Unhinged,  All  Right:  
Jared  Lee  Loughner  
 
By  Jane  Gilgun  

 
Summary  
 
The  acts  of  violence  that  Jared  Lee  Loughner  committed  are  so  horrible  to  think  about  that  I  
had  to  write  my  analysis  in  the  form  of  a  poem.  I  have  interviewed  about  150  men  who  
have  committed  violent  acts,  most  in  prison,  some  for  life  for  being  serial  murders.  Through  
these  interviews,  I  have  developed  an  understanding  of  what  violence  means  to  
perpetrators.  In  this  poem,  I  apply  what  I  know  about  violence  to  what  is  known  about  the  
life  of  Jared  Lee  Lougher.  
 
About  the  Author  
 
Jane  F.  Gilgun,  Ph.D.,  LICSW,  is  a  professor,  School  of  Social  Work,  University  of  Minnesota,  
Twin  Cities,  USA.  See  Professor  Gilgun’s  other  articles,  books,  and  children’s  stories  on  
scribd.com,  Kindle,  and  iBooks.  
Unhinged,  All  Right:  
Jared  Lee  Loughner  
He  was  unhinged,  all  right,  
Jared  Lee  Loughner,  that  is,  
in  a  state  of  dysregulation  
as  they  say  in  psychology  
meaning  he  couldn’t  think  straight  
dysregulation  hurts    
and  so  the  dysregulated  seek  to  soothe  themselves  
 
Some  people  talk  to  others  about  what’s  bothering  them  
and  work  things  out    
some  get  drunk,  high,  drive  or  buy  recklessly,  
fixating  on  how  others  are  hurting  them  
or  how  they  can  hurt  others  
to  feel  better    
or  just  do  what  they  want  to  feel  better  
telling  themselves  that  those  they  use  and  abuse  
are  enjoying  themselves  
 
Psychology  says  they  have  issues  with  executive  functions    
meaning  lack  of  planning  
unable  to  control  impulses  
and  not  being  able  to  foresee  consequences  
 
Jared  Lee  Loughner  thought  straight  enough  
to  plan  murder  
persisting  in  buying  bullets  
after  he  failed  at  the  first  Wal-­‐Mart  
and  getting  a  black  diaper  bag  to  boot  to  hide  his  booty  
persisting  in  getting  to  the  supermarket  
for  a  $14  cab  ride  
after  his  father  chased  him  into  the  desert  
wanting  to  know  what  was  in  the  bag  
 
Jared  Lee  Loughner  soothed  himself  with  rants  
against  the  currency  and  linguists  
why  is  6  called  6  and  not  16  anyway?  
he  soothed  himself  some  more  when  he  posed  
wearing  a  red  g-­‐string  
his  Glock  beside  his  crotch  
took  photos  that  Wal-­‐Mart  
developed  for  him  
that  he  picked  up  hours  
before  the  hour  he  opened  fire  
he  thought  straight  enough  
to  say  good-­‐bye  to  friends  on  Myspace  
and  post  a  picture  of  himself  in  the  g-­‐string  
with  his  Glock  
hours  before  he  opened  fire  
 
Oh,  yes,  Jared  Lee  Loughner  was  dysregulated  all  right  
and  didn’t  think  straight  
except  when  thinking  straight  enough  
to  hone  in  on  his  target    
right  through  the  brain  
that  beautiful  woman  with  a  fairy-­‐tale  life  
what  a  guy  
to  murder  a  nine-­‐year  old  girl  
eager  to  learn  about  the  US  government  
to  murder  a  wise  judge,  a  young  social  worker    
old  women,  an  old  man  
wounding,  maiming  life  forever  
he  was  afraid  to  murder  his  scary  old  man  
who  yelled  at  him  
 
The  rageful  rhetoric  of  fringe  groups  
got  the  attention  of  Jared  Lee  Loughner  
gave  his  life  meaning  
that’s  the  ultimate  self-­‐soothing  
shoot  them,  kill  them,  maim  them  
take  advantage  of  their  defenselessness  
walk  in  on  them  meeting  and  greeting  
in  the  open  air  
grin  and  fire  
30  rounds  in  seconds  
and  then  grin  into  the  camera  at  the  cop  shop  
 
He  did  it.  Mission  accomplished  
just  a  niggle  of  a  conscience  
made  him  look  like  an  idiot,  a  fool,  a  jester  
on  front  pages  and  webites  throughout  the  world  
but  he  was  planfully  dysregulated  
had  selective  executive  function  issues  
sought  to  soothe  himself  
choosing  an  easy  target  
someone  who  succeeded  where  he  had  failed  
succeeded  at  school,  in  love,  in  a  vocation  
while  he  failed  at  school,  in  love,  in  a  vocation  
he  believed  his  father  hated  him  
if  his  own  father  hated  him  
no  one  would  ever  love  him  
My  God,  what’s  a  guy  to  do?  
 
