Derangement Syndrome Profiles: Christopher Hasson

[Voltron]

I thought it would be fun to examine some actual examples of the famed Derangement Syndrome. A new phenomenon where political wing nuts seem to be triggered into committing heinous, often violent crimes for political reasons.

Today's case will be the most recent to hit: Christopher Hasson.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/coast-gua...rdered-to-jail

Chris, a 49 year old Coast Guard lieutenant has been accused of taking opiates, stock piling weapons, and plotting to assault and murder Democratic figures.

A search of his computer and internet activities indicates Mr. Hasson to be a white supremacist and neo-Nazi with a keen interest in past acts of nationalist terrorism.

While the hearing has yet to end, the judge has still denied Hasson's release citing the threat he poses to American citizens.

Hasson's lawyer has claimed that being a neo-Nazi isn't illegal, and that since Hasson hasn't actually killed anyone yet, he shouldn't be detained or treated as an actual threat.

So! What do you guy's think? There's a list a mile long of Right Wing terrorists and even the rare Lefty out there. But they're usually too busy shopping on Goop or dying of jardia from all that raw water they drink.

[Leo656]

I'm generally more concerned with how these clearly mentally ill people have been able to function undetected in society for so long in the first place, rather than their political affiliation.

At some point, who you vote for doesn't concern me as much as the fact that you're crazy enough to behave like this in the first place, and that nobody ever had the sense to pull you aside and straighten you out long ago. There's always just a huge, huge list of people looking the other way for many years, and I find that greatly disturbing.

But I do think that mentally ill people who don't know/think that they are mentally ill find right-leaning rhetoric more acceptable and comforting, because they tend to be rather paranoid and irrational to start with. So they align with things that make sense to them.

I think it's more like "crazy people skew to the right". I don't think Conservatives as a larger group are inherently more violent, crazy, or deranged. I just think they're a more attractive option to people who literally can't distinguish fantasy from reality, or Obvious Political Theater from actual policy. All the Conservatives I know are definitely not budging on immigration, abortion, or the economy, but they roll their eyes at the extremist nonsense that's obviously just to stir up the passions of the ignorant just like everyone else does.

Anyone who openly espouses violence or takes action to incite it isn't a Conservative or Liberal in my eyes, they're just a f*ckin' loon who watches too much TV and should've been weeded out before things got so far out of hand.

That said... I kind wanna choke-f*ck that Cortez bimbo - or at the absolute least, give her ALL the Donkey Punches - so obviously I have my own hangups. But seriously, WHY are all the chesty lassies so incurably f*cking stupid? It's a curse, I'm tellin' ya.

[Andrew NDB]

I think the problem with the right -- at large, anyway -- is that there's a lot of religion at work there. And religion makes people do wonky things. But it also scares other people away from doing bad things for fear of a supernatural spanking now or in the hereafter. I don't have a single religious bone in my body, but I can see its worth as a core. When I was younger I proclaimed it as a crutch we should have shucked off a while ago... now? I dunno... maybe some people really need it.

That said, I don't get consumed with painting half the country in a certain light because of 5 instances of crazy people doing crazy things. Obviously Jessie Smollet isn't indicative of the whole left, what they would do, any more than stories around election time of "the KKK endorses Trump! How damning is that for Trump??!?" or "crazy Trump fan did crazy thing!" Or any of your citations.

But to talk about the left? The "further, all the way to far" left? Pure Orwellian horror show. It's literally all things that are bad. Slowly push the 2nd amendment so far back until it is impossible to get a gun? Open borders because all Americans (north and south) are natives here? Punish, lock up and ruin livelihoods of people for stuff they wrote on Twitter... or simply supporting the other party? Trivializing due process? Owning the language, to turn it against everyone else and demonize people? Straight up socialism?

These are all things that are bad. All things that have signaled the end of all things that are good in countries elsewhere.

