Several years after Act II
Sam Gritter:
Good morning everyone, my name is Sam Gritter, and this is the Public News Digest, morning edition. We are here today to talk about a very serious and very new problem in our society, something unprecedented and unheard of before, a rash of strange and unusual, premeditated murders in which not only does the assailant not feel guilty, he argues eloquently that he is not. These terrible crimes are being popularly called “Raskolnikov Killings.” We have with us here today, to discuss this new and rather disturbing phenomena a panel of experts from a wide variety of areas. I’ll introduce them one at a time, as they join us. First, I’d like to introduce Sgt. Richard Crusher, lead detective in the New York City Bureau of Police Matters. Hello, Sgt. Crusher.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Hello, Sam.
Sam Gritter:
Okay, Sgt. Crusher, my first question to you is, do we have any real statistics on this phenomena.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Well, I think we’re still in the process of getting all that information together. But to give you a ball park figure, I’d say that in the last 6 months we’ve seen, well, hell, I’d say about 1500 or so of these types of murder, and that’s just in the New York City area.
Sam Gritter:
Wow, that’s a scary statistic. Could you give us a little more information about these murders. What exactly makes up a Raskolnikov Killing?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Hmm, I’d almost like to say that first the crime is always premeditated, but that’s not always the case. What really signals us that this is a Raskolikov killing is the perpetrator’s attitude once he’s been caught. He generally shows no guilt, and he has an attitude in which, well, he’s arrogant and haughty. He has this sense that the murder he has committed was in some way the proper and correct thing to do. He often has the attitude that he is a kind of hero who is being unjustly accused. Usually these perpetrators are quite talkative. They seem anxious to explain why they committed the murder, why it’s justified. What you’ll often see in court is the murderer will often defend himself or herself, and try passionately to defend the murder to the judge and the jurors. They often plea quite eloquently that based on their life situation, there was little else they could do.
Sam Gritter:
If you could, Sgt. Crusher, I’d like you to give us an example or two of a Raskolnikov killing for our listeners at home.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Sure, Sam, we had one case in which a man thought his neighbor played music too loud. Apparently, the man was studying in the evenings to get his MBA, and he felt as if his life depended on getting good grades on his course work. He felt that the man playing the music was keeping him from doing this. As he felt his very livelihood was threatened, he thought that killing his neighbor was completely justified. The man did say he first tried to talk with the landlord, and with the noisy neighbor himself, but that when neither of these avenues worked, he said he thought it was reasonable to take matters into his own hands.
He performed the murder quite brilliantly, using a really ingenious break-in and poisoning method. In fact, at first we were at a complete loss as to how the victim had died. We had some vague suspicions, however, just barely enough to bring the murderer in for questioning. And after just a few slight provocations, the man quickly began confessing to the murder. His confession was actually quite eloquent, and he tried very hard to justify the murder to us.
Now this is basically a pattern we’ve seen repeated several times. A murder over some kind of perceived impropriety. The murder is performed quite brilliantly, and there’s little but circumstantial evidence that points the killer. Nevertheless, the circumstantial evidence seems to be enough. For often, merely by questioning the man, it’s possible to provoke a confession. And it’s at this point, that the killer generally tries to argue that the murder was justified.
We’ve seen this happen again and again. There have been some cases that were even more impulsive than this. There was one case where a driver got stuck behind a slow car in the fast lane. He followed the slow car till it eventually stopped, and then he took matters into his own hands.
There was one case where a business man was shot by a college student because he wouldn’t give up his seat to an old lady on the bus. We've had a lot of murder over theft, in which the killer argues they could make more noble use of the money than the deceased. I could go on and on here...
Sam Gritter:
Have any of these killers succeeded in pleading their innocence?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Ah, thankfully, no, Sam.
Sam Gritter:
Are these people ... uh ... crazy? That is do you detect any type of mental illness in them?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Sam, we’ve had virtually a team of psych guys going at it with these killers around the clock ... and this is the scary part, they just seem pretty much normal. They live otherwise happy well-adjusted lives, they are not shy or reclusive, they have lots of social contacts, usually a successful career, or an academic life. The murder usually stands out as a bizarre incident in their life, Sam, not something that fits the trend.
Sam Gritter:
Why are these incidents being called Raskolnikov Killings?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
First, Sam, let me say, I don’t like that term, but we’ve all been forced to adapt it. It was coined by someone in the press, I believe, and now it’s become a very popular term, but I don’t like it.
