Thirty Days in the New America

By David Glenn Cox

I write with both anger and frustration at a people so insolated and conditioned like Pavlov’s dog that they have lost the ability to feel, to empathize with their fellow man. We had another murder-suicide here in Atlanta so I went to my browser and typed in Murder-Suicide. Out of the over seven million links, I put together a list for the past 30 days.

Jun 30, 2009 Newport News couple in murder, suicide identified

Jun 30, 2009 A murder-suicide attempt by an Upper Gwynedd, Pa. woman on Friday resulted in the death of her husband and has left her in critical condition, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman said Monday.

Jun 29, 2009 Connecticut Man, Wife Found Dead in Murder-Suicide

Jun 29, 2009 Fresno, Ca. Investigators say a double shooting in Madera County Sunday afternoon is a case of murder/suicide.

Jun 29, 2009 Youngest Son Survives Virginia Murder-Suicide By Father

Jun 28, 2009 Police suspect murder-suicide in Ohio deaths

Jun 26, 2009 Possible Murder-Suicide Plot Investigated

Jun 26, 2009 Police Say 2 Dead in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Jun 25, 2009 San Pablo Woman Shot In Murder-Suicide Try Dies

Jun 25, 2009 Suspected murder-suicide leaves Oklahoma mother, son dead

Jun 24, 2009 FREDERICK, Md. - The Frederick County Sheriff’s office says an autopsy found a father involved in a murder-suicide that claimed the lives of his wife and their three young children had prescription drugs in his system, but not alcohol.

Jun 23,2009 Coroner: Brother Killed Sister in Apparent Murder-Suicide

Jun 22, 2009 Investigators in Hawkins County say it appears the deaths of a man and woman there over the weekend were the result of a murder - suicide.

Jun 20, 2009 Sonora, KY couple found dead; Murder -Suicide suspected

Jun 18, 2009 The coroner has said a Sherwood, AR woman killed her daughter yesterday and then shot herself. She left a note, the contents of which haven’t been disclosed

Jun 17, 2009 Murder-Suicide Couple: "We Are At Peace"

Jun 17, 2009 Police investigating possible murder – suicide in Springville

Jun 15, 2009 A 76-year-old Queens barber slashed his wife’s throat with a butcher knife Sunday, then turned the knife on himself as their developmentally disabled son watched in horror, cops said.

Jun 15, 2009 HEATHROW, Fla. — Investigators and community members discussed Tuesday whether finances played a part in the apparent murder-suicide of a Heathrow family.

Jun 15, 2009 Binghamton Murder-Suicide

Jun 12, 2009 Murder-Suicide Investigation In South Augusta

Jun 9,2009 (CNN) Deaths of children, mother may be murder-suicide

Jun 4, 2009 Troubles became tragic on path to murder-suicide of West Knoxville couple

Jun1, 2009 North Slope police investigate apparent murder-suicide

It has become an everyday event, and it is happening everywhere in the United States, from run-down mobile homes to gated communities. And everywhere what is lacking is a sense of understanding. The reasons for their actions vary but finances are at the heart of most of them. Job loss, career loss, loss of self-esteem and loss of health care. This is America where mental illness is not treated the same as physical illness; only the red carpet health care plans will cover mental illness. That’s because the health care industry is afraid you’ll fake it just to get a few days off.

Reading about these cases I see there is a general misunderstanding. People who kill themselves are disturbed, and people who kill loved ones and then themselves are extremely disturbed. It’s not about ego and it’s not about pride; it is all about mental illness. But from reading the comments mental illness is considered like Darwinism, a theory favored only by long-hair elitests. Following are typical responses to this tragic event.

“Suicide is a terrible act in God’s sight. He is able to help anyone who turns their life over to Him. Murder is reprehensible and condemned by God.

No one truly knows all the details for this and maybe no one ever will, but this is more than tragic. Let’s begin to pray now for the kid’s friends, classmates and family members who must be in shock now. Those who worked with John and his wife must also be hurting thinking they could have done something to prevent it..

May God help us if more people turn to destruction than to the Lord when difficulties escalate, and the Bible tells us they will in the end times.”

“I am so tired of reading these kind of stories in the news...Every day now you hear about a dad who kills his entire family and then turns the gun on himself..What is happening to this world? There is no reason in the world to do this, especially not because of money! If his life was so horrible then he should have just killed himself..I don’t understand how he could murder his own children and wife.”

“Well, lets see. You work at Lowe’s (low paying hourly) then you get a job at Dick’s Sporting Goods (low paying hourly). Still, despite your small wages you find someone who will finance you a McMansion in Heathrow. You even buy a boat and then immediately file bankruptcy. Sounds like the Woods ran the string out until the end. Big lifestyle, Big House, Big Boat; but small salary. The American way. Charge it, make sure your life looks glamorous to your neighbors and family. Then get stressed and pull the plug on it all. The American way!”

“very sad .. however its another case of people living beyond their means trying to impress others with homes, cars boats. i guess he didn’t learn anything from ch 7 bankruptcy. prayers are with his family”

“Sometimes you might just get tired of all the calls and threats from collection agencies, Mortgage companies...but this is not the solution. I don’t know their financial situation, so I can’t speak for his reasoning. I hope we don’t see more of this.

In my opinion the banks that received monies from the government should be helping people facing foreclosure more than they are...if any ? I’ve talked to alot of people facing this and none have really been helped by their mortgage companies. Maybe the government should have helped the people instead of the banks.”

“This is what happens when people live above their means...trying to keep up with the Joneses. The old adage: "money is the root of all evil" is so true. What a selfish coward to do what he did...there is no turning back.”

“There is nothing more horrible or disgusting than what this man did to his wife and children...there are no generalizations or assumptions being made...HE SLAUGHTERED HIS FAMILY. (period.)”

“In Dickens Christmas Carol, the nice Christian family that is in want gives thanks and endures hardship. That was representative of the culture of its time. We now have a different culture; the Anti Christian Liberties Culture, or ACLU culture for short. This is aculture where the ACLU has "freed" us from the bondage of Christianity ... and left us completely without hope. Now, when economic rugs are pulled out from under us, rather than give thanks and wait on God, we shoot our families and then blow our own head off. Thank you American Civil Liberties Union!”

Know-it-alls with Bibles in their pockets and a noose in their hands. It couldn’t be anyone’s fault but the victims’.