The smoke has cleared a little bit, and more information has come in about October 1st’s shooting in Las Vegas. It is still questionable how much of this information has been fabricated, whether it be by government coverups or news sources that are trying to push an agenda.
The fact of the matter is that I was not there. Even those that were present at the Route 91 Harvest might not know the full story, given the adrenaline rush and confusion at the event. Just like the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Las Vegas massacre will have an effect on public opinion, and likely, policy and politics in the United States of America.
Who was the Shooter?
According to the official story, Stephen Paddock, a 64-year-old retired accountant was the shooter. Voices on the Left are using him as an example of White male privilege and fury, and using the incident to push for more gun control. Those on the Right have brought up his supposedly anti-Trump political past. Some even claim that he had converted to Islam and the act that he committed was one of domestic terrorism.
According to Paddock’s brother, Stephen did not have strong political views and lived a quiet, private life. He was not known for owning guns, so the fact that twenty-three guns were found in his hotel room was a shock. How he was able to sneak that many weapons into his hotel room is a mystery to me, even with White privilege.
Speaking of White privilege, Stephen Paddock’s girlfriend was a Filipina, Marilou Danley. Some argue that she converted him to Islam, and drove him down the path of terrorism. Others that analyze the situation may be led to believe that Paddock was an Alt-Right fanatic, given their penchant for Asian women. If that were the case, however, why did he target a country music concert, a genre known to be enjoyed more by Right-leaning Whites?
There is also a possibility that Paddock was a hardcore Leftist. Nobody would assume that the average retired White man would have hardcore leftist leanings. Such people may believe in equality, or believe that everyone should be given a fair shake, but it would be hard to believe that a man of his demographic would harbor extreme Leftist beliefs to the point of violence.
A Deeper Look at Stephen Paddock
At first glance, Stephen Paddock was well-to-do, owning property in Nevada and living a retired lifestyle. Since he was close to Las Vegas, he gambled a lot, but he did not gamble his fortune away. Financial ruin cannot be listed as a reason why he went off the handle.
Looking into Paddock’s history, however, it can be seen that he did not have a strong fatherly influence in his formative years. His father, Patrick Benjamin Paddock (also known as Benjamin Hoskins Paddock), was a notorious bank robber who made the FBI’s top ten most wanted fugitives list in the 1970’s. There is a possibility that his father’s absence led Stephen Paddock down this destructive path. On the other hand, a genetic propensity for breaking the law may have been in his bloodline.
Although Paddock had a girlfriend at the time of the shooting, it appears that he was not truly satisfied. He had things that others can only dream of, such as multiple properties and a sizable amount of savings. He was still not satisfied.
The lack of satisfaction in life is one of the hallmarks of many mass murderers in recent history. Individuals such as Elliot Rodger, Seung-Hui Cho, the Columbine killers, and even Christopher Dorner all showed patterns of being social outcasts or highly reclusive, having little to no success with the opposite sex, and being generally dissatisfied with life. I would reckon that despite his material possessions and female companionship, Paddock was not satisfied with his life.
At 64 years of age, Paddock did not have children. He was also not known to be a religious man. From this perspective, it is easy to see why he would go off with scant regard to human life. At his age, the chances of him finding someone to have kids with was slim. Even if he had them, chances are that he would not see them into their formative years. Perhaps he felt cheated.
Without children or a family legacy to worry about, and without religion to scare him away from the punishment of eternal damnation it was easy for him to pull the trigger. If he believed in the Ghost Squad like Randy Stair, he has become a ten-foot tall ghost girl, but that is highly unlikely.
Of course, not every person that lacks satisfaction, a legacy, or a social life will commit acts of violence, but these factors seem to be present in just about every one of these cases. Remember that people act based on what they believe would benefit them, or at least what will help them to avoid pain and punishment. With no carrot or stick to keep Paddock’s behavior in line, he decided to go out with a bang.
What This Means for Us
Almost sixty victims lost their lives due to Paddock’s actions, and he is dead. This is assuming that the story that we are hearing in the media is the truth. The rest of America will probably be affected by this event in one or more ways.
Of course, the Left will push for more gun regulations. However, if Paddock really was anti-Trump, we can expect assaults on freedom of speech from the Right. Rhetoric and beliefs may be policed on both sides of the political aisle in the future.
We may also see metal detectors and other “safety precautions” in hotels, casinos, and other venues. Imagine being patted down TSA-style just to take a dump at a truck stop. It could happen.
More importantly, this incident shows us that there is no such thing as a safe space. Ideally, we would be safe in society, and able to congregate to enjoy music and other festivities. This is not guaranteed, despite laws and safety precautions that may be put into place. There will always be those that are dissatisfied and feel cheated by society. With society “breaking its contract” with individuals, individuals will have little incentive not to revert to selfish, primal acts.
Safety is not guaranteed. We can avoid certain places where danger is almost certain to await us, but the threat of violence exists everywhere. As the civilization’s veneer continues to slip, we can expect to see more incidents such as this, sad to say. Keep your head on a swivel, and protect yourselves at all times.