Like a lot of people I know, the first feeling I had as soon as I saw the first images of James Holmes during his first court appearance yesterday was one of hatred. Although it might sound horrible and unchristian to some, I actually wished him dead because no one who perpetrates the kind of horror, misery and pain he did last Friday morning deserves to be alive.
And then, as the day progressed, I started to realize that Holmes might be a mass murderer, but he is also somebody's son. Arelene Holmes' son, to be exact.
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While difficult to accept, the truth is that Friday's massacre left two more victims that most people don't really care to talk about: the alleged assassin's parents. At the end of the day, no matter what you feel for the one responsible for the killing spree, can you even imagine what his parents are feeling? What his mother, the one who gave birth to him, must be going through?
I can't.
Little has been said by Holmes' family. Their attorney, Lisa Damiani, has not answered questions about him and his relationship to the family. But she has admitted that they stand by him saying "he's their son." Of course he is–even if he's now known as the monster who perpetrated one of the worst mass killings in the history of this country: 12 dead and 58 injured.
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I'm sure Holmes' mother is wondering what happened to her son, what she did wrong for this to happen or whether she could've somehow prevented it. These are questions that will haunt her forever–regardless of the outcome of her son's eventual trial. All in all, I feel for this woman who calls herself Holmes' mom. Her life, just like that of the victims' families, will never ever be the same.
What happens when your son is accused of being a mass murderer? Share your thoughts with us by leaving us a comment below.
Image via Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office