I definitely lean to the right (at least... this is where I find myself now... I never considered myself such until the last couple of years and certainly got up and cheered loudly when Obama was elected) but even stepping back for a moment objectively... the left's endgame is far more horrifying than the right's. What is the right even doing that's so horrible? I agree the drilling (the fracking is particularly concerning) needs to stop, and we should get on the fast track to replace fossil fuels with something more sustainable. Ignorance about global warming is concerning... but if none of the other giants in the world are going to change their ways and they will drag us into the abyss anyway, why should we cripple ourselves? "We need to be the leader in this!" I get, but they're not going to follow. Period point blank. China? Russia? They don't care. Maybe they'll care when it's already too late... but at that point, it's... literally too late. Abortion? None of the republicans talking hard about banning it have even the slightest illusion it is going to be banned (you know my stance... we need MORE abortions! let's pump those numbers up!). Maybe the super late term stuff, if anything.

[Leo656]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

And religion makes people do wonky things. But it also scares people away from doing bad things. I don't have a single religious bone in my body, but I can see its worth as a core.

I agree with many things in that post, but perhaps none more than this.

I've said myself, many times, that despite being mostly-agnostic myself, society needs religion, or it simply can't function. Human beings need at the very least the IDEA that the wicked will be punished, by a power greater than any that we can conceive of ourselves. Because I've met many, MANY people who will tell you to your face, they don't fear the police, the government, the military or jail. But they absolutely fear the wrath of a vengeful God, and that's literally the only thing that keeps them from their own personal rape/murder spree.

My personal opinion of humanity is rather dim. I don't believe in "good people", because I've seen too much. I think people maybe want to be good, or try to be - sometimes sincerely - but ultimately, we are horrible at avoiding temptation. I don't think every single man locked in a room with a sleeping woman would do something horrible... but I think most would, and the fear of repercussions is the only deterrent. Or any random person locked in a room with tons of cash; if nobody would EVER find out, most people would skim. I've personally witnessed so many "good people" do awful things when they thought nobody saw, and were convinced they'd never be caught or punished, that it really makes me feel like people only behave themselves at all, because they don't want to be punished later.

And again, some people are openly not afraid of jail; many people WANT to go there because it's "easier" than being in the real world, since they don't have to hold a job or pay bills and such. I'm pretty sure that's how God and religion were invented in the first place; the threat of imprisonment or even death wasn't enough to stop people from lying, stealing, raping and murdering; so what do you do? Tell them, "Well, if you misbehave badly ENOUGH, then you're gonna get the worst cosmic spanking you've ever imagined, for all eternity, with no possibility of parole." And you can't disprove it, it MIGHT be true. You might NOT burn in hellfire forever and ever for every bad thing you've ever done... but you MIGHT. The fact that it can't be proven or disproven is crucial to the entire thing. We train kids on the basic idea with Santa Claus - better be good all the time, OR ELSE, because the invisible judge who you can't see (but can always see you) is always keeping score. Then, when they're old enough, we just replace "Santa" with "God", but it's the same principle. "Even if you think the police or the government won't catch up to you, someone will eventually, so you better just behave. OR ELSE."

Fear is the prime motivator in all of existence. We eat, because we're afraid of starving. We exercise, because we're afraid of being overweight or unhealthy. We work, because we're afraid of being poor and homeless. And we behave, and ultimately, it's because we're afraid of what might happen if we don't. Every single choice we make as human beings, is motivated by the fear of what MIGHT happen otherwise. Without fear, there's no motivation for self-improvement; genuine altruistic "good" behavior simply doesn't exist. We're not wired that way. Fear is what makes us follow our higher brain functions and put our primitive selfish, greedy, baser impulses aside. Otherwise, we would all just take whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted, and there'd be total anarchy.

I'm no fan of how religious dogma is constantly twisted into hate speech by extremists. And I really don't know if there's a higher power, and if there is, I'm pretty sure we're not on speaking terms by this point. But at the same time, if it were somehow ever proven beyond the shadow of any doubt that "God" did not exist... what we call "civilized humanity" would collapse very quickly. Like "weeks at best" quickly.