Sam Gritter:
But what does the term mean?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Well, it’s from Russian literature, a book called Crime and Punishment by um ... er ...
Sam Gritter:
That’s Dostoevsky, isn’t it?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Yes, I think that’s right. And from what I’ve heard, there’s a character in the book who commits a very terrible murder, but feels it’s justified based on his personal philosophy ... I don’t really know the details exactly. The book has actually been being passed around at work recently, but honestly, Sam, I’ve been too busy to take a look at it.
Sam Gritter:
I see. So going forward from here, Sgt. Crusher, what do we do? How do we deal with this?
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Well, I say first and foremost, Sam, is we’ve got to prosecute these guys to the fullest extent of the laws, no exceptions whatsoever. We’ve got to go hard on these guys. We’ve got to set the example that murder is not acceptable. No matter what a person’s philosophy is, an act of murder is an act of murder. And I think the punishment must suit the crime - ahem - well that is, what I mean is ... we’ve got to send a message. A lot of judges agree with this. We’ve seen a very large increase in the death penalty to meet this problem head on, rather than to avoid it. Though I’m forced to admit, that many of these cases are still technically under appeal.
Sam Gritter:
Well, thank you for all that background information, Sgt. Crusher. Now, if you could stay with us, I’d like to go to our next guest, who is Pastor Arthur Locke. He is the head pastor of the New Bethlehem Church. Many of you have heard of his church, I’m sure. It's a church that to a large degree pits itself against the modern values of bigger is better, more is better, and most interestingly, members of the church make a conscientious effort not to take the widely used supplement IntelligentSia®.
Now, regarding the Raskolnikov killings, Pastor Locke has some interesting ideas of his own. Because Pastor Locke’s ideas are so controversial we’ve also asked Nancy B. Right, a spokesperson for Minerva pharmaceuticals, to come on our show as well, so she can defend her company’s product, IntelligentSia®. Which since it became legal, is probably the most widely used health supplement in the United States.
Okay, but first to you, Pastor Locke. We’ve already heard a lot about your church and philosophy, and so what we would like to know is what you have to say about the Raskolnikov killings. You’ve been making a lot of headlines, please tell us your theory.
Pastor Locke:
It’s quite simple, Sam, really. Basically, it is IntelligentSia® that is causing these murders.
Nancy B. Right:
Sam, can I talk yet, can I say something to that?
Sam Gritter:
Nancy, we will be with you momentarily, but first we’d like to allow Pastor Locke here a chance to explain himself. Now, Pastor Locke, that’s just such an outrageous statement to so many people. It is akin to saying the water is poisoned or something.
IntelligentSia® is so prevalent in our society. I mean it was in my breakfast cereal this morning. In fact, it’s added to just about everything. Bread, rice ... Since becoming legal, it’s become a regular staple of our diet.
Now you’re telling me it’s causing the Raskolnikov killings? How can you say that?
Pastor Locke:
I say it merely because it is the truth, Sam.
Nancy B. Right:
I’d like to get into this if I could, Sam.
Sam Gritter:
We’ll get to you in a minute Nancy, but first Pastor Locke, our question to you has got to be, how? How can you believe this?
Pastor Locke:
It is less a belief, Sam, and more of an observation.
Sam Gritter:
Then describe your observation. I’m sure a lot of people are interested in it.
Pastor Locke:
Is that so, Sam? Are they really? I don’t think they are. Not at all, in fact.
The truth is already out there obvious and clear to all, but no one wants to recognize it. I merely state it.
What people really want is for me to shut up because I irritate them. They don’t want the truth at all. They would far prefer I just babble some inane theory that could quickly be shot down by the facts and numbers. Then having defeated me in their imaginations, they could go back to bed and rest easily in their dream world, but by no means the real world.
That IntelligentSia® is causing these murders is a fact based on observation. Everyone knows it, but few wish to acknowledge it, even to themselves.
Nancy B. Right:
Sam, I’d really like to get into this.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
I wouldn’t mind having a word myself, if it’s all the same to you, Sam.
Sam Gritter:
I’d certainly like to get both your views on this, but first, Pastor Locke, you seem to be speaking in very vague terms. In all fairness, couldn’t you be a just little more specific.