Take  drugs,  drink,  find  satisfaction  
in  the  rants  of  fringe  groups  
choose  as  your  favorite  YouTube  video  
a  man  in  a  dark  hoodie  
a  garbage  bag  for  pants  
a  skull  mask  
burning  the  American  flag  
in  the  Arizona  desert    
 
Jared  Lee  Louis  is  a  man,  after  all  
what  kind  of  world  is  it  
that  a  woman,  a  woman  is  so  successful  
beautiful,  a  great  job,  married  to  an  astronaut  
has  it  all  
that  is  not  right  
he,  Jared  Lee  Loughner,  a  man  
he  deserves  what  she  has    
a  mere  woman  doesn’t  
bitch,  whore  
 
She  doesn’t  deserve  anything  
except  a  bullet  in  the  head  
she’s  the  government  
she  tells  me  what  to  do  
says  6  is  6  and  not  18  
forces  me  to  use  paper  money  
not  gold  and  silver  
how  dare  she?  
She  can’t  tell  me  what  to  think  
She  is  not  the  boss  of  me  
take  her  out  
take  them  all  out  
satisfaction  at  last  
all  eyes  on  me  
I  count  
don’t  I?  
I’m  the  man  
aren’t  I?  
 
  
The  Persons  Jared  Lee  Lougher  Murdered  
 
Christina  Taylor  Green,  9  
Judge  John  Roll,  62  
Gabe  Zimmerman,  30  
Pastor  Dorwan  Stoddard,  76  
Dorothy  Morris,  76  
Phyllis  Schneck,  79  
 
The  Persons  Jared  Lee  Loughner  Wounded  
 
Representative  Gabrielle  Giffords,  40  
Susan Hileman, 58
Mavanell Stoddard, 75
Pamela Simon, 63
Ronald Barber, 65
James Tucker, 58
Kenneth Veeder, 75
George Morris, 76
James Fuller, 63
Randy Gardner, 60
Mary Reed, 52
Kenneth Dorushka, 63
Bill Badger, 74
 
References  
 
Becker,  Jo,  Serge  F.  Kovaleski,  Michael  Luo,  &  Dan  Barry  (2011).  Looking  behind  the  mug-­‐
shot  grin.  New  York  Times,  Sunday,  January  16,  1A,  16-­‐17.  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (1996,  November.)  The  phenomenology  of  family  violence.    
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20213899/Chills-­‐Thrills-­‐Power-­‐Control-­‐The-­‐
Phenomenology-­‐of-­‐Family-­‐Violence  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  (2010).  Child  sexual  abuse:  From  harsh  realities  to  hope.  
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16484981/Child-­‐Sexual-­‐Abuse-­‐From-­‐Harsh-­‐Realities-­‐to-­‐
Hope  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (2010).  Evil  fees  good:  Think  before  you  act.  
http://www.scribd.com/doc/38489251/Evil-­‐Feels-­‐Good-­‐Think-­‐Before-­‐You-­‐Act  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (2010).    The  NEATS:  A  child  &  family  assessment.  
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16496944/The-­‐NEATS-­‐A-­‐Child-­‐Family-­‐Assessment  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (2010).  Why  they  do  it:  Beliefs  &  emotional  gratification.  
http://www.scribd.com/doc/30778872/Why-­‐They-­‐Do-­‐It-­‐Beliefs-­‐Emotional-­‐Gratification-­‐
Lead-­‐to-­‐Violent-­‐Acts  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (2009).  School  violence  and  workplace  violence:  Detecting  the  potential  for  
violence.  http://www.scribd.com/doc/28267212/School-­‐Violence-­‐Workplace-­‐Violence-­‐
Risk-­‐Assessment  
 
Gilgun,  Jane  F.  (2010).  Two  boys,  similar  backgrounds.  One  goes  to  prison  &  one  does  not?    
Why?  http://www.scribd.com/doc/22619428/Two-­‐Boys-­‐Similar-­‐Backgrounds-­‐Different-­‐
Outcomes-­‐Why  
 
Gilgun, Jane F. (2010). Violence real & imagined: Reflections on more than 20 years of research on
violence. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 16(4), 50-59.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/39119048/Violence-Actual-and-Imagined-Reflections-on-More-Than-
20-Years-of-Research

Gilgun, Jane F. (2008). Lived experience, reflexivity, and research on perpetrators of interpersonal
violence. Qualitative Social Work, 7(2), 181-197.

Grady, Denise & Jennifer Medina (2011). From bloody scene to E.R., Life-saving choices. Sunday
New York Times, January 15, A1, A12.

Nagourney, Adam (2011). A single, terrifying moment; shots, a scuffle, some luck. New York
Times, Monday, January 19, A1, A10.

Jared Lee Loughner’s Favorite Video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK83KQw_ELI&feature=related

Introduction—Jared Lee Loughner

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mw97MBDe1T0&feature=related

Johnson, Kirk, Sege F. Kovaleski, Dan Frosch, & Eric Lipton (2011). Alarm grew at suspect’s
disturbing behavior. New York Times, Monday, January 10, A1, A12.

Stolberg, Sheryl Gay & William Yardley (2011). For Giffords, Tucson roots shaped views. Sudnay
New York Times, January 15, A1,A15.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPtdZmp9YAM&feature=related

Tragedy in Tuscon: Profile of Jared Lee Loughner, The Shooter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK5HuvWXZc8&feature=related

Weisenthal, Joe (2010). Gunman identified as Jared Lee Loughner. Business Insider, January 8.
http://www.businessinsider.com/jared-lee-loughner-2011-1#ixzz1BKaHecqf