Would-be assassin-turned-folk singer John Hinckley Jr., who attempted to kill then-President Ronald Regan in 1981, was scheduled to perform at the Hotel Huxley in Naugatuck, Connecticut on March 30…
Dude was crazy. Did something horrible (regardless of the horrible person he directly targeted, and he did harm two other people). Was in supervision and treatment for decades.
Why the fuck should anyone care if he’s trying to do something with what’s left of his life? If he had gone to jail, I’d say he served his time, and that’s the end of it.
He Was in supervised release at first, and hasn’t caused any trouble since.
Fuck it, let the man have a life. If we can’t give someone the chance to have changed after over thirty years, we’re all fucked. I’m not the same man I was at 25. I’m not the same man I was at 40. Mind you, I didn’t try to kill a president, but I was deep enough in the PTSD cycle that I’m kind of amazed I didn’t try something that insane. Gods know that I did my own dance with self destructive shit, and that included chasing more trauma sometimes.
He didn’t shoot Reagan for any of the billions of reasons Reagan deserved to be shot for, though… he did it as an attempt to impress Jodie Foster after developing an obsession with her after watching Taxi Driver about fifteen times.
It’s important to note that Foster had been twelve when shooting the film, and that even the deranged and mentally ill protagonist of said film abandons any sexual interest on her character the instant he becomes aware of her age, despite her being a child prostitute, and that the character said protagonist was trying to impress by shooting a politician was in her twenties (Foster was barely eighteen when Hinckley shot Reagan).
You know, I ain’t mad.
Dude was crazy. Did something horrible (regardless of the horrible person he directly targeted, and he did harm two other people). Was in supervision and treatment for decades.
Why the fuck should anyone care if he’s trying to do something with what’s left of his life? If he had gone to jail, I’d say he served his time, and that’s the end of it.
He Was in supervised release at first, and hasn’t caused any trouble since.
Fuck it, let the man have a life. If we can’t give someone the chance to have changed after over thirty years, we’re all fucked. I’m not the same man I was at 25. I’m not the same man I was at 40. Mind you, I didn’t try to kill a president, but I was deep enough in the PTSD cycle that I’m kind of amazed I didn’t try something that insane. Gods know that I did my own dance with self destructive shit, and that included chasing more trauma sometimes.
Give people a chance to be better.
Also fuck it he shot Reagan, fuck that guy
He didn’t shoot Reagan for any of the billions of reasons Reagan deserved to be shot for, though… he did it as an attempt to impress Jodie Foster after developing an obsession with her after watching Taxi Driver about fifteen times.
It’s important to note that Foster had been twelve when shooting the film, and that even the deranged and mentally ill protagonist of said film abandons any sexual interest on her character the instant he becomes aware of her age, despite her being a child prostitute, and that the character said protagonist was trying to impress by shooting a politician was in her twenties (Foster was barely eighteen when Hinckley shot Reagan).
That’s why he didn’t go to jail, he spent 30 years in a mental hospital.
If someone had shot Hitler, I wouldn’t hate them for it.
If someone had shot Reagan and then gone on to be a jerk I’d dislike him for being a jerk.
This is the emotional intelligent and insightful response to the grab your pitchforks mentality. Hats off and a respectful bow.
In the words of Brutus “Brutal” Howell:
He’s paid what he’s owed. He’s square with the house again, so keep your goddamn hands off him.
The book ‘Determined’ makes a great point on how schizophrenia victims have been mistreated throughout history.
Exactly. Thank you.