We see proof of this in the general behavior and attitudes of your average sociopath; they're convinced that their moral authority trumps all others, that they're above all forms of punishment because they had the "strength of will" to behave in a manner that others find shockingly inappropriate, and most of them don't believe in any higher power, and thus, they're "beyond judgment". It's scary to imagine billions of people all adopting that attitude at once, overnight. And that's absolutely what would happen. We'd eat each other, possibly literally. Because honestly, Why Not?

Not a fan of religion. But we definitely need it in general.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by Leo656

I've said myself, many times, that despite being mostly-agnostic myself, society needs religion, or it simply can't function. Human beings need at the very least the IDEA that the wicked will be punished, by a power greater than any that we can conceive of ourselves. Because I've met many, MANY people who will tell you to your face, they don't fear the police, the government, the military or jail. But they absolutely fear the wrath of a vengeful God, and that's literally the only thing that keeps them from their own personal rape/murder spree.

I hate it, but this really seems to be the case. But not even to those extreme examples... but even on a basic level. We largely have no shame anymore on a very basic level.

This isn't healthy.

I'm pretty sure that's how God and religion were invented in the first place; the threat of imprisonment or even death wasn't enough to stop people from lying, stealing, raping and murdering; so what do you do? Tell them, "Well, if you misbehave badly ENOUGH, then you're gonna get the worst cosmic spanking you've ever imagined, for all eternity, with no possibility of parole." And you can't disprove it, it MIGHT be true. You might NOT burn in hellfire forever and ever for every bad thing you've ever done... but you MIGHT. The fact that it can't be proven or disproven is crucial to the entire thing.

I feel like these are almost exactly the discussions that were had by whatever the hypothetical minds were that "interviewed Jesus" (they didn't and there wasn't, probably, but whatever) 2000 years ago for Bible, Vol. 1, #1 sitting on the sidelines watching an untenable situation unfold in front of them, society-wise. Except there's just plain a whole lot more people now... and iPhones. And Youtube. And reality TV.

I really believed when I was younger that we can just remove religion from all things and people would naturally do good all on their own (and maybe there is still some path to this... but right now I don't see it) and just naturally evolve into the future I watched as a kid with TNG... but that's just obviously not in the cards. I mean, it's just not. You just have to turn on the news or anything and watch for 5 minutes. It's corporate brainwashing of the highest kind. We the sheeple...

[Sumac]

I wonder if we find examples of left-leaning people being scum, would Voltron cry himself to sleep?

[Voltron]

Originally Posted by Sumac

My head's so far up my own butt that when I brush my teeth and wipe my ass at the same time!

No. But I like how you didn't actually look. You just came in to be your usual cheery self. Do you ever add anything of value here?

Seriously. I sit and watch people from all walks of life having conversations, even vehemently disagreeing, and still act like decent human beings.

Then you wander in and just say some snippy, usually poorly spelled, crap that many times doesn't even make sense.

You're handing out 6th grade insults on the internet. Get a damn life. Ass.
__________________________________________________ ___________

Forgive the outburst. I've been keeping that one in for a looooong time.

Anyway,

Originally Posted by AndrewNBD

But to talk about the left? The "further, all the way to far" left? Pure Orwellian horror show. It's literally all things that are bad.

You really need to show your sources for this. The fringes of either wing are spooky as hell, but most of the terrorism and flat out "destroy everything" insanity comes from the right.

The left says some zany things, but these are people who, again, think raw water is a good idea. They buy jade eggs for their vaginas and get eaten by the wild animals they try to marry.

Slowly push the 2nd amendment so far back until it is impossible to get a gun?

The only person to EVER consider that was Trump. Literally.

http://time.com/5184160/trump-guns-due-process/

Open borders because all Americans (north and south) are natives here?

Which politician said this? I know there's been a push for "path to citizenship" immigration reform, but I've never once heard anyone in the government argue for open borders.

