The Insanity Defense

It is a legitimate excuse to blame your actions on psychological effects, and not yourself. For example, you could be a dilutional person. If you are convicted for murder, you can use the insanity defense, where as you say this wasn’t my fault and I am, or was not honest with myself for what I did. It’s not always the case and most likely hard to get away with something you have done. You will not serve jail time depending on your claims, although you might be sentence to an asylum. In the case of John Hinckley, he was suffering a mental illness that believed in order to win the heart of an actress of Jodie Foster to Reagan was by killing him based on a movie, John believed that this was the only way. But who are we to blame? Sure, one might argue that the events for John was completely his fault for targeting someone with very high power. Others may argue because of the effects of this was because of a diagnosed mental illness he grew up with which his parents knew about. See who’s fault it is now?

“John Hinckley Jr. was 25 years old when he quickly emptied a six-shot, .22-caliber revolver to try to win the affection of Jodie Foster by assassinating President Ronald Reagan. He had become obsessed with the actress after seeing her portray a teenage prostitute in Taxi Driver, in which Robert De Niro's deranged character, Travis Bickle, plots to kill a presidential candidate.”

His intentions were indeed wrong, but he never would have done this because his reasoning was because he wanted to impress someone he cared about even if it meant his life. He truly believed this was the only way as he said so himself when sending letters to Jodie. “Jodie, I would abandon this idea of getting Reagan in a second if I could only win your heart and live out the rest of my life with you, whether it be in total obscurity or whatever.

     I will admit to you that the reason I'm going ahead with this attempt now is because I just cannot wait any longer to impress you.  I've got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake!  By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me.”

Readers, you may be asking yourself, “Ok, so what? What does this have to do with science?” This man is confused, how do you pled not guilty after trying to murder the president of the united states? The answer is not so easy to explain, but if you compare it to a different case, you might see why. A 40 year old teacher had a mental illness because of a tumor he had in his brain. This tumor caused him to have sexual urges around small children, in this case, he was a pedophile. Once his tumor was removed, he had no such desires and could continue teaching without being a child predator (without the kidnapping). Now who's he to blame? The tumor or the man?

In society, these are real life cases that are really hard to point out. But because of his psychological condition, maybe the man did have urges before, but kept it in a controlled and professional manner that it was harmless, much like trying to conceal an erection when giving a speech in front of an audience. This is a valid reason to why a person like himself should’t be tried, if ever so. The doctors couldn’t even tell exactly why these urges ended once the tumor was removed. This is like trying to prove how kids develop autism, even though there are no evidence to how it is lead. See the similarities? The insanity defense is a valid excuse to use if someone is unable to stand trial because of something they probably had no control over, and some people might need a psychiatrist in court to prove whether or not they should or should not be guilty.

Sources:

1. "The Trial of John Hinckley." The Trial of John Hinckley. Famous American Trials. Web. 06 June 2016. <http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hinckley/hinckleytrial.html>.

2. "Doctors Say Pedophile Lost Urge after Brain Tumor Removed." USA TODAY. USA TODAY, 2003. Web. 06 June 2016. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-07-28-pedophile-tumor_x.htm>.

3. The Insanity Defense. Psychology Today. N.p., 16 Aug. 2012. Web. 06 June 2016. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/almost-psychopath/201208/the-insanity-defense>.

Winter, Michael. "John Hinckley: The Man Who Shot Brady, Reagan." USA Today. Gannett, 2014. Web. 06 June 2016. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/04/james-brady-john-hinckley/13598699/>.

“Diary of a wimpy kid” is an illustrated novel By Jeff Kinney. When he was growing up, he didn’t want to write children’s book, his dream was to be a newspaper cartoon artist and publish his own comic strips independently. In 1998, Jeff Kinney came up with the idea of a book titled “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”, a story about a middle school boy named Greg Heffley. Jeff had been working on his book for nearly eight years before publishing it. It was first advertised on a website called funbrain.com. Surprisingly, it had more than 80 million visits, and had around 70,000 kids reading the book. The book attracted many young audiences due to it's cartoonish illustrations. His first book was released on April 2007, and was the New York Times bestseller, it even said so on the bookcover itself! Also during this time, Jeff also created Poptropica.com, where he still continues to express new ideas everyday for the next children book, all of which is sequels of “Diary of a Wimpy kid”, because the fan base is huge and still supports it. Jeff loves his own idea of this book and wants to still make it accessible to many people.