Pastor Locke:
No, Sam, I can’t.
What this really has to do with the nature of truth, shall we have that discussion, does anyone want that discussion?
Nancy B. Right:
Really, Sam, clearly Mr. Locke is avoiding the issue. He hasn’t any evidence to back up these outlandish observations - accusations.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Honestly, Sam, this man is a known cult leader.
Sam Gritter:
Pastor Locke, your view is accepted by most of your church members, and has attracted a lot of attention in the press. By not cutting to the chase here and giving us your opinion, your explanation, aren’t you only discrediting yourself?
Pastor Locke:
Perhaps ... No ... No, I’m not. Sam, I’d like to tell a story if I may, about two gods, one whom I jocularly call the Cavity Monger God, and the other the “Wow” God. Might I tell that story?
Nancy B. Right:
Sam, I ... we at Minerva demand an explanation for Pastor Locke’s outrageous statements. He clearly has nothing to support them. Nothing at all, and if he wants to launch into some pseudo-religious fable then it is merely so he can evade the real issues at hand. Which is that he has trumped up this entire nonsense about IntelligentSia® as a publicity stunt to attract members to his church, or should I say cult, I’m sure that Sgt. Crusher here could fill you in on some of this cults more shadier aspects.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
As a matter of fact, I don’t like the New Church of Bethlehem, there are ... stories of sexual licentiousness ... stories of ...
Sam Gritter:
Well, what I’d really like to know is why Mr. Locke feels IntelligentSia® is causing these murders, now if hearing this fable will help, let’s listen.
Pastor Locke:
Why, thank you, Sam. Well, first let’s discuss a small boy. His mind is not developed, and his sense of future consequences not particularly astute. The parents realize the need for the child to brush his teeth, but all at once lack the appropriate method of explanation. It is clear to them, that if the boy fails to brush his teeth, tooth decay will ensue, and the boy will suffer. Yet, no matter how the parents try to explain this to the boy, he refuses to brush. Not having experienced a cavity, not knowing it’s pain, it’s shame, the boy lacks the necessary motivation necessary to brush his teeth.
So, the parents in desperation create shall we say, a God. An angry cavity fighting God. They describe this God in terrible terms, and they tell the young impressionable lad, that if he doesn’t brush his teeth this terrible God will come down in it’s wrath and bring dire consequences upon that boy. Now, if that boy fails to brush his teeth, then shan’t he, at the dark hours of the night, as the wind blows, and the shadows play tricks upon his mind, won’t the boy think mightily of this God, and won’t fear approach. Won’t he spend a restless night, and the next morning as soon as possible brush his teeth, better than he has ever brushed them before.
And should he see some other poor lad with a cavity, then he’ll know that pour lad didn’t brush his teeth, and the Cavity Monger God struck. Our boy will brush his teeth, and he will do so in fear.
Nancy B. Right:
Sam, where’s he going with this ...
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Sam, you’re not allowing this show to be used by this man to find followers, are you?
Sam Gritter:
Pastor Locke, where are you going with this?
Pastor Locke:
Sam, either I may continue or I may not.
Sam Gritter:
Okay, Pastor Locke, please continue.
Pastor Locke:
Now, as I was saying the boy does brush his teeth, he does do what is necessary, and what is indeed an important thing. He brushes his teeth and protects them form dreadful decay.
But now we must ask the question. What will happen to this boy as he grows older and learns that this Cavity Monger God was merely a fictional creation of his parents? Namely that is it was a lie. A lie propagated for arguably good reasons, but nevertheless a lie.
I do think this will have an effect on the boy, who is perhaps now a man. This effect would be a many and multi-faceted one, but surly it would be an effect. The boy, growing older, will learn that there is no Cavity Monger God. He will learn that his parents lied to him. And no matter how he may act exteriorly, inside he will surly hold some kind of resentment. And while he will probably still be brushing his teeth, he’ll distrust his parents. He’ll know that they are capable of lying to him.
But not only this, he’ll have a resentment and distrust of all Gods and religion. He might even reject all of them. And what a shame for this man, who was once just a small trusting boy, to now be at odds with God and religion. To not only actively disbelieve, but to hate the church..
Nancy B. Right:
Religion is not what’s in question here, today, Pastor Locke! What is in question is your accusations against IntelligentSia®, and by relating some silly homely’s, don't think you can escape that!
