Slate.com has posted the online comments of Bruce Ivins. It's interesting to watch the Mainstream Media go on a hunt for signs of psychopathy.
FIrst, let's examine the "obsession" with Kappa Kappa Gamma. True, he seems to be remarkably well-informed about the history and rituals of Kappa Kappa Gamma. And? The man is hardly alone there. The Internet has enabled all of us to be informational geeks about some obscure topic or other. Personally, I am into WWII espionage and gardening. I shudder at what a malevolent eye could see in my blog postings. At least he didn't try to get pictures of the girls with their clothes off. I can see that as problematic. But he didn't do that, not even close.
Second, there's the "he's a delusional alcoholic" charge. How bad could it be if he is able to work at the highest level of scientific inquiry in a very specialized field surrounded by people who would know in an instant if he was off his game? Not that the "delusional alcoholic" part is necessarily false, maybe it isn't. But how bad could it have been, really? And how much different than someone in your office right now who may be a little off in terms of mental stability or alcoholism?
Third, "he threatened his coworkers," as backed up by a psychotherapist. That's a little harder to dismiss. What she states is a serious charge and I don't think she's lying. What it demonstrates is mental instability, his feelings of powerlessness and that he was a potential danger to his coworkers. Of course, this was after the FBI harassment began. All of that can be said about a lot of people who are not bioterrorists.
Bruce Ivins may have been a man with a few problems. But the harassment he experienced pushed him over the edge into more extreme behavior. I feel sorry for Bruce Ivins. His suicide is not a sign of guilt, but rather that of a man who couldn't take it any more. Let's all pray for him and his family.
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