Readers React: Was mental illness one cause of the San Bernardino attack?

To the editor: There is a disturbingly racist subtext in the national conversation about San Bernardino. (“FBI chief: San Bernardino shooters did not publicly promote jihad on social media,” Dec. 16)

The Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado Springs was never officially labeled “an act of terrorism.” I never saw discussion about the “radicalization” of the Charleston, S.C. church shooter. Yet both those events involved clearly more ideological targets.

In San Bernardino, a native son who shared in our society inflicted a murderous rage on the very people he worked and interacted with, so why is no one discussing mental health here? Do we believe propaganda can make a mentally balanced person massacre other human beings?

The conversation we are having asks us to accept that these people can be “radicalized” to commit murder. Common sense tells us otherwise.

Robert Fox, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Perhaps one of the reasons for the continued backlash against Muslims is your continued prominently placed articles about the attack. Enough already.

Carolyn Todd, La Quinta

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