Pastor Locke:
Sam, if I might continue.
Sam Gritter:
Yes, go on.
Pastor Locke:
Thank you, Sam. Now, I’d like to talk about a different conception of God. I call this the “wow” God.
Now, not everyone will readily admit it, but we all have had at one time or another inexplicable feelings of hope, joy, and so on. But we lack a way of understanding them, of talking about them, and transmitting them.
Let us take the example of a chair. We know what a chair is not because we learned it in a dictionary, or that it was ever explained to us in words, but because our parents always pointed it out to us. And we learned to associate the world “chair” with the object which we all realize is a chair.
And what I’d like to say is why should God be any different. Why should there be this leap of faith, this coercion to believe in Gods like this cavity monger God? Are we only to believe in Gods that are merely morality enforced through fear?
Wouldn’t it be much better, if we were to teach our sons and daughters a different way. Why not teach them about God, the same way we taught them about the chair, by pointing.
That is, upon viewing a wonderful water fall, we would to say to our son, “Look, my boy, and there is God, before you in that magnificent water fall.”
Or even better, if the boy were to do some great act of generosity, say to spontaneously pick a flower and give it to his mother, then we would to say to him, “why, look my boy, you’ve acted on God’s words. That lofty spontaneous feeling you felt that made you want to share that flower with your mother was indeed God speaking to you. That is how he talks to us. Listen to that voice always, son, and it will guide you.”
And in this way gradually our son and our daughters would gain a real sense of God not just outside of them, but within them.
Why if ever confronted with the question, “Do you believe in God?” Our sons and daughters would find the question no different from the question “Do you believe in chairs?” It is a question that doesn’t need to be asked.
I look out into the world today and see so many resentful atheists, who bear their atheism on their sleeves the way a soldier would bear a purple heart. And I cannot help but have sympathy for them. For the notion of God was used as a method of fear and coercion in their life.
Why if you were to tell a person to “follow God and all will be all right.” Why he wouldn’t have any idea what you were talking about at all? And more than that, he’d resent it, and further, he’d think you were the worse kind of perpetrator of lies. And I think all of this bears relevance and importance on what is happening in today's world.
Sam Gritter:
... ahem .. I see ... er ... Nancy would you like to comment on that.
Nancy B. Right:
Well, I think it’s clear here that Pastor Locke has merely seized on IntelligentSia® as a kind of publicity stunt to attract attention to himself. He so far has not made one concrete accusation that can be defended. All we hear from him are vague innuendoes.
Yet by making his accusation, he’s wheedled himself onto your show, Sam, where he’s just been able to deliver a long homily about basically nothing, because with the exception of a few remaining churches, religion is just not an issue anymore.
This man, Pastor Arthur Locke is most clearly the worst kind of publicity monger, and a terrible fraud. Pastor Locke, do you have one concrete thing to say against IntelligentSia®, aside from flowery words and homily’s intended to fool weak and impressionable minds over to your side?
Sam Gritter:
Pastor, would you care to respond to that?
Pastor Locke:
I shall merely give to Caeser what is Caeser’s.
Sam Gritter:
I’m sorry, sir.
Pastor Locke:
The truth is always there. But it is not often enough pointed to. All this intellectual gymnastics, all this play with words, all this butchery. Doesn’t anyone ever see a moralist for what he is. He is merely a man who sings a tune and try’s to hypnotize the rest. No amount of numbers can ever lead you to the truth. They can only lead you away. We know that self-sacrifice is good, we know it in the core of our hearts, just as we know charity and love are good. But our mind is always working fast and furious to find a way out of these obvious imperatives of the heart.
And as if we weren't satisfied, as if we hadn’t thought up enough clever ways to fool the heart from what we know is good, we’ve made a pill to strengthen the mind. But all we’ve done in reality is to weaken the heart. I plead with all of you today, to all of you now. IntelligentSia® is a false hope, give up on it. Discover God again, find your hearts, resist the pull of the alluring intellect as it promises to free you from all responsibilities. You ...
Sam Gritter:
I’m sorry Pastor, we’re getting a little bit short on time, and I’d like to here from Nancy on this. Nancy?
Nancy B. Right:
Well, Pastor Locke, for a man who says he doesn’t like words and theories, you certainly seem full of them today, ha,ha, ha.
