“He had an abusive father, who committed suicide.”
“He was disgruntled after being fired.”
“In letters, he details his deep depression and downward spiral.”
“Police speculated he had a “grudge” against the people he killed.”
“Fryberg was well-liked and allegedly happy, but was also upset about a girl and had posted emotional social media messages. No definitive signs of mental health problems.”
“He was known as a solitary teen who regularly ditched class and had an interest in assault weapons; he had been admitted to UCLA’s psychiatric ward for a brief period.”
The facts and details of our history’s mass shooters tell a horrific, tragic, and all too familiar story of the 98% of men who resort to such desperate measures. I know a man who’s been fired. I know a man who’s had an abusive father. I know a man who’s been distraught over a breakup. I know a man who, as a young boy, seriously struggled to meet society’s standards of how to “be a man”. I’m sure most of you do as well. This isn’t “pure evil”. These are men we know and love.
Men, we NEED you to be champions of empathy, integrity, self-love, and to lead with your vulnerabilities. That is what strength and courage look like. It’s not the only solution to this multifaceted issue, but I believe it’s the most important one.
