Blame it on Jonn – A Sunday Silly
In an odd confluence of events Jonn recently told me not to be so paranoid (via email) AND then posted this?
This post is to amplify MY concerns.
Let us start with a definition:
paranoid [pær-n-d]
1. (Psychiatry) of, characterized by, or resembling paranoia
2. (Psychiatry) Informal exhibiting undue suspicion, fear of persecution, etc.
This poor Marine got taken in because he espoused weird ideas. Weird as defined by most rational folks.
But, where do we draw the line? As Jonn noted this particular case demands a deeper look.
Us ‘Nam vets have had an undeserved stigma attached for decades, but I think you’ll find few intercessions like this one.
Here’s the silly bit: Even though Mr. Raub was singled out is it paranoid for us vets to look over our shoulders? That DHS warning is quite real. Toss in the SPLC report and…
The question really does interest me. BTW, Jonn seems more concerned about zombies than I am. I am concerned about a trend here.
Category: Geezer Alert!
My previous post at #13 (and #27) still stands.
Shades of Communist Russian psychiatry!
I wouldn’t call that paranoia. I’d call it hypervigilence.
You know, the key term in your definition of paranoia is “undue”. Its not paranoia if someone is really out to get you. Most military psychiatrists also don’t consider it paranoia if you’ve been conditioned, through legitimate trauma, to be vigilant for someone to be out to get you.
Ah! More words that generate discomfort in the souls of the naive, the simple, the brain dead and everyone else: wild, exploited, explode, etc. Anything to stir up fear and loathing in the populace.
Perhaps if the big chair in the Oval Office were not occupied by a lazy dilletante and slacker who is more interested in his golf scores than in doing his job, who claims credit for things he did not do, and who arrogantly insults hard-working people, we might not be having this conversation. We’re at the edge of a very ugly financial cliff and he’s down in Texas discussing his favorite chili recipe. He is a slacker, a looter and a pillager.
What was that Arabic curse? May you live in interesting times, I think. (No, it was not Chinese, it was Arabic.) Perhaps we take more notice of the wacky peeps now than we ordinarily would, not because of the media, but because we’re all a bit wacked out ourselves by the things that have happened in the last few years.
Mr. Raub was not thrown in jail, he was taken for a psych evaluation. Serious difference there, but if he was making threats, perhaps the gendarmerie were just being, well, hypervigilant as opposed to paranoid, considering the things that have happened lately. Overly cautious, yes, but labeling people is the trend right now.
… and I thought a “Paranoid” was a miniature parakeet …
I don’t think we have enough info on Raub to know why he was scooped up, I think those who have suggested family might have made some calls are probably close to the mark. It might be pro-active assessment based on a family member concerned he will harm himself or others.
Or it could be more sinister. I hope there is clarification shortly, I’m a little uncomfortable with a knock at the door and placement in a facility for “evaluation” without more than a face book rant to go off of, I would like to think there was much more to indicate he needed some assistance.
Regarding the SPLC, I am not surprised by anything they report on the fringe, as the nation’s founders would be on their list of folks to watch out for today. After all the founders were advocating the violent overthrow of the status quo of their time, they would be considered domestic terrorists today and closely monitored.