Mental illness and gun violence

A different take on today’s Nashville shooting than you’ll hear in the media

*Edited March 28, 2023 to add a footnote on recent additional information

Once again today, March 27, 2023, America was rocked and hearts were saddened by the tragedy of six people (three children, three adults) being killed in shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. Every death is a tragedy, especially those not of natural causes. Murder is particularly heinous, and I don’t know that there is anything much worse than the senseless killing of young children. Unfortunately media and government don’t truly see tragedy when something like this happens; instead, they see fodder for fomenting further restrictions on gun ownership in America. As if on cue, news outlets immediately began blaming, and calling for a ban on, guns. What kind of guns? Why, “assault rifles” of course. Remove from your mind the fact that any weapon - be it a knife, a gun, a bat, a rock, your hand - can be used for offensive (assault) or defensive purposes. Set aside the thought that guns don’t go out on killing sprees apart from the person possessing them and pulling their triggers. After all, in the Modern Era, we can’t hold people accountable for their actions - we must blame the tools they use. I will now ask you to forget, for a moment, the typical media mania and allow me to give you a different take on this developing story.

While this shooting did take place at a school (a Christian school at that), it has some deviation from the typical pattern. Jillian Peterson is a psychologist and professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, and James Densley is a sociologist and professor of criminal justice at Metropolitan State University, also in St. Paul, write:

Our study shows that there’s no one profile of a school shooter and no one predictor of a school shooting. However, school shooters are almost always a student at the school, and they typically have four things in common:

They suffered early-childhood trauma and exposure to violence at a young age. They were angry or despondent over a recent event, resulting in feelings of suicidality. They studied other school shootings, notably Columbine, often online, and found inspiration. And they possessed the means to carry out an attack.

https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-what-school-shooters-have-in-common/2019/10

In today’s case, the shooter was not an adolescent. The suspect, “Audrey Hale,” who was shot by police, was early on identified as a 28-year-old woman. It does turn out that Audrey was formerly a student at the school, which educates children from kindergarten through sixth grade; therefore, Audrey would not have been a student at this particular establishment for at least a decade and a half. This disqualifies Audrey from the “almost always a student” statement. I cannot attest to any early-childhood trauma Audrey may have suffered; such information has not been made public. Nor can I claim Audrey suffered any recent event to cause anger or “suicidality.” Audrey did clearly spend time researching. That there was much surveillance done, and the shooter had detailed maps, makes clear this was a targeted attack, not spur of the moment or a crime of passion. Actual motive has not yet come to light, though apparently Audrey left behind a “manifesto” that has yet to be released publicly. So, what are we to make of all of this?

First, this person was organized. It takes time and discipline to work out detailed maps and a plan of attack. Second, this person had purpose. No one writes a “manifesto” without having some type of conviction of something that needs to be done. Third, it seems to me this person suffered from mental illness. In the past several years, what other types of people write and leave manifestos then go on killing sprees? Clearly, people with psychological disorders.

What’s more, according to Nashville Police Chief John Drake, Audrey Hale “identified” as transgender. I have said it before, and I will continue to say the same: so-called “transgenderism” is a psychological disorder that carries with it anxiety, depression, and a host of other issues. Someone recently made a statement to me that sums it up well (I modified it slightly):

When John pretends to be Jason we say he is schizophrenic and needs help.

When John pretends to be Sally we say he is brave and applaud him.

Gender dysphoria is a disease wherein the afflicted is unable to accept objective reality, much like schizophrenia, anorexia, and a host of other mental maladies. It should not be a point of pride; it is not to be encouraged and endorsed. It is a disorder that requires psychological and spiritual counseling. Acquiescing to a person’s psychiatric problems can never help that person, much less will encouragement and applause. Those who are emboldened to live their fictitious fantasy will only sink deeper, and whether transgenderism, schizophrenia, or any other psychosis, can easily lead to violence. The further removed from reality one becomes, the easier it is to kill.

This is why I made the earlier statements about guns and other weapons: the tool doesn’t matter, it is the person wielding the tool. Audrey could have used a knife, could have improvised explosives, could have used rocks, throwing stars, blow darts - there are a host of tools available for the mind inclined to kill. Therein lies the issue with mental (and spiritual) illness. In a country where cognitive ailment is affirmed, God has largely been rejected, and Satanism is on the rise, what else could we possibly expect? The Church of Satan is hosting a national conference they have titled “Satancon” that is allegedly sold out, and which the Boston Globe claims will be “the largest satanic gathering in history.” When people believe there is no greater power than themselves, that there are no consequences after this life for their behaviors, is it any wonder that so many resort to such evil? We are headed down a path from which we may not be able to return, and transgenderism (and the praise thereof) is simply a symptom. We must awaken from our slumber and restore sanity (and some logic) to the bulk of society from which it has slipped.

It pains me to be writing this today, for the victims, for the community, and yes, even for the shooter. Audrey (Andre? Aiden? - I’ve seen both) was suffering, and no one bothered to provide the help that was so desperately needed. Let’s stop focusing on the guns, and start focusing our effort on healing our country. So many are in anguish, and as long as we continue to approve and applaud it, violence will only increase. In reality, God is our only hope, the ultimate Healer, and while some healing may come through human effort, true healing only comes from Him.

*Footnote:
As of today, March 28, 2023, it is now known that Audrey was suicidal. News is reporting that Audrey sent the following message to a friend on Instagram:

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/she-checked-her-instagram-she-didnt-expect-a-message-from-the-covenant-school-shooter