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Is there such a thing as inherent evil?

Some experts in investigating crime have speculated we never will know why Stephen Paddock decided to go on a killing spree last Sunday night. They’re missing what at one time would have been the obvious answer.

The atmosphere of politics in our country has been poisoned to such a depth that for a couple of days, there was speculation Paddock opened fire on a country music concert because he hated conservatives and thought that type of event would be attended mostly by Republicans.

That fell through — or so the commentators told us — when it was learned Paddock apparently thought about attacking another concert more likely to have been patronized by Democrats.

Well, what, then? Was he financially troubled? Had his relationship with his girlfriend soured? Did he want to get back at the casino town for taking lots of his money? Will someone at some point suggest Paddock was mistreated as a child and wanted to hurt people who seemed to be having the kind of fun he missed?

What triggered Paddock? Blaming such horrific acts on evil, plainly and simply, hasn’t been mentioned yet (at least not that I’ve read or heard).

Has it not occurred to anyone that Paddock may have just decided he wanted to kill a lot of people for fun, as his evil mind defined that?

I’m guessing the percentage of gun enthusiasts who ever thought of harming another human being without good cause is about the same as for the general population.

But Paddock was different. He liked firearms not because they could be used for hunting or because he enjoyed target practice, but because they were weapons he could use to kill people.

And by the way, judging by the amount of explosives he had collected, he’d have killed people even if he hadn’t owned a single firearm.

I tend to believe we’re innately good. We can change, however.

Deciding certain people are just bad isn’t fashionable these days. Even the worst villains must have been prompted to commit specific acts because of something that happened to them, we’re told.

Maybe they led deprived childhoods. Maybe their finances went south.

Interestingly enough, many of those who will tell you that are quick to judge those who disagree with them on political or social issues as, well, evil.

Why, then, is it difficult to believe Stephen Paddock killed because he was evil?

Myer can be reached at: mmyer@theintelligencer.net.

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