Eric Rudolph example essay topic
Eric belonged to a great number of anti-abortion groups. From a sociological stand point these groups did a great deal to aid in the crimes committed be Eric Rudolph. Upon looking at this case form the point of view of an anthropologist it becomes very clear that there is international support for Eric's cause and very little being done to stop such actions. Mentally unstable, odd, unsociable and depressed were all words used to describe Eric Rudolph in his childhood. In grade six a teacher wrote the following in the comment section. "Your son is an odd individual, please seek help for him.
He is incredibly bright and gifted yet awkward and anti-social". Eric Rudolph was constantly being called a failure and being told he was a plague on the planet, by his alcoholic father Mike Rudolph. Eric needed something to believe in, he took a stand in anti abortion. Anti abortion was a cause he supported ever since a very young age.
Eric believed his criminal activities were simply moves in a direction of ending abortion and saving a life. This was his way of striving to make a difference. Time magazine did a psychological analysis of Eric Rudolph and they concluded. ".. very little ability to decipher right from wrong, Eric is a young man that exploded in the very same manner as his bombs did. He was a clock waiting for the right time to make some noise". In the words of the great philosopher, David Letterman, "Eric Rudolph is like the whore of the anti abortion world, he is in bed with every anti abortion organization imaginable, some peaceful and some not so peaceful". The role of a sociologist is to look at what groups or organizations that the person belongs too.
There is a great deal of groups that Eric Rudolph was associated with. It was these groups that were responsible for teaching Eric what he needed to know in order to make a bomb. It was these groups that constantly bombarded Eric with all kinds of anti abortion propaganda. In order for Eric to make the group members happy he had to go through with the bombing, for the first time in his life Eric felt wanted, this drove him to do what he did.
Groups are capable of influencing a person in dramatic ways; groups have the power to make someone do almost anything they want both historically and logically. Hitler and his Nazi's were able to convince the Jewish people to willing board the trains that ultimately led them to their deaths, although this case is not quite as severe it is exactly the same in context. Anthropologists have the hardest job out of all social scientists. They have to look at a case and ask questions about it on an international basis. They have to see what worldwide factors affected the case.
In this case it is not too hard to see that ignorance, tolerance and encouragement are all factors that drove Eric Rudolph to take the actions that he did. Internationally people are moronic, Eric learned by example, he saw the people in the Middle East setting off bombs for whatever reason they wanted and he followed suit. With destruction companies becoming more competitive on a national and international basis almost anybody can purchase deadly explosives that can be used for some major damage. Anti abortion is a worldwide issue; Eric could derive support form a great deal of religious followings. Many religions publicly abolish abortion and Eric could easily use this as a reason to do what he did. Case studies are the single most valuable tool when it comes to studying criminal behavior.
Cases studies allow scientist to break down the information into separate areas and record a great deal of accurate and valuable information. Eric Rudolph is an excellent example; a case study allows the social scientist to break the information down into 3 sections. From the study it can be concluded that Eric Rudolph was a very insecure person mentally. It is also obvious that on a sociological scale that he was sucked into a group environment and once in that environment the leading members of these organizations preyed upon him.
Internationally all the factors were there to contribute to Eric's desire to do these bombings, religious factions supported him and the hardware was readily available that he needed to perform these bombings.