To be concerned that the shooter in the US keeps being referred to as Aspergers

[pingu2209]

This worries me, I feel like the press are referring to the shooter's Aspergers are the reason for him flipping out and killing the children and teachers. He clearly had mental issues but Aspergers is not likely to be the issue.

There are so many people with Aspergers or are on the autistic spectrum but this does not go hand in hand with mental issues in terms of agression.

I feel this could end up in a nasty backlash.

i have aspergers. i haven't killed anyone yet. i should have thought we aspies would be less likely to kill than most, as we tend to be a bit on the clever side and could work out that it wouldn't lead to good things for us.

Please please show some respect.

Before everyone starts getting het up about any insensitivity over the way this has been reported, how about a pause for thought over what has actually happened there?

The real outrage is NOT that the press might have mentioned possible Aspergers.

This is not a subject for the aibu topic, either.

I'm not saying it's his mum's fault -- he pulled the trigger, it's his fault.

But yes, I do think she showed a monumental failure of judgment in teaching him how to shoot and in keeping guns in the house. I think that's a risky thing to do in any case but especially given his apparent problems since the breakup of the family.

Obviously not all survivalist types are murderers or violent, but there is a serious strain of apocalyptic/survivalist rhetoric among right-wing groups in the US that are considered actual or potential terrorist threats. It's not deterministic, not by any means, but it's an important factor to look at in trying to explain violent acts committed by people exposed to it.

The lack of socialisation does seem to figure in the latest killing sprees though.

This is not a subject for the aibu topic, either.

Really. Sorry didn't get the memo that someone had left mnhq and made you queen.

Its perfectly reasonable. The OP is concerned and has asked. I happen to think she is by because I haven't seen the reports in the she or at least interpreted them the same way.

Its perfectly valid to discuss it as the care unfolds.

Op.... You are assuming 'mental' problems... How do you know this?

People with mental health problems probably feel the same way you know!!

And I have paused to think. Many times. Thank you.

peaceandlovebunny - there is massive difference between acknowledging that an individual's aspergers diagnosis could be relevant and claiming that all people with aspergers could become killers. The second is clearly ridiculous but the first is, I think, valid.

I know many children with aspergers and none are the same. Two at opposite ends of the personality scale spring to mind. One is sociable and popular. There is no reason on earth to assume that he would ever be violent towards anyone. The other is incredibly withdrawn, can't see other perspectives and is prone to outbursts of anger when he can't make himself understood or when something doesn't go his way. Those things wouldn't lead him to violence I wouldn't have thought but they do mean that he doesn't have any friends and being lonely can be one of many causes of these kinds of tragedies.

YANBU. I think it's irresponsible journalism to keep bringing it up like it was a contributing factor.

dreamin you asked 'how messed up is that?'

You don't know any facts about this yet. She could have been perfectly responsible (as you can be with guns). All we know is that he accesses the guns. Not anything to do with the relationship with his mother.

I share your concerns OP, I said that on someone elses thread yesterday.

Before everyone starts getting het up about any insensitivity over the way this has been reported, how about a pause for thought over what has actually happened there?

Nothing you or I say or think will change one thing about what has happened, or make it any easier for the families involved.

Im not 'het up' Im concerned what my son with autism will face at school tomorrow, people are talking about this, their children will hear.

My child has a hard enough time as it is without being associated with murderous rampages.

The real outrage is NOT that the press might have mentioned possible Aspergers

As above, it is to some of us.
I can't change what has already happened.

Didn't the US guidelines recently change to subsume Asperger's under Autism? Not that it matters, except in that it suggests people not giving a fuck about this disability.

I agree, I really don't like it.

This is such a horrific thing to have happened, and I can't stop thinking about the poor families of the victims.

As the parent of a chip with AS, my heart sank a tiny bit further when I saw that some of the reporting seemed to be linking the perpetrator's alleged Asperger's with his crime.

My concern that my child might be the victim of disablist hate or discrimination does not invalidate or detract from my human empathy for the victims of a horrific tragedy. I am capable of more than one emotion at the same time.

Obviously he's a child, not a chip. Predictive text.

As above, it is to some of us. I can't change what has already happened.

I would disagree. The real outrage is indeed not the apaergers has been mentioned. In the scheme of things its not.
the main focus here should always be the families and victims.

However that doesn't mean anything else related should be ignored. The mention of aspergers is clearly impacting people.

People can discuss, worry about and be outraged at different aspects of this with drawing away from the families.

brady well, okay, you are right that we shouldn't leap to conclusions.

I do think it's messed up to keep guns in the same house as a troubled child, and even more so if your reason for doing so is because you think doomsday is around the corner. BUT if it turns out none of this is actually true in this case, then obviously I will be wrong to have made assumptions.

To those of you that are saying people should be considering the fact that people have died here, those uf us with AS children are considering that. We're also considering the fact that, as I pointed out on another thread, our (certainly my) children will not be going to school tomorrow. Mine all know that the minute they're in the corridor, half the kids there will duck and start yellling 'oh don't shoot me'. How do you think my kids feel about that?
We have a valid point and are allowed to make it.

saw that some of the reporting seemed to be linking the perpetrator's alleged Asperger's with his crime.

Can someone link where people are connecting what happened to aspergers. Because so far no one has and all the reports I have seen make clearcitvis not linked.

so I stand by my yabu. Because there is nothing anywhere to say that they have linked the killings to his aspergers.

YANBU There was a nasty FB status update doing the rounds earlier about how all people with autism are violent and should be locked up - actually the status update was 'my cousin works with autistic kids and adults and she sais they're violent ppl and copy everything they see on TV so don't hand me that shit ....these monsters need to be locked up.....ALL OF THEM'

The rant carries on to the delightful 'You ppl need to stop doing drugs while pregnant and having sick babies that grow up killing us innocent ppl. Yes I am DAMN mad this happened coz his family KNEW he was a sick fuck and actually let him out in the population'

nothing like a bit (lot) of ignorance to stir up hatred against a vulnerable group is there.

brady are you being deliberately obtuse?

People told you yesterday Im sure that the link is being discussed repeatedly online for one, you may say thats just online, but there are people behind internet posts.

Lots of people are ignorant about autism, they will see the word and connect the dots [incorrectly] themselves.

saintly, my god, that is appalling.

I posted on the other thread about this, yanbu to be concerned.

Someone on Facebook linked to an article in an American paper about this yesterday, she was worrying about the same thing, and reading the comments after the article I could see why, with people suggesting lobotomies and locking up 'the mentally/socially disabled' - just grim.

My concern that my child might be the victim of disablist hate or discrimination does not invalidate or detract from my human empathy for the victims of a horrific tragedy. I am capable of more than one emotion at the same time

Agree, well put.