February 24, 2012

"I have these other aspects of my life that no one knows about. I’m an artist. I’m a musician."

"Nobody knows that... They just see me at the guy who tried to kill Reagan.”
In the wake of last year’s shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords by accused gunman Jared Loughner, John Hinckley asked one of his therapists, “Wow. Is that how people see me?”

36 comments:

Toad Trend said...

"Federal prosecutors oppose any expansion of his release privileges."

This, the most pertinent line of the story.

Scott M said...

“Wow. Is that how people see me?”

Not me. I merely regard him as someone who can never sleep with Jodie Foster due to an unfortunate accident of biology resulting in being born with external plumbing.

edutcher said...

He doesn't want to be famous for just that.

Just no pleasing these psychopaths.

WV "amenatsi" What Adolf told Eva the first time they met.

Ficta said...

Now I'll be humming "I am unworthy of your love, Jody" the rest of the day. It could be worse.

Matt Sablan said...

I didn't know he was still alive. I, for some reason, thought he was a lot older. There's a whole host of aspects of his life I don't know about!

Bob said...

Once you've established yourself as a monster, no one cares if you were a sensitive artist before that. Hitler was an artist, remember, and John Wilkes Booth no doubt gave many heart-wrenching performances as an actor.

Scott M said...

and John Wilkes Booth no doubt gave many heart-wrenching performances as an actor

Correct. He's really only remembered for the skull-shattering performance.

Original Mike said...

We don't care about your art, John. Why the hell should we?

The Drill SGT said...

Don't Tread 2012 said...
"Federal prosecutors oppose any expansion of his release privileges."

This, the most pertinent line of the story.


I doubt the Secret Service nor any Federal Judge is going to nlet him go. There is no upside....

like:
On March 2, 2011, after 42 years in prison, Sirhan's 14th parole hearing was held, with Sirhan represented by his current attorney, William Francis Pepper. At his parole hearing, Sirhan testified that he continues to have no memory of the assassination nor of any details of his 1969 trial and confession. Pepper also repeated the claim, that Sirhan's lawyers previously stated in the past, that Sirhan's mind was "programmed" and then "wiped" by an unknown conspiracy behind the assasination which is why Sirhan has no memory of the murder or of the aftermath. His parole was denied on the grounds that Sirhan still does not understand the full ramifications of his crime.

Matt Sablan said...

That's just what those conspiracy puppets would say.

Gabriel Hanna said...

I've written many songs. Do they call me John the songwriter? I've painted many pictures. Do they call me John the painter? But you shoot ONE President...

The Drill SGT said...

PS: In my local VA news recently, apparently when Hinckley goes on his release visits he likes to visit bookstores and look at books on Presidents...

bandmeeting said...

I'd bet Brady's (is it Jim?) sees him as something other than the guy who tried to kill Reagan

Amartel said...

There were people who cheered for Hinckley. Felt it was too bad he missed. Hahajustkidding. Not.

So, no, it's not a direct parallel.
But best not tell Hinckley that.
Looks like he's still obsessing and needs to stay right where he is. They should not let him out until after Nancy passes, if then.

CachorroQuente said...

It's so unfair.

When people think of Hitler do they remember his career as a published author, water colorist, or Austrian paper hanger? No.

When people think of Charles Manson do they remember his guitar playing and song writing? No.

When people think of Ted Bundy do they recall him as a student of the Chinese language? No.

Is Ira Einhorn remembered for his contributions to Earht Day? No.

Oh, pity the poor misunderstood. So unfair.

Carol_Herman said...

Why John Hinkley didn't face a firing squad, I have no idea.

Besides injuring Ronald Reagan, he also shot Brady in the head, injuring the man for life!

We have one screwed up judicial system! Hinkley's a lot less crazy than the judges he met along the way. In my opinion, of course. And, I'm not a lawyer.

Carol_Herman said...

The only reason I'm not having trouble with the ID "sign in?" That's because I take LUTEIN every single day! Plus, vitamin A supplements.

I also feel that as a "typing test" the two word "combos" are worth doing.

It does seem to make for fewer commentators, here, though? Or am I the only one noticing we no longer have to worry about threads that go beyond the 200 mark.

(If I was a teacher, I'd want less papers to grade, too.)

John Stodder said...

This is the biggest laugh of the day! Beautiful. He shoots at the president, and admits that's part of his reputation. But why don't we all see the other sides of him? What is wrong with us?

Tibore said...

"They just see me at the guy who tried to kill Reagan."

You did it to get attention, and now you're wondering why it's that way?

"No one can see my art,” said Hinckley, who writes songs, plays guitar, and paints landscapes. “I have these other aspects of my life that no one knows about. I’m an artist. I’m a musician. Nobody knows that."

That's what you get when you deliberately try to shoot someone! And end up hurting someone else who wasn't even your target!

You tried to murder someone, Hinckley. How is public knowledge of your art supposed to offset that? None of your landscapes or guitar pieces exonerates you.

You're a one-note footnote in history because you brought it onto yourself. If you wanted to avoid that, you shouldn't have opened fire.

Dutch Canuck said...

Gabriel Hanna: LOL!

The version of that joke I heard involves a goat ...

Rumpletweezer said...

