The app for independent voices
Okay, so now that we can actually read the murderer’s own words, without speculating, I guess what strikes me:
Very bizarre that a kid who everyone universally agreed was super smart seemed to put literally zero thought into his plan for what happened AFTER he killed someone, and truly seemed to think he’d get away with it and that nothing would happen. Seemingly zero future-casting or thinking through consequences whatsoever.
Every single thing people report and that he writes indicates he had no emotions, about anything, ever. That would indicate a psychopath, usually, right? He tells his boyfriend who is freaking out, and he’s just coldly and emotionlessly talking about logistics, all his friends said he was super stoic and unreadable, etc.
Yet the one emotion he displays is that he clearly DOES love his boyfriend. So do psychopaths practice selective love like that? I didn’t think they were capable.
No one knew, he told no one, talked about it with no one, no cell, no group, none of that, just his own decision.
All his friends claim he was not political at all.
Apparently he DID have friends and people found him to be a fairly affable guy, just stoic and quiet. Liked “the outdoors, guns, and video games” which basically describes 90% of all guys that age in Utah.
Seemingly close and loving relationship with his family.
Obviously gay, or I suppose bi if he didn’t mind his boyfriend transitioning.
So, inscrutable.
Based on the evidence of his messages and reports of his friends and activities, he did not seem to have have any politics whatsoever EXCEPT that he didn’t like Charlie Kirk speaking against his sexuality. But he loved guns and there’s no evidence he had a problem or cared whatsoever about any other issue (immigration, economics, abortion, etc.) but that one. Surely he struggled with his sexuality because in the culture and religion he grow up with, they can’t be reconciled. But seemingly his only “politics” had to do with his own love/sex life. Chicken and egg.
But also he seems to have been a psychopath. Millions of gay people spent their whole lives being reviled and disparaged and discriminated against for their sexuality, without killing anyone, and instead patiently changing people’s minds, over decades of work.
This guy saw an opportunity to take out a guy who spoke against his or his boyfriend’s sexuality/transitioning status, and just took it, seemingly with basically zero remorse or emotion, or even any thought for the consequences.
Also, somewhat but not directly related, Katherine Dee’s piece here is NSFW and uh, discretion is advised, but also well done and sort of a glimpse into what at least this interview subject described as a different sort of “radicalization”…not political, not done by known actors, but sexual radicalization.
