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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAn alternative hypothesis on the Georgia Shooter
I'm going to propose an alternative theory about the shooter in Georgia. You may agree or disagree, but please hear me out.
I don't for a minute wish to minimize in any way the problem of the surge in anti-Asian bias crimes. It's a real problem and we need to address it. But based on what the shooter himself told police, some additional details that have been reported, and certain on-the-ground realities no one seems to want to talk about, what I see is a profoundly disturbed young man whose Southern Baptist church's obsession with sex as the primary locus of sin seriously messed with his head. Hence he came to view the women at these businesses, which he had frequented as a patron, as his "temptresses." And as some Christian men have done for a couple of millennia, he found it easier to place the locus of what his Church was telling him was his "sin" outside of himself, and blame the women instead.
As for those on-the-ground realities, here's what I'm talking about.: in just about any major metropolitan area in this country, one can find these Asian-owned and staffed massage parlors. Here in NYC, it's an open secret that these places, while operating ostensibly as legitimate businesses that indeed offer massage, the 'massage therapists' who work in many of them will offer, um, additional services, for an additional fee. And the fact of the matter is that these kinds of massage parlors are operated almost exclusively by Asians these days. So the fact that so many of the victims were Asian may have been merely incidental to the fact of who happens to own and work in them. And indeed, it has been reported that workers at one of the businesses involved were indeed arrested last year on prostitution charges, after one of them offered sexual services to an undercover cop.
Here is what I see as a very possible scenario: a 21-year-old, unstable young man, with hormones in overdrive, begins frequenting these places, and begins to take advantage of their "additional services." And he finds himself returning again and again for more gratification. Meanwhile, his church is feeding him a pathological view of his own sexuality (wouldn't exactly be the first time a Christian church did this, now would it?), essentially shaming him for enjoying the experiences he has been having, and in his emotionally confused and unstable state, the conflict becomes too much.
Look, none of this makes the shootings any less horrific, and I fully understand why it would appear to be racially motivated by many Asians who are already experiencing a wave of bias crimes. And indeed, it is quite possible that he does harbor racist views. But it is also quite possible that by reductively labeling it an Anti-Asian hate crime, we may be missing an important part of the picture.
samnsara
(17,622 posts)..either way the kids totally messed up.
flying rabbit
(4,632 posts)LizBeth
(9,952 posts)We just do not get recognition or excuse for it, but blame.
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)speak easy
(9,246 posts)Would he have felt any guilt in the Antebellum South, if the women were slaves?
stopdiggin
(11,302 posts)but it is after all your take.
MLAA
(17,288 posts)The majority of the women killed were between 49-74. I would be surprised if they were providing extra services to the 20 some year old mass murderer. Though I agree the evangelical southern churches have really fucked up a lot of peoples sexual health.
The Cherokee County Sheriffs office released the names of the four victims who died in the shooting at Youngs Asian Massage. They are Delaina Ashley Yaun, 33; Paul Andre Michels, 54; Xiaojie Tan, 49; and Daoyou Feng, 44. One additional victim, Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, 30, was injured in the shooting.
The Atlanta Police Department on Friday released the names of the four additional victims who died through a statement by the Fulton County Medical Examiners Office. They are Soon C. Park, 74; Hyun J. Grant, 51; Suncha Kim, 69; and Yong A. Yue, 63.
South Koreas Foreign Ministry said its diplomats in Atlanta have confirmed with police that four of the victims who died were women of Korean descent, according to the Associated Press.
SharonAnn
(13,772 posts)Captain Zero
(6,805 posts)As well. Creating multivariate cognitive dissonance for himself, and finally a melt down.
JI7
(89,248 posts)PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,853 posts)I'd also add that apparently his church never bothered to say anything about the Commandment that says not to kill.
summer_in_TX
(2,738 posts)To be pure, one cannot yield to sexual temptation. That includes masturbation, but much more sex outside of marriage. Sex within marriage is the only pure form of sex.
The exvangelical community, the kids who were raised home-schooled and in this purity culture who have left it, are pointing out the phrases and behaviors they recognize from that.
stopdiggin
(11,302 posts)(including from statements made by perpetrator himself) that there was a really messed up sexual element involved. Was there some racial thing stacked in on top of that? Also pretty easy supposition -- and yet still just a supposition.
usedtobedemgurl
(1,137 posts)Lets take the Asian factor out of it for a second. He went after women. He targeted an exact group. What about that is not a hate crime. Would it be better if he killed women, versus killing Asians? It is all hate crimes. Any time women if any ilk are hurt or murdered, it is the exact same thing.
The whole religion thing may give you a different understanding . To me, they are both hate crimes.
Women should not be disposable in our society. Laws should not be voted against when it protects women. Domestic violence should be handled in a strong manner. Women are valuable.