I just see anyone who kills their own family over something they fear, as a coward.

[quote]Peterson had recently [b]lost a beloved uncle to suicide, and reportedly battled mental illness himself – including severe paranoia – for years.[/b][/quote]

[QUOTE=Nikota;37861814]What a poor sport. I just see anyone who kills their own family over something they fear, as a coward.[/QUOTE] but paranoia dude

Romney supporters: follow the lead

The person was just unstable, he killed his family and himself rather than go thinking about alternatives. No reason to go blaming it on politics as the real issue was deep in his head.

[QUOTE=prooboo;37861864]Romney supporters: follow the lead[/QUOTE] you want people to kill their families?

[QUOTE=Laferio;37861909]you want people to kill their families?[/QUOTE] I don't think sacrificing innocents would be a problem for most Romney supporters

[IMG]http://images.wikia.com/masseffect/images/7/7e/I-dont-want-to-live-on-this-planet-anymore.jpg[/IMG] [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Image macro reply" - SteveUK))[/highlight]

rip glaber never forget

true american patriot

Ban Super PACs. Seriously. And maybe spend some of that cut defence budget on mental health care and awareness.

Misleading title, and the writer of the article is pretty dumb to say this and the Gabrielle Giffords shooting had political roots.

Quite frankly, I know this is a forum and all, how its desensitized our views of death... But am I one of the few who thinks its a damn tragedy that this man killed his wife, two children, AND himself REGARDLESS of political affiliation?

this is very sad and depressing why couldn't it be rush limbaugh or glenn beck's family instead

why does it have to be ANYBODYs family. I'd wish that on nobody.

[QUOTE=thisispain;37862088]this is very sad and depressing why couldn't it be rush limbaugh or glenn beck's family instead[/QUOTE] If we include all the wives and exwives, that's six wives.

[QUOTE=Laferio;37862058]Quite frankly, I know this is a forum and all, how its desensitized our views of death... But am I one of the few who thinks its a damn tragedy that this man killed his wife, two children, AND himself REGARDLESS of political affiliation?[/QUOTE] Politics don't really have much to do with this. It's more of a case, tragically as you say, that this guy didn't get the healthcare he needed. Mental illness carries a huge stigma with it, and people don't want to identify themselves or people close to them as suffering from it. Sure, all the attacks ads and scare tactics sure don't help, but it's people not getting the help they need that leads to sad events like this.

[QUOTE=Elecbullet;37862139]If we include all the wives and exwives, that's six wives.[/QUOTE] that's good enough for me.

I don't see how he had the right to judge whether his sons should live or not

[QUOTE=Laferio;37862058]Quite frankly, I know this is a forum and all, how its desensitized our views of death... But am I one of the few who thinks its a damn tragedy that this man killed his wife, two children, AND himself REGARDLESS of political affiliation?[/QUOTE] nope we gotta use this tragedy to score political points guis! [QUOTE=Camundongo;37862150]Politics don't really have much to do with this. It's more of a case, tragically as you say, that this guy didn't get the healthcare he needed. Mental illness carries a huge stigma with it, and people don't want to identify themselves or people close to them as suffering from it. Sure, all the attacks ads and scare tactics sure don't help, but it's people not getting the help they need that leads to sad events like this.[/QUOTE] Unfortunately even when shit like this happens, the media shifts the blame away from America's failing mental health system and onto something else, like video game violence, politics, etc. Of course, if the headline read "Virginia Man Kills Family, Self After Playing Half-Life 2," Facepunchers rush to point out how absurd linking violence in video games with violence in real life is, yet if you throw in something about Republicans, the thread is full of jokes and "omg evil politicians!"

[QUOTE=MRTW113;37862210]I don't see how he had the right to judge whether his sons should live or not[/QUOTE] He was mentally ill. He wasn't capable of making rational decisions.

'i don't want my kids to have a terrible future due to politics, i have a great idea to help their future, ill shoot them in the fucking face' Family homicide-suicides are the worst. Unstable people are scary.