I will be updating this post as information breaks and coverage progresses.

Last night around 8PM, a man entered the back door of a Bridgeville gym, carrying a duffel bag. He entered the aerobics room, drew out a gun, shut down the lights and opened fire, then turned the gun on himself. As of this writing, three women are dead and up to a dozen more injured.

Scary enough, especially since I live within ten minutes of the place. But today, the man has been identified — leading journalists to his Internet postings. The Observer-Reporter posted a PDF of them; I am reproducing the images here. The text is available at his website (I’m back and forth on linking directly to it).

This man was deeply resentful of women who rejected him, deeply racist (but sadly, his views are not out of the ordinary either in the Pittsburgh area or the country as a whole) and clearly deeply twisted. He reproduced the name and address of a preacher who he claims said that he could kill a bunch of people and still go to heaven, then asserts that it is faith not works that earns entrance to heaven (and thus he is still bound there). It is deeply disturbing.

I really hope, in the coverage to come — and surely the feminist blogosphere will be all over this — that we do not resort to tired and dangerous images of mental illness, and find some way to blame this man’s sick heart on some neuroatypicality. I hope, but I know in my heart I will be proven wrong. Please, don’t do this. Don’t make this worse. Just don’t.

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Continued thoughts:

I really need to get the hell away from this story, but I just can’t. At least three women dead. He watched them on a regular basis. Plotted to kill them. He remarks about watching the “college-age” girls in the area. And masturbating to them. That could be me. Just walking around going about my daily life. He could be one of the random men out there and I would have no idea. What he was thinking or what he was capable of doing because of it. All of a sudden you realize you aren’t necessarily as safe as you want to think you are. These women living next to you are gone. And while most people will not pick up a duffel bag of guns and open fire, the things he thought and expressed are not out-of-the-ordinary. They’re things that a lot of men think, at least occasionally. Looking at you. Thinking that. About you. This isn’t out of the blue. His thoughts are not out of the norm. His actions, maybe. But our society fostered, fed, tended these beliefs. Made him feel safe in them. Make many more people feel safe in them. And when you feel that safety thinking these things? Why wouldn’t you feel safe doing something about it?

Our society told this man what he deserved. And our society told this man that certain methods in obtaining it are acceptable or even encouraged.

Our society tells men that women exist for men’s purposes. Our society tells men that violence is an acceptable means of achieving their goals, asserting their dominance, establishing their identity.

Domestic violence is the prime example: you can’t say it’s just bad apples. Because women die every day because of this entitlement. Women suffer violence every day because of it.

We don’t tell men: “It’s ok to beat a woman.” But we do tell them: “She probably provoked it. She shouldn’t have dressed like that. She shouldn’t have mouthed off. She shouldn’t have rejected you. Who does she think she is? She’s just after your money. Stupid bitch.” And we tell them: “You aren’t a real man if you don’t present as tough. If you aren’t willing to fight. You aren’t a whole person if you aren’t a ‘real man.’ You have to perform violent masculinity if you want to be taken seriously and retain control over your own life.”

And then we act surprised when men take 2+2 and end up with 4.

Most men will never do what this man did. But that doesn’t mean he’s a bad apple, that he’s unusual, that he stands out, he’s not like all those other men. To some extent, yes: he just happens to be the one who really thought the way to react was to open fire on a women’s aerobics class. Most men will never do that. But that doesn’t mean that the use of violence to assert one’s right to women one’s own purposes is not accepted, encouraged, in this society. Because it is. And this man grew from those same poisoned roots. Maybe most branches don’t rot the way he did. But that doesn’t mean they’re clean.

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Update, 1:25PM Eastern: Here we go. I knew it. Let me repeat: mental illness has been repeatedly shown in scientific studies not to be linked to violence. This association is harmful to mentally ill people who are just trying to live their goddamn everyday lives. Because people will look at them, and their illness, and assume that means they have the capacity to become another Sodini. And mentally ill people face serious consequence because of it. In housing, in employment, in health care access, in their social lives.

It’s not going to do anyone any goddamn good to turn Sodini into a “psychotic” “mentally ill” man. Maybe he was mentally ill. That has no goddamn bearing on this. Mentally ill is not a prerequisite for being violent.

It won’t bring back the dead. It won’t heal the wounded. All it will do is make life even shittier for the mentally ill people who are still here living their lives. Confuckinggratulations, you’re helping so fucking much.

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CAUTION: This content is disturbing.

Quotes from his diary:

Planned to do this in the summer but figure to stick around to see the election outcome. This particular one got so much attention and I was just curious. Not like I give a flying fcuk who won, since this exit plan was already planned. Good luck to Obama! He will be successful. The liberal media LOVES him. Amerika has chosen The Black Man. Good! In light of this I got ideas outside of Obama’s plans for the economy and such. Here it is: Every black man should get a young white girl hoe to hone up on. Kinda a reverse indentured servitude thing. Long ago, many a older white male landowner had a young Negro wench girl for his desires. Bout’ time tables are turned on that shit. Besides, dem young white hoez dig da bruthrs! LOL. More so than they dig the white dudes! Every daddy know when he sends his little girl to college, she be bangin a bruthr real good. I saw it. “Not my little girl”, daddy says! (Yeah right!!) Black dudes have thier choice of best white hoez. You do the math, there are enough young white so all the brothers can each have one for 3 or 6 months or so.

[...]

Just got back from tanning, been doing this for a while. No gym today, my elbow is sore again. I actually look good. I dress good, am clean-shaven, bathe, touch of cologne – yet 30 million women rejected me – over an 18 or 25-year period. That is how I see it.

[...]

[Omitted] Church in Pittsburgh, PA – “Be Ye Holy, even as I have been Ye holy! Thus saith the lord thy God!”, as pastor [omitted] would proclaim. Holy shit, religion is a waste. But this guy teaches (and convinced me) you can commit mass murder then still go to heaven. Ask him. Call him at [omitted]. If no answer there, he should still live at [omitted]. In any case, guilt and fear kept me there 13 long years until Nov 2006. I think his crap did the most damage.

[...]

I guess some of us were simply meant to walk a lonely path. I have slept alone for over 20 years. Last time I slept all night with a girlfriend it was 1982. Proof I am a total malfunction. Girls and women don’t even give me a second look ANYWHERE. There is something BLATANTLY wrong with me that NO goddam person will tell me what it is. Every person just wants to be fucking nice and say nice things to me. Flattery. Oh yeah, I am sure you can get a date anytime. You look good, etc. Pussies.

[...]

[The day before the shooting]

I took off today, Monday, and tomorrow to practice my routine and make sure it is well polished. I need to work out every detail, there is only one shot. Also I need to be completely immersed into something before I can be successful. I haven’t had a drink since Friday at about 2:30. Total effort needed. Tomorrow is the big day.Unfortunately I talked to my neighbor today, who is very positive and upbeat. I need to remain focused and absorbed COMPLETELY. Last time I tried this, in January, I chickened out. Lets see how this new approach works.

Maybe soon, I will see God and Jesus. At least that is what I was told. Eternal life does NOT depend on works. If it did, we will all be in hell. Christ paid for EVERY sin, so how can I or you be judged BY GOD for a sin when the penalty was ALREADY paid. People judge but that does not matter. I was reading the Bible and The Integrity of God beginning yesterday, because soon I will see them.