Florida Gunman Opens Fire on Chilean Exchange Students

Dannie Baker, age 60, walked up to a townhouse meeting room full of Chilean college students and opened fire on them. Apparently he had warned neighbors earlier not to have any immigrants in their homes, and asking one of them if they wanted to join him in his "revolution."

For more information (and even some video footage) click here. '

Baker has a history of mental illness. The author of the Crooks and Liars article, David Nelwert, linked on this page connects this event to a number of violent attacks in line with right-wing ideologies made by mentally ill individuals.

I'm uncomfortable with that connection but mostly I just wish I knew more about it. I guess it makes sense that someone who is experiencing paranoia and fear would be likely to act out on individuals that they have heard referred to as a threat by the media, religious leaders, community leaders, whatever/whoever. But my psychiatrist father says that mentally ill folks can be susceptible to any kind of manipulation whether it comes from the left or the right or whatever part of that spectrum you want to point at... I guess Nelwert's main point is that these right-wing groups and organizations prey on mentally ill individuals or at least take advantage of them. I suppose it is the generalizations he makes in trying to connect the dots and present a trend that make me concerned. Can't we also look at what drives so many white men to random, isolated, devastating and overwhelmingly violent attacks on people they often don't know and identify nonetheless as 'the enemy'? There is clearly so much work to be done here. Enough rambling from me... please post if you have insights!