Dutch--

The version I've heard ends with "but you suck just one cock..."

prairie wind said...

a keyword search on a computer in the hospital library (which was used by Hinckley and others)

And others. If you were in prison with Hinckley, what would you search for on the internet?

It is hard to think that the assassination attempt isn't all Hinckley thinks he is. Do we all think of ourselves as the person we were 30 years ago? Why do we think he would?

Not defending him...just thinking how odd it must be to realize that he will never escape his self from 30 years ago.

Lutein...that cracked me up, Carol.

I have not had to try again on any of the Captchas, so I begin to think it doesn't matter what I type in. Maybe it checks for first and last letters. Somebody else test it, though.

damikesc said...

You know, he only made that one mistake. Isn't everybody entitled to a mulligan? Some people jaywalk, others try to murder Presidents.

Peter said...

"They just see me at the guy who tried to kill Reagan."

I'm a little surprised he doesn't say, "And now Reagan's dead anyway, so what's the big deal?"

ErnieG said...

An old man reminisces: "I built tall buildings, miles of railroad, important bridges, amassed a great fortune, and broke world speed records. Am I remembered for any of that? No! But shag one sheep..."

William said...

The way people stereotype Presidential assassins is very unfair. John Hinckley is a different man than Leon Czolgosz. I think of all Presidential assassins Czolgosz had, by far, the most difficult name to pronounce and spell. That's probably why he remains so obscure. People are just too lazy to look him up. John Wilkes Booth deserves recognition as the first Hollywood activist. I think Sean Penn should make a sympathetic biopic of his life..... Sirhan Sirhan was the first Muslim terrorist to influence an American election. If he ever made parole, he'd be given a parade through Gaza..... Hinckley is kind of a schlub among Presidential assassins. I keep confusing him with the guy who shot Lennon.

Wince said...

Tells me Hinkley's delusions of grandeur have not subsided one iota.

LoafingOaf said...

Why John Hinkley didn't face a firing squad, I have no idea.

Besides injuring Ronald Reagan, he also shot Brady in the head, injuring the man for life!


Yeah, well, in 2007 I was stuck up up by someone I later found out had previously been sentenced to 15 to Life for actually murdering someone but had been released in just 10 years with no rehabilitation having taken place. I found out his name when I found out he had since gone back to prison for drug trafficking, kidnapping, and rape (he was raping and pimping a drug-addicted female).

Hinckley attempted to murder, and caused severe injuries, but he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and has been locked up far longer than people who actually murder and have no intention of stopping being violent criminals.

His confinement should continue to be eased up if he is not a risk. There are a lot of violent people released by our justice system where I'm left absolutely shocked by their releases, but what's so scary about Hinckley 30 years on?

For example: "A forensic psychologist endorsed a proposal to allow presidential assailant John Hinckley Jr. more freedom away from his mental hospital, giving his opinion that Hinckley 'would not pose a significant risk.'"

Also: "Hinckley was found by a jury to be insane when he shot and wounded Reagan outside a Washington hotel in 1981. Doctors say his mental illness has been in remission for years, however, and a judge has granted Hinckley increasing freedom from the hospital."

Peter said...

Sirhan Sirhan was the first Muslim terrorist to influence an American election.

He is a Christian Arab.

LoafingOaf said...

As far as the folks in this thread comparing Hinckley to Hitler, if I were to imagine that the Jesus I've been told about is real I'd think Jesus would probably see more in common between Hitler and, say, Saddam's backer in the Iraq-Iran War (Reagan), and less so the pathetic mental patient who shot at a politician for deranged reasons, has sat in a hospital for the last 30 years painting landscapes, and hasn't harmed a fly when they let him go visit his mother.

Which doesn't mean I think Reagan was like Hitler. Hitler probably would've had Hicnkley summarily executed as some of you wanted, whereas Reagan forgave him:

"Former President Ronald Reagan says he forgives would-be assassin John Hinckley and prays that "he should have some healing for himself..."

"I found out he wasn't thinking on all cylinders," Reagan said...."


Reagan even wanted to forgive him in person: "It wasn't enough that Ronald Reagan had forgiven John Hinckley Jr. in his heart. He wanted to forgive the young man to his face.
Pope John Paul II had extended his hand to the man who tried to kill him, and Reagan was apparently inspired to do the same."

David said...

Sirhan's father was apparently Christian. I do not think Sirhan absorbed a lot of Christian values, however.

He did absorb other values from his parent and his background. At his trial, he said he killed Kennedy "with 20 years of malice aforethought." The 20 years referred to the span from 1948, when Israel became an independent nation, to the night he murdered Kennedy. That night he also said "I did it for my country." He meant Palestine, where he is now a hero.

cassandra lite said...

John Wayne Gacy was an artist. Charles Manson was a musician.
Now what?

coketown said...

Where is Norman Mailer when you need him?

Bob_R said...

You'd think that at least a conjugal visit from Squeaky Fromme would be in order.

Clyde said...

Funny, I also think "prisoner for life" when I think of him. I guess that's why he had all that time to explore his artistic side; when you've got your three hots and a cot (and free medical care) taken care of, you can go out on the edge.

Dante said...

He's simply trying to live up to Charles Manson fame, but instead of being an artist, musician, manipulator, and psychopath, he is merely a psychopath.