Reaction to the reaction

Victor sent me this link, a post at Gaia Online, reacting to the horrific events at Dawson College in Montreal:

I was terrified and sadden to learn of yet another school shooting, this time in Montreal. Myself, like many others want to know what could possibly cause such a tragedy? As I read the news report, they had found a scapegoat: he played videogames and he wore a trenchcoat. Are you kidding me? That's almost as angering as the situation itself. The artical then elaborated on his videogames and his sense of style and "dark clothing." I thought I was going to hurl. You think that's all it takes to drive someone to kill people?

What's more sad? The fact that there are theories like this or the fact people believe them?

The search for easy labels and obvious scapegoats is as old as the news business. People don't want to think more than they have to: providing them with an easy, obvious person or group to blame for misfortune or bad news is, I hate to say it, a deeply rooted part of the human psyche. If it's not the Gypsies, it's the Jews. If it's not the Jews, it's the Mexicans, or the Masons, or whatever group will most easily satisfy the need to assign blame to among your listeners.

Perhaps the most reprehensible reaction seems to be the most common . . . something bad is happening? Who can we blame? It's sick. It's twisted. It often prevents logical thought. And it's absolutely human.