Recently, a reader sent the following note to us at ptownu@yahoo.com:
"I seriously believe Mayor Murray has narcissistic personality disorder...she fits the profile-check it out on wikipedia!" Name withheld
Everyone knows that our Mayor has serious mental issues. They don't call her "Hurricane Jane" or "Insane Jane" or "Crazy Jane" for nothing. Ask anyone who works in the City building (except for her office staff, who know it but would never admit it), and they'll tell you..."That woman is crazy!"
Review the facts about "narcissistic personality disorder," also known as "NPD," and see what you think. It seems to fit "MADAM" Mayor to a tee.
"Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a condition in which there is an inflated sense of self-importance and an extreme preoccupation with one's self."
The Mayor herself gave another perfect example of this at a city council meeting on Sep. 13. Jane Murray made the following statement, word for word, when the subject of the computer that Chief Horner needs in the Police Department came up for discussion:
That's right. Our Mayor knows more about the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS)computer for the Police Department than Chief Horner...because SHE "worked with the people who developed the Internet" !!!......at NASA!!! And the level of experts that SHE worked with...why, they were even higher than "Al Gore"!!!"We have a lot of contingency planning to do that has not been done. And I know the safety issues, believe me. You may not think I know this, but I've worked with people who developed the Internet. Those are the level of experts that I've worked with. Now and I'm not talking about Al Gore, I'm talking about people with NASA who worked on this program. So, when I say we have to do it right, I understand."
The symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder can be found on several websites, including those of the Mayo Clinic, the American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization.
Jane Murray's statement that she "knows" about computers because she has supposedly worked with experts from NASA "who developed the internet" illustrates the first listed symptom of NPD perfectly: Jane Murray "has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)."
This is World Health Organization's description of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.
The essential feature of Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (either in fantasy or actual behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy that begins by early adulthood and is present in a variety of situations and environments.
In order for a person to be diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) they must meet five or more of the following symptoms:
- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
- Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
- Rarely acknowledges mistakes and/or imperfections
- Requires excessive admiration
- Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
- Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
- Lacks empathy: is unwilling or unable to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
- Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitude.
We believe the Mayor meets most or all of the World Health Organization's list of symptoms. What do you think?
- Her messiah complex: "It's why I was elected. A lot of people said it. Finally after 30 years someone is willing to stand up to the good old boys network that controlled the city and ran it into the ground." (Portsmouth Daily Times, 8/19/10) Murray believes that Portsmouth has been waiting on HER for 30 years.
- Her "no" vote on A-plant funding: "We don’t do a roll call, but I know as far as the board members that were there, there was one ‘nay’, and I know who the ‘nay’ was,” OVRDC Executive Director John Hemmings told the Portsmouth Daily Times. “It was the Mayor of Portsmouth.” Who else but a narcissist on a power trip would walk into her first OVRDC meeting and bring an anti-nuclear activist along to vote against an issue that would bring a large number of jobs to our area, based on her goofy idea for a "native american culture park"? (Click here for more info.)
- Demands to be referred to as "Madam Mayor Murray". In a release from Wes Elson, staff representative for the state FOP, the union officer said, “From accounts of those present, the Mayor became upset during the meeting, making the comment she would shut city government down and at one point directed the Police Administration to discipline an officer she perceived as being disrespectful when he referred to her as ma’am rather than Madam Mayor.” (Portsmouth Daily Times, 3/15/10.) She believes that she is better than everyone else--even police representatives. (Click here for more info.)
It's OK for Murray to bring her dog to work every day but not for other City employees because she is allowed to. (Click here for more info.)
- Used two underlings to terminate 5 employees because she thought it was beneath her to do the firing herself. (Click here for more info.)
- Demanded a raise in pay at her first city council meeting. (Click here for more info.)
- This headline also speaks for itself.(Click here for more info.)
We could go on and on, but why? The way she has behaved in the first nine months of her term is evidence enough. She may be on her best behavior lately, but if she somehow survives the recall effort against her, the crazy-train will be back to full steam ahead!
- Has a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
- Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
- Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
- Rarely acknowledges mistakes and/or imperfections
- Requires excessive admiration
- Has a sense of entitlement, i.e., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
- Is interpersonally exploitative, i.e., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
- Lacks empathy: is unwilling or unable to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
- Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
- Shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitude.
We believe the Mayor meets most or all of the World Health Organization's list of symptoms. What do you think?
- Her messiah complex: "It's why I was elected. A lot of people said it. Finally after 30 years someone is willing to stand up to the good old boys network that controlled the city and ran it into the ground." (Portsmouth Daily Times, 8/19/10) Murray believes that Portsmouth has been waiting on HER for 30 years.
- Her "no" vote on A-plant funding: "We don’t do a roll call, but I know as far as the board members that were there, there was one ‘nay’, and I know who the ‘nay’ was,” OVRDC Executive Director John Hemmings told the Portsmouth Daily Times. “It was the Mayor of Portsmouth.” Who else but a narcissist on a power trip would walk into her first OVRDC meeting and bring an anti-nuclear activist along to vote against an issue that would bring a large number of jobs to our area, based on her goofy idea for a "native american culture park"? (Click here for more info.)
- Demands to be referred to as "Madam Mayor Murray". In a release from Wes Elson, staff representative for the state FOP, the union officer said, “From accounts of those present, the Mayor became upset during the meeting, making the comment she would shut city government down and at one point directed the Police Administration to discipline an officer she perceived as being disrespectful when he referred to her as ma’am rather than Madam Mayor.” (Portsmouth Daily Times, 3/15/10.) She believes that she is better than everyone else--even police representatives. (Click here for more info.)
It's OK for Murray to bring her dog to work every day but not for other City employees because she is allowed to. (Click here for more info.)
- Used two underlings to terminate 5 employees because she thought it was beneath her to do the firing herself. (Click here for more info.)
- Demanded a raise in pay at her first city council meeting. (Click here for more info.)
- This headline also speaks for itself.(Click here for more info.)
We could go on and on, but why? The way she has behaved in the first nine months of her term is evidence enough. She may be on her best behavior lately, but if she somehow survives the recall effort against her, the crazy-train will be back to full steam ahead!
It's OK for Murray to bring her dog to work every day but not for other City employees because she is allowed to. (Click here for more info.)
I am not a Doctor and, I do not play one on TV, but... just by circumstantial evidence, I think she could be found "guilty" of having this problem. So many of the points of criteria appear to describe her and her way of attempting to fulfill her duty as Mayor. BTW....why is it that the area in the immediate vicinity of her home has had the stripes applied to the road, but out in the main part of town where people are coming and going into Portsmouth are almost impossible to see? I think that is very dangerous. People who are not familiar with the streets cannot tell which lane they need to be in to make a turn, and then end up having to quickly change lanes and could cause a major accident. I think this is a detail she should consider fixing or did she spend the money allocated for this project just in her neighborhood?
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