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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Hetero Every Child Deserves a Mother and a Father

Posted by Dan Savage on Thu, Oct 20, 2011 at 8:48 AM

Sam Friedlander apparently bludgeoned his wife with a table leg during a bedroom struggle and shot his two children in their beds, then went down to the basement and shot himself, police said today.... Each child was shot in the abdomen with the same 12-gauge shotgun that Friedlander used to kill himself.

Jezebel breaks down the appalling way the report, quoted above, goes on to blame the victims. The murderer was, according to his friends, "belittled" and "emasculated" by his wife and her parents... so, gee, what choice did he have but to beat his wife to death and then shoot his children in a manner that would ensure both died in agony? Christ.

Comments (18) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment

Ugh, Jezebel. I read it, mostly just to piss myself off.

Posted by More, I Say! on October 20, 2011 at 8:59 AM

Wow, when I read about this yesterday, it was just sad. Now, with these additional details, I actually feel a little queasy. I guess ignorance really is bliss.

Posted by jzimbert on October 20, 2011 at 9:17 AM

Notice the passive voice, too: each child was shot (by some absent subject), not he shot both of his children.

Posted by sahara29 on October 20, 2011 at 9:32 AM

But hey, the house can be yours!!

"No. 2 is listed at $799,000. (House listing, photos:

http://www.trulia.com/property/305190458…)

Lewisboro is a town of about 13,000. Cross River is one of its six hamlets.

"This is devastating in our community," Lewisboro police Chief Frank Secret said Tuesday night. "This is something we are not used to."

Posted by aisteach79 on October 20, 2011 at 10:01 AM

The only decent thing this "father" did was to off himself. Too bad he didn't act on that before killing his wife & kids.

Posted by TampaDink on October 20, 2011 at 10:17 AM

Wow, this atrocity is super relevant to whether gay people should get married or adopt kids! Thanks, Dan! So enlightening!

Posted by Francine Plowhorse on October 20, 2011 at 10:25 AM

you already posted this danny.

the doctor warned you about dementia if you didn't treat your syphilis.....

Posted by Dr Feel on October 20, 2011 at 10:41 AM

gang, look for danny to start cherry-picking the misery to feature more married couples.

cause our little danny is a hypersensitive prick who never admits when he's wrong and just HATES being exposed for the ignorant hate mongering bigoted bitter little ass that he is...

Posted by buhu on October 20, 2011 at 10:47 AM

@6 winning the award on Still Not Grasping The Concept.

Posted by More, I Say! on October 20, 2011 at 10:54 AM

I don't believe in feeding the trolls, yet I can't help but feel that Dan's categorical response to horrible violence against children has run its course. Yes, a lame argument is made against equal-marriage that "every child deserves a mother and a father." But it's equally lame to argue that violence committed against children is somehow a positive argument for equal-marriage. Violence against children is a good argument for parenting classes, safe sex, gun control, better social services, mental health screening, etc etc, all of which I believe in. Arguing for same-sex marriage by pointing out that straight people aren't always good parents belittles the very real violence inflicted upon those children and turns them into a self-serving talking point. Until you start putting your money where your mouth is and doing something to address the wrongs committed against those children: Enough.

Posted by other coast on October 20, 2011 at 10:56 AM

@10 The right are still using the argument, so no, not enough.

Posted by Tetchy Brit on October 20, 2011 at 11:15 AM

@ 5 - Sadly, these murder-suicide things always start the wrong way 'round...

If only they'd do the suicide part first! It's like we need a fucking PSA or something!! ("Life got you down? Thinking about checking out and taking the family with you? Do the right thing - go first and check out the afterlife yourself, to make sure it's where you REALLY want to take the family this year!...")

:(

Posted by merry on October 20, 2011 at 11:29 AM