The author connected his own childhood dreams into the book, and then compares it to his own autobiography about his earlier period of his life. Which also explains why there was a comic strip references in his book where Rowley, a character in the book wanted to do school comics, but was rejected by the protagonist saying his idea will be bad. Only later to disprove his assumptions by making him the most popular kid in school. “There was a pretty obvious drop in quality once Rowley started doing the writing. And believe it or not, Rowley’s drawing skills are worse than his writing skills. I told Rowley maybe we should come up with some new ideas, but he just wanted to keep writing “Zoo-Wee Mamas.” Then he packed up his comics and went home, which was fine by me. I don’t really want to be partnered up with a kid who doesn’t draw noses, anyway.” Pg. 170. Stories that reflect everyday reality of a school child pulls in the reader, while reminding him/her the jokes and tricks that are still relevant in his/her life which may have occurred before or after the making of this book.

“Diary of a wimpy kid” isn’t about the regular children’s story where with morals at every turn, it’s about childhood dreams and common mischief. Jeff Kinney and other people they will face ahead in life. Like when he wanted to do when he did grow up, but never could have, and he reference this in the book in a mature manner. He mentions a lot of these problems so purposely and well placed in the book, incidents like vandalism and terrorizing the neighborhood, hurting someone purposely in an accidental way, peer pressuring someone, and then being jealous of something they did you avoided them to accept. We will always be envy of someone or something because of their superior ways, common parts where he is referencing things in the book he may have or you might of experienced in life, then compares it in smaller part in pages, such as how small voices can be spread with ideal fiction about a molded cheese. By comparing the things we have nostalgia or scars,  about or learning how others deal with it makes the interests or curious readers wants to read more because of we don’t know how to understand or how to deal with the same situation Greg is facing. Even in Rowley’s perspective, we might not agree with our peers 100% of the times to make a good argument. Which may lead to frustration.

What really makes this book interesting is not that it refers readers these common things, but its how it turns phobias, peer pressure, and disrespect into something that isn’t necessarily true, into a self story he faced and fear and making it a cheap animated thrill he overlooked in. The book is about an average middle school boy named Greg Heffley, that tells his story in his Diary, where creativity comes to life by his own drawing, which he expresses in a very mannered detailed way, like how he told his mom he wanted a journal and not a diary. He spots out the main things he did or events that happened during his daily life, which typically occurs in common areas which readers will get used to reading from different perspectives. Some places including, school, houses, outside, and holidays. There are recurring character, along with the main protagonist Greg Heffley, and his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, incase you were still wondering about them earlier. There are other important characters besides the main protagonist. His family are what leads to tension, like his older brother, Rodrick Heffley who is a troublemaker. He’s a perfect example of how a immatured teenager who hangs out with his friends most of the time and picks on a younger brother, frankly being Greg and causes conflict. And there is Manny Heffley, the young delinquent who doesn’t know any better and often leads to mistakes to lead others to blame for.

The good and bad things that happens in life, in which is read of a narrative tone that is spoke mostly in a first person view, comic gimmicks to exemplify cheap appropriate stereotypes, like how kids can be creative, make fake rumors and be very immature with other superiors to highlight what problems people faced and how they tend to avoid danger. Most of which are reflections on what certain consequences are and the things you may face or decide that can lead to other shenanigans, (or you can be totally ignorant like me and not realize any of these). Like molded cheese and how you can get the cheese touch, this part of the book deals a lot of drama and causes excellent tension and ending climax on how stories are brought up with embarrassing faintly whispers of ghastly murmurs, which are commonly brought up. That kids don't play on the playground anymore (which they tend to avoid being mistaken for) a common misconception of a molded cheese lying on the school’s basketball court. The only context given to Greg is that if you touch it, you will get the cheese touch and people will start passing it to whoever touches them, which will make others avoid the victim until it passes on to another host, which will lead to others avoiding you for whatever they believe. This is an example of common stereotypes and other misconceptions, like if girls touch boys, they could have the cooties. The author implies in this part that it’s fun remembering the things we used to believe and make something that may have impacted us in our youth about some phobias we were too young to understand, into an inside joke to a world. The book was made to attract more of young readers due to it’s non complex cartoonish style of black and white novel with illustrations, but it’s not weighed down with deep metaphors and brings up things older audiences can appreciate.  I was 10 years old when I first read this book and still remember the whole thing because of it’s non-complexity and joy that was brought up. It’s a fun book to read because it has pictures.

