Devils Within by S. F. Henson

Great examples of journalistic bias throughout. Check out in between chapters and discuss how different the articles are from the story we're getting from the victim.

Discussions

It doesn't matter that the person I murdered was the most miserable excuse for a human being to ever walk this earth, shy of Hitler. It's knowing he didn't have a chance to find some humanity, that I took it from him. p18

Every day since-- all 588 of them-- his deep voice fills my head with hate-filled words. I don't share his hate. I really don't. But that doesn't stop the thoughts from creeping into my mind. p19 (A powerful thing to discuss. Just because a prejudices or racist thought comes into our minds, that doesn't mean we have to believe it or hold it. We can and must reject it.)

Not that I'm much different-- seeing as how my first inclination was to kill her, too. But I didn't want to do it. My reaction was instinct, hers is ... judgement. p26

It smacks me like a leather belt. I don't want people to fear me. I want them to smile when they see me. But I don't know how to get there. It's like everyone else is standing on some tall-ass platform and I'm at the bottom with no way up. p99

p238 (too spoilery to include here, but an excellent little monologue about intent)

I may not have shared his hate in my heart, but I haven't done anything to stop it, either. I've been a coward this whole time. Protecting myself instead of the people who need protecting. p289

Depression/ Guilt

I haven't laughed like this in years. On one hand, it feels amazing, but on the other, it depresses the hell out of me. It shows what I could have if things were different, and I know that deep down, this happiness isn't real. p122-123

Description

The cops got additional training. The man got a closed casket. p300

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I close my eyes and breathe in smoke-tinged air. It's easy to read articles or watch reports on TV and thing "oh how sad" for the victims without really feeling anything, but when it's people you know-- people you could've shopped behind or passed on the street-- it throws the whole picture into clear focus.

They're not characters in a book or movie. They're real people feeling real pain. Real fear. Bleeding real blood. I grew up with it all, but this town... it's experiencing it for the first time in fifty years. Some of the people, for the first time ever. p319
____________________________

Wow

Turns out the State only pays for an attorney if you've been formally charged. p336

the school's response-- p347

Racism

p344-345 casual racism

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