Punish, lock up and ruin livelihoods of people for stuff they wrote on Twitter... or simply supporting the other party? Trivializing due process? Owning the language, to turn it against everyone else and demonize people? Straight up socialism?

Again, this is typical of right wingers. Trump has stated in no uncertain terms that SNL should be investigated. He's even made very alarming allusions to violence towards the press.

The left's MO is more to banish people from public life altogether. Arguably, that may be worse. Some of the people that the SJWs come down on never recover. We'll never see Louis C.K. again, it seems.

These are all things that are bad. All things that have signaled the end of all things that are good in countries elsewhere.

They are bad, but they aren't happening. Or if they are, it's the right that's typically behind them.

Which countries are you talking about? I know Australia gave up their guns, and Japan has very strict gun laws, and neither of those places are smoldering hell holes.

I definitely lean to the right (at least... this is where I find myself now... I never considered myself such until the last couple of years and certainly got up and cheered loudly when Obama was elected) but even stepping back for a moment objectively... the left's endgame is far more horrifying than the right's.

What is the right even doing that's so horrible?

• Putting children of illegal immigrants in cages and letting people adopt them for a profit.
  
• Conducting backroom deals with dictators and hostile foreign powers.
  
• Employing several advisers, managers, and representatives who are either under investigation or convicted of numerous felonies.
  
• Bypassing Congress and setting a dangerous precedent for future abuse of the Constitution.
  
• Failing to denounce white supremacists and neo-Nazis.
  
• Failing to act when American citizens are assaulted by foreign agents on American soil.
  
• Currently under investigation for almost every act the Trump administration has undertaken.
  
• Failing to fulfill or outright breaking almost all of their campaign promises.
  
• Election fraud.
  
• Assaulting journalists.
  
• Gaslighting the country and clouding the national discourse by demonizing the press and refusing to cooperate in investigations.
  
• Giving more tax cuts to the ultra wealthy who already don't pay taxes.
  
• Supporting pedophiles and sex offenders who run for office.

That's just off the top of my head.

It bothers me that there's such a different metric used for the right and the left.

If any member of the Democratic party did ANY of this, there'd be a **** storm of Biblical proportions.

• For example, let's take Jussie Smollett. He's getting skewered by all the notably liberal late night talk show hosts.
• Same goes for Anthony Wiener.
• Al Franken was forced to resign for his faux pa.

As for the "straight up socialism", I'm more and more convinced people have no idea what that even means. It's like saying the Boogeyman is in their closet, or they're self diagnosed with depression.

The Democratic party is so far to the right that the idea of common social programs like insurance and maternity leave are horrifying.

Contrast that with places like Japan, where people literally work themselves to death. THEY have social medicine plans and a year's maternity leave.

These aren't radical ideas. Every other developed nation in the world is doing it and somehow, any time some one suggests workers should get a raise, we all stand on a chair and shout "eek! a socialist!"

I don't get it. The left may be unpalatable, but they certainly aren't as dangerous as the right is right now.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Voltron

No. But I like how you didn't actually look. You just came in to be your usual cheery self. Do you ever add anything of value here?

Seriously. I sit and watch people from all walks of life having conversations, even vehemently disagreeing, and still act like decent human beings.

Then you wander in and just say some snippy, usually poorly spelled, crap that many times doesn't even make sense.

You're handing out 6th grade insults on the internet. Get a damn life. Christ.

This is ironic coming from a guy trying his best to promote his agenda on half-dead forum about cartoon and comic book characters, when it's clear that most people don't give a ****.

Maybe you should follow your own advice anf get something better to do?
Twitter activism is obviously not your forte. Can I suggest knitting?

[Voltron]

If you don't like this place, why are you here?

[Vegita-San]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I wonder if we find examples of left-leaning people being scum, would Voltron cry himself to sleep?

saying stuff like that doesn't help, either.


while I agree that it sometimes feels/reads like voltron is leaning toward trump derangement syndrome, he's right that there are horrible people on both sides of the coin.

only in this case, these days, it's FAR easier to prove the 'left' (god I hate those terms) leaning people are far crazier than 'right'....cause you hear more of the horrible stuff they do. jussie just being one of many examples.

then you have crazy people like jane curtain wishing death on the republican party.