• More jobs
• $585 million estimated worth of barrels
• They say it's safe (no leeks = reliable)
• 9% of the US is unemployed
• XL pipes = no fracking

Badluck Gus

(Badluck Gus turns on the television on NBC news 7. Madam enters the room.) WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT!? NOT ONLY THEY’RE GONNA WIPEOUT OTHER COUNTRIES RESOURCES, BUT THEY ARE ALSO GONNA DAMAGE OUR DRINKING SUPPLY  AND RUIN OUR ATMOSPHERE. THIS REMINDS ME OF WORLD WAR 2, EXCEPT, WE’RE DUMPING A CHEMICAL BOMB INTO OUR CITY ALL OVER AGAIN. WHEN WILL THESE PEOPLE START REALIZING, ‘WAKE UP’ TO THIS PROBLEM. WHEN WILL THESE FAT, LAZY, UNCARING COUNTRY REALIZE THE SITUATION!? PERHAPS WHEN THE END OF TIMES COMES? (Talking to his maid.) IN A NUTSHELL, “OH, WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORLD IS DYING BUT, WE JUST DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT.” SINCE WHEN HAS THE WORLD HAS A PRICE TAG ON IT!? WTF BRO!? THE PRESIDENT IS A FRICKIN’ SLAVE, WHAT A MORON.  MADAM, WOULD YOU BE A KIND AND GO GET ME SOME DRINKING WATER? JUST SPIT ON ME! GREEDY PEOPLE, THEY'RE MILKING OTHER COUNTRIES, AND CANADA IS NEXT IN THE SHOPPING LIST! “ERROR-ERROR010101”

Old man Jenkins

These are the new words the people should say when the operation does happen. (Picks up a sprinkler) MONEY MONEY MONEY. IT’S NOT SO FUNNY! They’re all idiots! Seeking only trouble around happy living people and animals. Back in my days, all we had for power, was friction! Don’t think of me as some old coot that lost his mind! Old man Jenkins HAD a farm, till those last pipes leaked into MY river! Used to know the socks right off the youngsters next door when they found out about what happened to all their drinking water. They’re all dirty animals! ALL OF EM! Savages, I feel like we’re all refugees, hiding in a concentration camp during the holocaust. Except, i’m in texas... Thats all what matters.

MONEY MONEY MONEY. IT’S NOT SO FUNNY! (Starts spraying his crops.)

This... Doesn't look like water! (Turns off water.) What in tarnation is this piece o’ crap. (Groups of men approached) Who are you folks?... What's this? No no no!

Don’t greed what's not ours and don’t grief what's theirs. NO! WAIT... PLEASE!! *sob* PLEASE... I WILL NOT LET YOU BUILD THIS ON MY FARM NEXT TO MY RIVER! If you build this pipe under my farm, destruction will happen ‘er! Pipes will leek! Gets in drinking our water, kills a city filled with fishes, C02 WILL fill in the airs atmosphere, harsher weathers, than once you know it, my FARM will smell like a pile of dong! Is that what you want to happen? You’re all fools, ALL of you! I will not tolerate literacy!

Shell fragments

(Kanit Beens takes a stroll down River Bank China mall near Still creak while talking and texting on her phone.) Life as we know it is fading away. This place is all we have to take for granted, all thanks to that god forbidden pipeline... IKR!?!? Jenny? Still there? Sorry you were just breaking up. YEAH... *Snaps fingers x2* Mmm, if the american government wants to make money then why don’t they hire people from america instead of us people in china to get off their fat, lazy american B-HINDS off their couch and fix our country! I mean... Their country. Soon, water level will rise, the atmosphere will grow more thicken, planet earth as everyone know will be a complete wasteland disaster. What's this I hear? riverbank mall? Whaaaaat? Jenny, you’d best be lying to me girl!... A soon to be new build place for a factory, here? But why would these americans take our resource so far out of their region? I refuse to let them inhabit our land in china! Why don’t they build places on their land? Because of that sweet green paper we see it as money and power!?

(Kanit enters Still creek.) Yeah?... I know right!? OMG you remember that time too!? Yeah, I remember feeding my favorite animal back in the northern parts around Still creek. When I was a little girl, I found these cute race of little turtles minding their own business, I remember feeding them, playing with them, and my mom would tell me they were snapping turtles! But we paid no mind lol. Then I found one turtle around here and called him lord tortoise, those species extinct. Now, I see him no more, no more them, their families, kids, and others, all because of the end of times, climate change. Oh right! I have to hurry back to work and tell these folks about the weather and how the pipeline effects the world we live in today! Thx :) # PICE 2!