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oh good god...
Yesterday's Seattle Times: Breakup Ignited Dad's Deadly Rage in Graham.1
Today's Seattle Times headline: Slain Children's Mother says Husband was Abusive for Years
Think about this for a minute. The man murdered five children. His OWN five children. This is NOT a normal reaction to a partner leaving. This is NOT the action of a normal person, even one who's under the stress of a breakup.2 This is NOT justified.
But abusers DO threaten to hurt their partner - or their partner's kids - if the partner leaves. Sometimes they follow through. And they blame their actions on their partner ("See what you made me do").
It should not be surprising that a person who killed five children because his wife left was an abuser. Although I suppose I should be glad that it's not being spun as "See, people live in small towns because they can't cope with normal life."
~o~
1Slog has a good point about this headline: "A man kills five children and blames a woman, the woman "ignites" the man's actions. Her actions set him off; his actions were prompted, involuntary."
2Another good point: Why no mention of mental illness? Why is this presented as "just a guy dealing with a breakup" as if this is common way to deal with a breakup? "Oh, I don't want to deal with custody issues, I'll just kill my kids."
Today's Seattle Times headline: Slain Children's Mother says Husband was Abusive for Years
Think about this for a minute. The man murdered five children. His OWN five children. This is NOT a normal reaction to a partner leaving. This is NOT the action of a normal person, even one who's under the stress of a breakup.2 This is NOT justified.
But abusers DO threaten to hurt their partner - or their partner's kids - if the partner leaves. Sometimes they follow through. And they blame their actions on their partner ("See what you made me do").
It should not be surprising that a person who killed five children because his wife left was an abuser. Although I suppose I should be glad that it's not being spun as "See, people live in small towns because they can't cope with normal life."
1Slog has a good point about this headline: "A man kills five children and blames a woman, the woman "ignites" the man's actions. Her actions set him off; his actions were prompted, involuntary."
2Another good point: Why no mention of mental illness? Why is this presented as "just a guy dealing with a breakup" as if this is common way to deal with a breakup? "Oh, I don't want to deal with custody issues, I'll just kill my kids."