08-11-2016, 11:48 AM
I remember that post you're talking about, Donovan.
I agree that families of perpetrators are sometimes treated unfairly; guilt by association (even when the family members had no knowledge or part in the crimes and are suffering themselves). Over the last 5 years or so, I've seen that change a lot though.
We have much more exposure to the words/feelings expressed by families of both the victims and the perps these days, and I see fewer people skewering family members simply for being related to horrible criminals. Donald Trump hasn't caught on and wants to torture/kill the families of suspected terrorists, but most people are more rational and reasonable (in my observation).
As for Mr. Mateen, he should not have been cleared for high-visibility seating behind Clinton. He slipped through the cracks with on-the-spot campaign crowd-screeners. But, the fact that he was at the rally and claims to support Clinton aren't things that should be held against Clinton personally. The man hasn't been arrested and charged with anything and it's a free country.
However, Mr. Mateen is not sympathetic and could be a security threat, in my opinion. His pre-massacre Youtube rants condemning gays and supporting suppressive organizations...along with his almost giddy yet incoherent post-massacre interviews...make him unlike most family members of high-profile killers. Clinton needed to disavow him and his views quickly and move on. I think that was the right strategy.
I agree that families of perpetrators are sometimes treated unfairly; guilt by association (even when the family members had no knowledge or part in the crimes and are suffering themselves). Over the last 5 years or so, I've seen that change a lot though.
We have much more exposure to the words/feelings expressed by families of both the victims and the perps these days, and I see fewer people skewering family members simply for being related to horrible criminals. Donald Trump hasn't caught on and wants to torture/kill the families of suspected terrorists, but most people are more rational and reasonable (in my observation).
As for Mr. Mateen, he should not have been cleared for high-visibility seating behind Clinton. He slipped through the cracks with on-the-spot campaign crowd-screeners. But, the fact that he was at the rally and claims to support Clinton aren't things that should be held against Clinton personally. The man hasn't been arrested and charged with anything and it's a free country.
However, Mr. Mateen is not sympathetic and could be a security threat, in my opinion. His pre-massacre Youtube rants condemning gays and supporting suppressive organizations...along with his almost giddy yet incoherent post-massacre interviews...make him unlike most family members of high-profile killers. Clinton needed to disavow him and his views quickly and move on. I think that was the right strategy.