Booth's Mental health

[L Verge]

"Alcoholism/addiction is a touchy subject and loved ones reasonably want to run from even thinking about it -- unless they have been captured by it, cannot escape, and are forced (as in: have no choice but) to confront it. (Drop in any AlAnon meeting and bring up this concept for an earful.)

"I am not blaming the assassination on drunkenness. Based on all I have read and heard so far, I am thinking Booth was a Confederate operative -- much as operatives around the world today are part of ISIL."

First, I need to clarify that I hold no malice against my father (and never have) because he dealt with his alcoholism without being abusive or spending the family "fortunes." He encouraged me in everything I attempted. Oldtimers on this forum know that I have spoken freely of his problems on several occasions. When I compare what I know about his problems with my thoughts on Booth, I am doing it (I hope) from a neutral standpoint.

Rosieo - as for your assessment of Booth being comparable to ISIL operatives today, I think you are right on target. There was a political and military motive that some of us refuse to take into consideration. Years ago, James O. Hall said that he thought the image of Booth as a "crazy actor" was actually started by Confederates themseves in order to distance themselves from the assassin and make him the sole perpetrator. Sounds logical to me.