"Dear Nikolas, "

When John Dillinger was on his crime rampage in the 1930s, certain midwest towns that figured he might pay them a visit (you know, have dinner, rob the bank, leave a bloody trail) would put up billboards on the town limits with messages such as "Hello Dillinger," apparently under the impression that a visit from Public Enemy #1 would be good for the town's economy, especially for those who survived it.

You can't blame the people of the Depression Generation for that; horror shows like Dillinger On Wheels were new to the nation, and once things settled down, with him being shot down by the FBI outside the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, it was no longer fashionable to roll out the red carpet to bloodthirsty thugs like Dillinger.

Today we have a new sort of infamous criminal, named Nikolas Cruz, murderer of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

He is currently cooling his heels at the Broward County Jail, awaiting trial for his spree, and as he awaits his day in court (which should really take, what, an hour, tops) over a hundred pieces of mail are piling up for him.

He cannot receive mail, as he is on suicide watch. He also has no access to media of any sort, so the only way he would find out that people - women, girls, and grown men - are writing to him would be if his lawyers or family tell him.

The letters and cards, so far, all appear to be sympathetic to Cruz. There are cards, and handwritten notes and typed letters.

More than a dozen New Jersey Girl Scouts wrote to say "May God Forgive."

He'd better hope for 17 cases of heavenly mercy, and I know God will offer it. I think it's fine for people to send messages of that sort.

But then...

"I feel sorry for you, as the media represents you without acknowledging what you've been through in the past years."

"Sometimes we don't have control over what happens to us, but we always have absolute control over how we react to it."

I guess this writer forgot about the people in that school building who had no control over what happened to them.

And then...

 "I have freckles like yours."

"I think your (sic) beautiful. Even if you don't write back feel free to ask me anything. Love, (name)"

And there were also suggestive pictures sent from women in various states of dress, one of them showing a woman avidly consuming a popsicle.

Dr. Robi Ludwig, a psychotherapist, says it's possible that some people may be sympathetic to how the image of Cruz as a person with lots of problems. 

"There are some people who are more codependent in terms of mindset that think, 'Oh, this poor soul. I can fix him. I can be important in his life,'" she said.

Or, perhaps these letter writers are desensitized to violence in their own lives, Dr. Ludwig adds.

"They're attracted to the danger. They like somebody who is dangerous. They grew up in violence. They're desensitized to it and, in some cases, it's vicariously thrilling."

I think it's fine if people wish to offer solace to a young man whose future is bleak because of his own doing.

But when people write flirty messages to a killer, do they really know what they're doing?

Do they even care what they're doing?