Sam, I think we’ve seen Pastor Locke’s true colors today. And all I have to say is: if there were any of you out their listening to this, if you were afraid that Pastor Locke might have had something substantial to say, against a useful supplement that has become part of our national culture, our national character, then wise up.
The fact is this supplement helps us. People like to be smart. And there’s nothing wrong with that. If you thought there was, because of some pseudo-religious tripe that Pastor Locke has been trumpeting, then breath a sigh of relief. Because no matter how flowery or emotionally tinted his words may be here, let all calm and rational minds take a step back and just think about it.
For when you just get right down to it, Pastor Locke here hasn’t said one rational thing. And for those of us who respect rational choices made on ration principles, the answer to anything any irrational statement is an emphatic, “No!”
Now, let’s rationally review the facts. First, IntelligentSia® is safe. It has been tested over and over again. We’ve never noticed any side effects. We have scrutinized the human body in search of any possible harmful effects, and we have found not even a hint of one. IntelligentSia® is a health supplement. It augments a process already in place in the brain. Those who take IntelligentSia® lead better lives.
We’ve had extensive studies done by renowned scientists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. And always the results are the same. That people taking IntelligentSia® live better lives. They are more well-adjusted to the people around them. They make more money! They buy more things, and they enjoy life more. They are less shy. They have more friends. They delve into life more and they get more out of it. Those are facts.
People have always had an unconcious irrational fear of IntelligentSia®, and that fear has always been based on the fact that it seems too good to be true. But let me say something about that, falling in love can be scary too, but there’s nothing wrong with it.
Pastor Locke represents the worst kind of fear monger. He is playing against fears and in so doing so, is trying to use those fears to selfishly attract attention to himself. As you’ve seen here today, however, this is nothing but a stunt. He has said nothing substantial.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Sam, if I might put forth a question to Pastor Locke.
Sam Gritter:
Pastor Locke, is that all right with you?
Pastor Locke:
Yes, Sam, it’s okay.
Richard Crusher:
What do you have to say, sir, about the allegations, that you have abused your privileges as a pastor in having sex with numerous underage girls.
Pastor Locke:
What? ... ahem ... I don’t think I know what you are talking about.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
I think you do, Pastor. Allegations have been brought against you in the past for sexual misconduct.
Pastor Locke:
That’s correct, they have been. However, those were brought about by the grossest kind of misunderstandings about how we perform our ceremonies at the church.
Sgt. Richard Crusher:
Eleven times?
Pastor Locke:
Perhaps if you say so, I haven’t been counting. But really eleven or a hundred times, what difference does it make. Things that can be misunderstood once, can be misunderstood again by a different person just as easily.
Nancy B. Right:
You know, Pastor, you might just have a potential member here after all. Just what are you doing at those church ceremonies of yours. No wonder your church is the fastest growing in America, ha, ha, ha.
Pastor Locke:
Neither of you have the least idea what you are talking about. None of these so called allegations have amounted to anything more than a couple of juicy and untrue stories in the supermarket tabloids. If I could take the time to explain how our ceremonies are performed, you’ll understand.
You must realized that none of the allegations have ever lead to any official charges, and certainly there have never been any incidents. This is the worse kind of hearsay.
Sam Gritter:
Actually, Pastor, I’m afraid we’re running a bit out of time. If we could just get a brief summary from both of you.
Pastor Locke, why don’t you go first.
Pastor Locke:
A summary? I just want to emphatically add, that if you were to view our ceremonies, you’d see how perfectly natural they were and understand that no improprieties of any kind are taking place. And I’d like to ...
Sam Gritter:
I’m afraid will have to leave it at that, Nancy, any last words.
Nancy B. Right:
I think everyone has seen here today the Pastor for the fraud he is. He offered us nothing substantial to back up his claims against IntelligentSia®, and merely tried to use this program to attract more followers to his church. I think we can all rest assured that Pastor Locke here is but the latest incarnation of a long line of sex crazed charlatans, preying upon poor young girls who don’t know any better.
Sam Gritter:
That’s all for now, thanks for joining us, I’m Sam Gritter and this has been the Public News Digest, morning edition. We'll be back at you tomorrow with Professor Razum, to talk about the impact of Dostoevsky on literature.
Our show’s support comes mostly from you the viewer, and also Minerva Pharmaceuticals inc., “making you smart.” Thank you and good night.
End of Part III