[Sumac]

Originally Posted by Voltron

If you don't like this place, why are you here?

I wouldn't be here, if I didn't like this place.

Originally Posted by Vegita-San

saying stuff like that doesn't help, either.

I am not the one turning this place into political battleground.

I don't like this "idealization" of the certain ideology, which spreads oppression Olympics, infantilism and victim culture.

[Prowler]

What do I think of this Christopher Hasson fellow? Well, he seems to be a nutjob. I don't really have anything else to say about him.

[Leo656]

Me neither, but I suddenly wanna hang out at Denny's with Voltron and Andrew until 3am and scare all the waitresses with our charming shenanigans.

You're invited too, Prowler, but you have to promise to be extremely off-putting or this thing isn't gonna work.

[Vegita-San]

Originally Posted by Sumac

I am not the one turning this place into political battleground.

I don't like this "idealization" of the certain ideology, which spreads oppression Olympics, infantilism and victim culture.

all I'm saying is, if someone on the opposing side can STILL try and present their argument with either facts, or something that is well worded and doesn't devolve into insults.....they deserve an opposing opinion that is equally well worded and more of the same.

So many people on the 'left' side of things have wound up on the ignore list, because they just don't respect common courtesy in dealing with people. calling folks a homophobe because they don't like noelle stevenson using she-ra as a personal LBGT platform, for instance.

But, if a person can respond to you with a well thought out response, it's worth giving them the same chance with an equally well thought out reply.

there's too few of those types of conversations left out there these days...

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

Me neither, but I suddenly wanna hang out at Denny's with Voltron and Andrew until 3am and scare all the waitresses with our charming shenanigans.

You're invited too, Prowler, but you have to promise to be extremely off-putting or this thing isn't gonna work.

Well, tbh I could use a haircut. So maybe if I don't shower and shave for a few days it might work?

[Leo656]

You could easily pass for a typical Rutgers student with that approach, Champ.

When we get to Denny's, you have to stay at least 4 hours, and you have to promise to ONLY order coffee and eternal refills. They love that sh*t.

[Vegita-San]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I really believed when I was younger that we can just remove religion from all things and people would naturally do good all on their own (and maybe there is still some path to this... but right now I don't see it) and just naturally evolve into the future I watched as a kid with TNG... but that's just obviously not in the cards. I mean, it's just not. You just have to turn on the news or anything and watch for 5 minutes. It's corporate brainwashing of the highest kind. We the sheeple...

religion got invented in a time of EXTREME lawlessness. when the average life expectancy was probably no more than 30. and not due to violence or crime either. I have a feeling most religion started off as a cult, like scientology, and over time, grew into something almost respectable.

Personally, I've always been one to follow my own path in life. I don't like people telling me what to do, or what to believe. I follow life by my own rules, and try to do it in a decent, well mannered, well behaved way. almost to the point of boringly preppy.


But, if Religion where nothing more than scaring people into doing the right thing, or else go to some imagined hell, I guess I can see the point in it existing.

but then again, you're talking to someone who snuck his gameboy into church and played with the volume down.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Leo656

You could easily pass for a typical Rutgers student with that approach, Champ.

When we get to Denny's, you have to stay at least 4 hours, and you have to promise to ONLY order coffee and eternal refills. They love that sh*t.

I could? Wait, are you also suggesting I should get weed on my way to this Denny's place? Cuz I don't smoke pot, brother.

[Candy Kappa]

Originally Posted by Vegita-San

but then again, you're talking to someone who snuck his gameboy into church and played with the volume down.

hey, samesies

[Prowler]

I've only been to religious buildings as a tourist. Like Notre Dame and such. Guess I lucked out.

Catholic churches are quite dark inside, lemme tell you that. Not to mention they also are bigger on the inside than they look from the outside. It's like they belong to a Popeye episode.