This morning, I saw the mugshots of several young individuals arrested in Texas for conspiring to kill ICE officers. And as I looked into their faces, one thought hit me hard:
Evil comes in many different packages.
Not every monster wears a mask. Some wear backpacks. Hoodies. Blank stares. And what chilled me more than the crime was the age. The youth. The fragility beneath the rage.
I stared at those mugshots longer than I probably should have. I tried to see through the hardened eyes and emotionless expressions. I imagined their lives—what homes they came from, what pain they buried, what twisted narrative wrapped itself around them until evil felt like truth.
And what I saw wasn’t just hatred.
It was emptiness. Confusion. Disconnection.
These weren’t just criminals. These were lost souls—molded not just by ideology, but by the relentless drip of media noise, online tribalism, and emotional starvation.
The Making of a Modern Extremist
There’s a formula, if we’re honest. A predictable path:
- Isolation. Outcast kids who feel like they don’t belong. Misunderstood. Ignored. Unseen.
- Influence. They find a voice—often online—that tells them, “You’re right to be angry.” “It’s not your fault.” “They are the enemy.”
- Ideology. That voice gives them a cause. Something to fight against. Someone to blame.
- Tribe. They join others who feel the same. And suddenly, they’re no longer alone. They have purpose—even if it’s twisted.
What they lack in real identity, they find in manufactured purpose. And the scariest part? It only takes one charismatic manipulator—a digital-age Charles Manson—to light the match.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We can’t just lock them up and move on. Because if we don’t understand what creates them, more will rise.
Here’s what we need:
1. See the Invisible.
Start noticing the quiet ones. The angry ones. The “weird” ones. They’re often not dangerous—but they are vulnerable. When someone is drifting, even a little attention can change their trajectory.
2. Talk to Your Kids—More Than You Think You Should.
Ask them what they’re seeing online. What they’re feeling about the world. Who they follow. Who they believe in. If you don’t fill their emotional cup, someone else will—and they might not have good intentions.
3. Reclaim the Narrative.
The media has a voice—but so do we. Use your platforms—whether it’s a podcast, a classroom, or your dinner table—to speak truth, compassion, and critical thinking into the chaos.
4. Build Better Tribes.
Humans will always seek belonging. So let’s give them better options. Mentorship programs. Creative outlets. Faith communities. Sports. Music. Purpose.
When we offer healthy tribes, we outcompete toxic ones.
Final Thought:
We live in a world where lost hearts are being recruited before they even know who they are. If we want to stop the next fire before it burns through lives, we need to do more than react—we need to reach.
Look closer. Listen longer. Love louder.
Because the tribe they choose tomorrow might depend on the compassion we show today.
Want to help build better tribes in your community? Reach out. Let’s talk. Let’s act. Let’s stop the fire before it starts.
—
Bob Ganzak
MotivationU: Where Fire Meets Focus
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