Tragic background of James Fields Jr.

[gyroscope]

This guy should probably spend the rest of his life in jail for what he did in Charlottesville, but when reading about his background I kind of feel sorry for him. A few months before he was born his father was killed by a drunk driver, and mother was paralyzed as a result of another accident. His life circumstances has been pretty tragic.

I wonder how much of his tragic circumstances has contributed to his history of delinquency and ending up with hate groups? Probably many or most of these people had a rough upbringing. You might say the same for many criminals or those with extremist views. People who grow up in poverty, lack guidance and good role models are more prone to turn out bad. OTOH, others like Trump who grew up in the lap of luxury all their life, wanting for nothing still turn out to be a slimeball.

[Ex Lurker]

1. He still came from a place of prvilege by virtue of his race

Given those same circumstances, a Black youth would have wound up in prison before any of this happened.

[Barack_America]

2. Plenty of people have grown up with less and chose love.

You do know that, as a minor, he was arrested for assaulting his wheelchair-bound mother, right?

[dalton99a]

5. +1

[gyroscope]

6. But that's the exception not the rule

its not easy to break free from the cycle of poverty or rise above tragic circumstances.

some do, but not most. it is easier said than done. if it was easy than no one would be poor or turn out bad.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. I think he has a lot of anger issues from his upbringing, but he's

old enough to decide how to handle it. He seems to have decided to strike out against his own mother and others.

[MrsCoffee]

16. No, that is not the exception. The majority of poverty stricken people do not mow down others

with their vehicles at Nazi rallies.

[JI7]

18. nope, that is not the exception . most people who have dealt with horrible things in life DO NOT

turn into murdering bigots.

[GusBob]

3. So his mother paralyzed gave birth to him?

And full circle with the automobile expressing his rage.

Tragic all around.

[HipChick]

4. Cry me a river...

[Xolodno]

7. Going to guess, some people told him what he wanted to hear.....

...its not your fault.

...its the fault of others.

...in fact its these liberals who caused your problems.

...liberals are weak on the laws, conservatives would have made laws making sure no one could drink and drive and you dad would be alive today.

...liberals let anyone drive who shouldn't be, like illegal aliens, etc.

...liberals left unchecked will destroy everything.

----------

And the odd part? Liberal ideas such as state paid college, single payer health care, livable wage, etc. Would have resulted in making his life better.

Same old formula, make lives for your people miserable, then blame it on another group while you reap the benefits.

[Iggo]

8. Oh and he killed a woman. (n/t)

[AlexSFCA]

9. BS

so many great people came out of poverty with much worse situations (drugs, alcohol, domestic abuse, etc.). We can't blame this on circumstances.

[gyroscope]

12. There's no question

poverty, growing up in a broken home is a major contributor to crime and delinquency.
there is a direct correlation. its been proven in hundreds of studies, and I don't think any expert on the subject would disagree.

obviously people still have to pay for their crimes but you can't completely ignore individual circumstances and environmental factors that may have played a role if you want to understand criminal behavior, psychology and why people do what they do.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

11. It's good to try to understand why people are they way they are, and a person can feel sorry for the

experiences that made James Fields who he is while also condemning what he's done. Every one of us was a baby with lots of potential at some point, and everything that happens to us makes further choices more or less likely.

[gyroscope]

13. Well said

thank you.

[WhiteTara]

14. I saw another post that says he's schizophrenic

and was on meds at the time.

[gyroscope]

15. I heard of that

The loss of her husband while well into pregnancy, had to be devastating not only for her but also the unborn child. The trauma and shock of her loss could have been quite detrimental to the health of mother and baby. Besides the emotional trauma it was likely financially devastating as well with the loss of the primary breadwinner. Doesn't help when you are unable to work or find a job due to pregnancy. Having to cope with an enormous amount of pressure and stress suddenly dropped on you as a single, now widowed young expecting mother cannot be good for the health and well-being of you or your developing fetus.

And it doesn't help matters when the US is one of the few countries in the world that doesn't provide universal maternity leave, despite being the wealthiest.

[JI7]

17. fuck that . i don't feel sorry for him at all and there is no reason to. many people have shitty

things happen to them in life. they don't turn into bigots and kill others for it.

[ck4829]

19. Wow, I almost never comment on a person's post itself, but I feel like I have to here.

People have had less than him and didn't end up murdering someone.

When I was his age, I was struggling too, but he had it better than I did during that time. I couldn't travel hundreds of miles to participate in a rally, that's for sure.

"People who grow up in poverty, lack guidance and good role models are more prone to turn out bad.", this is the kind of disgusting thinking we need to be against, it's no better than racism or sexism. It's all part of that same chain really.