UCSB shooter equated his value to wealth, sex

When Elliot Rodger went on a shooting spree on May 23 at the University of California, Santa Barbara, which killed six people and injured 13 others, he opened a national discussion on many topics. Among them were gun control laws, human sexuality and sexual abuse and what to do with mentally disturbed people.

Richard Martinez, the father of 20-year-old Christopher Michaels-Martinez killed by Rodger, blamed politicians for not adopting stiffer gun control laws in the wake of the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Connecticut. Many Americans joined the victims’ families in supporting more gun laws after Adam Lanza fatally shot 20 innocent children.

“They (politicians) have done nothing and that’s why Chris died . . . in my opinion,” Martinez said. “It’s almost become a normal thing for us to accept this,” he said. “It’s not normal. Life doesn’t have to be like this.

“I’m going to ask every person I can find to send a postcard to every politician they can think of with three words on it: ‘Not one more.’”

In a manifesto Rodger sent to family and friends, he talked about how he felt after buying his first gun. “After I picked up the handgun, I brought it back to my room and felt a new sense of power. I was now armed. Who’s the alpha male now, b—–s? I thought to myself, regarding all of the girls who’ve looked down on me in the past.”

That statement speaks for itself.

Rodger thought wealth could buy relationships. After attending a concert, he wrote, “I couldn’t help but feel a bitter form of envy at all of the rich kids at the concert. They grew up in lavish mansions, indulged in excessive opulence and will never have to worry about anything in their pleasurable, hedonistic lives. I would take great pleasure in watching all of those rich families burn alive. Looking at all of them really drilled in my mind the importance of wealth.”

He also wrote, “Wealth is one of the most important defining factors of self-worth and superiority. I hated and envied all of those kids for being born into wealth, while I had to struggle to find a way to claim wealth for myself. I had to be ruthless and do whatever it takes to attain such wealth. After all, it was my only hope of ever being worthy of getting a girlfriend and living the life of gratification that I desire.”

Rodger related riches and love, saying, “I spent $700 dollars on lottery tickets. As I spent this money, I imagined all the amazing sex I would have with a beautiful model girlfriend I would have once I become a man of wealth.”

His whole value system was so messed up. Money can never buy lasting love.

What can we learn from this horrible incident?

First, we have to know who we are. Every one of us is a person made in the image and likeness of God. We have dignity; we are somebody because God has claimed us. It doesn’t make any difference how much money we have.

Second, God made us social beings. We need each other. We are not self-made individuals. We need to develop social skills. That begins at home when we learn to talk with our parents, siblings and friends. If we spend all our time watching TV, smartphones or being involved in endless activities, we will never learn social skills.

Third, human sexuality is God’s gift for the expression of love and the generation of life. Our sexuality involves the whole person: biological, psychological, cultural, social and spiritual. The integrity of the relationship determines the meaning of sexual expression. God has given us our sexual drive, not as a toy or a “right,” but as a mutual gift of giving and receiving that reaches its full potential within the loving, enduring commitment of marriage.