Jared Lee Loughner. Does this name ring a bell?
Well, considering the recent news on the horrific act of violence that this man has done, it should.
Have you seen his mugshot picture blasted across America?
If not, I highly recommend looking at it. It is awful. One of the worst pictures I have ever seen. Yes, I could have chosen not to look at it, but I was curious after a very close friend ranted on the grotesque features of his face. The smug look and broad smile plastered across his face. How they felt that he was purposefully gloating in our faces, happy about what he had just done.
I can understand why everyone is angry, and I certainly feel terribly for everyone involved. However, after reading a book called "The Hate List" by Jennifer Brown, I now look differently at the man in the picture. Yes, I am angry that this happened, and he took a gun and killed people. But, I am also sad for him. Sad, because he could not find it within himself to control a behavior that eventually took the lives of other people. Sad because this may have been prevented had others got involved in his life sooner. Sad because if I had not known what he had done and just saw this picture of him, I would think he was truly happy.
Maybe he is? I don't know, but what I do know is that this picture is causing people to hate more then they should. There will never be a way to stop tragedy from happening, but we can refine the way we deal with it. Don't you think?
