Brianland

I happened to be reading The Warren Commission when the the Tucson tragedy went down, and when I saw that mug shot with the left black eye and —  Click! . . . I started to notice an inordinate number of similarities between Oswald, Loughner and the two shootings . . .

Both were born on or near the southern border — Oswald in New Orleans, Loughner in Tucson.

both had the given name of Lee, and both often went by their three names.

both were of average weight, height and appearance — nothing physically unusual about either.

both were heterosexual, but both had few healthy relationships with female partners in their life, including during the year leading up to the shootings.

both read a lot, but both wrote in disjointed thoughts, and could not spell to save their lives.

both were areligious / anti-religion.

both had trouble in school, and both failed to finish high school.

both tried to join the army, and both were rejected  — Oswald in 1955 for being too young (he was accepted a year later), and Loughner in 2008 for admitting marijuana use.

both read and liked The Communist Manifesto, and both strongly and vocally opposed the capitalist system.

both disrespected, distrusted, and did not recognize the U.S. government as valid.

both were loners who grew more reclusive and disconnected to others as they entered and progressed through their twenties.

both had delusions of grandeur — as revealed in the writings each left behind.

both wrote specifically about revolution, and both were writing up their own new forms of society — Oswald planning a new government for after the overthrow, and Loughner with a new alphabet and currency.

both exhibited an escalating pattern of antisocial behavior, behaving increasingly erratic and inappropriate in the company of others.

both were only minimally communicating, and often arguing, with their immediate family in the months leading up to the shooting.

both were without a single close friend in the year leading up to the shooting.

both thought they were being bugged or followed by the government, and both grew more paranoid and conspiracy-obsessed with each passing month.

both were unable to hold a job for longer than a month or two.

both were almost the same age at the time of the shooting – twenty months apart — Loughner was 22 and 5 months, Oswald 24 and 1 month.

both exhibited every symptom of schizophrenia (you just read them) — which most commonly manifests in males between 18 and 28 years old, and specifically between 20 and 26 years old.

both carefully planned their shootings in advance.

both were gun owners who bought their weapons legally and easily — Oswald mail-ordered both his from magazine ads, and Loughner bought his over-the-counter at a local sports store.

both proudly had photographs taken holding their guns shortly before the shooting — Oswald in his back yard, and Loughner in his G-string.

both had their desired target make a daylight public appearance in the wide open outdoors, right at their workplace or mall.

both shot their intended target in the head.

both shot a popular sitting Democratic federal politician in their 40s, during the third year of a Democratic President’s first term.

both killed and wounded others in the process — Oswald killed Officer Tippit and wounded Governor Connally, Loughner killed six others and wounded seven more.

both were apprehended in a no-shots-fired manual take-down involving several people, and both received a black left eye in the process.

both were arrested for murder using a hand gun — Oswald initially for the pistol shooting of Officer Tippit.

both did something “crazy” and then behaved quite rationally once in custody.

both did not verbally cooperate with police in the days after capture.

both left a paper trail.

both had a larger political conspiracy ascribed to their actions immediately following their arrest.

both shootings were filmed — by Abraham Zapruder, and the Safeway surveillance cameras.

both shootings had a wide range of differing witness descriptions.

both shootings happened in a state bordering Mexico (there’s only 4 of them), and in each’s second largest city.

both shootings happened on a bright, sunny, Friday/Saturday morning around the same time — Oswald Friday at noon, Loughner Saturday at 10AM.

both shootings happened at the safest of places — a Safeway store, and a school book depository.

both acted alone.

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For another wild list type thing check out Famous People Who Didn’t Have Kids.

Or for a happier political story you can check out the Inauguration Adventures. 

Or for another crazy trip on the poli-Beat check out the Franken Fracas starring Al Franken and Howard Dean.

Or there’s the wild Election Night in New York City story — the greatest single-night party that city ever threw.

Or here’s my little poetic trip on the Obamarama ride complete with performance video.

Or here’s some funny political videos that are classics of their type. 

Or here were some crazy moment highlight memories of the wild 2012 election ride.

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Brian Hassett    —    karmacoupon@gmail.com     —     BrianHassett.com