Mental Illness And Violence by La Belle Rouge Poetess Of The Heart
Rated "PG" by the Author.
Last
edited: Thursday, March 20, 2008
Posted: Saturday, April 21, 2007
Should we hate a mentally ill person for doing what mentally ill people do??
Who's to blame for the violence that happened at VA Tech? Certainly it was the gunman who acted as a self appointed executioner but he was obviously mentally ill. It was apparent to those around him for a long time. He was treated for mental disorder on an out patient basis in the past. Someone who is mentally ill is NOT in their right mind. Can we totally denouce such a sick person when they had little control of their sick mind. Why was he released into society when the health records stated that he was a danger to himself and possibly others? Why was he allowed to continue in school when he was showing signs of mental illness? And why on God's earth was he able to buy weapons. It's time to reform some of the gun laws. Virginia does not barr someone who has been mentally ill from purchasing a gun if they have not been institutionalized. This makes no sense at all and now the commonwealth has paid for such poor laws with the lives of some of it's finest young citizens. Let's be realisitic, instead of hatred for a sick man who needed to be stopped before he got to the point of murder and suicide. Doesn't some of the blame lie on those who realized he was not "Normal" yet did nothing to deter his actions if he should go over the edge of sanity. What about the lawmakers and the gun dealers? I find it very disturbing when a psychotic is cursed by so many for doing what pshycotic sociopaths do! We need better screening methods in our colleges to find these people, get them help or put them where they are not a danger to themselves and others. What good is it doing nows to denounce and curse this young man when he obviously slipped through the cracks that should have stopped him before he acted on his mental instability. No one chooses to be deranged and mentally defective, it's a sickness that often ends in tragedy if ignored and untreated.
Very few mentally ill people become violent. Most mental illnesses are manageable. To state that ALL mentally ill people have a propensity toward violence is an injustice and fans the flames of ignorance and stereotypes, and puts an undeserved label on chemically imbalanced human beings who just want to be understood.
It's a difficult call: we must provide these people the help they desperately need, but at what cost? To risk of them killing again or hurting someone so bad they're disabled for life? Sad how some people are...A revealing, thought provoking article you have penned here, LaBelle; very well done!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :(
I have a hard time trying to forgive people who intentionally kill or maim, but as a Christian, I must do this. It's hard though...all I can do is pray for them, pray that God changes their hearts before it is too late...
Reviewed by Ron (sketchman) Axelson (Reader)
Reviewed on April 21, 2007
He should've never been let out into society for sure
Seems our system works backwards on guns and
the mentally ill.
To hate the mentally ill, no, but I hate what he did
to the innocent just trying to get on with their lives.
Reviewed by Judy Lloyd (Reader)
Reviewed on April 21, 2007
La Belle the HEPO act is one reason. This meant that not even his parents could get the records of his mental treatment. He was eighteen and had to give consent. New gun control laws will have no effect. Had this law not been in effect then the judge's ruling would have been made known to the gun shop owner. He also purchased a gun from the Internet. I disagree with people selling guns at yard sales and flea markets.
There were professors that knew he had problems and yet even though they complained they were ignored. It is equally wrong to condemn a gun shop owner for not having the information but it is the law. It is that law that should be overturned. Virginia Tech is a school of technology and this young man mailed bomb threats to the school. He had the means of using common household products to build a bomb equal to the Oklahoma bombing that would have leveled the building. It is easy for us to say that they should have done more and I agree but you have to realize that maybe now they will have security in every building. I do not hate the man but do not expect love and laughter from the parents of the slain. However Virginia Tech will prevail as Nikki Giovanni a poet herself said. These students will continue to achieve their goals in medicine, evironmental issues, technology and that to me is the greatest way to overcome the evil that befell them all. Do you remember the song When You Walk Through A Storm.
Hi Belle - my thoughts having read your article are simple - i totally agree with your sentiments expressed - an old poem written is about the arms of society, how these arms should be wide open to catch the 'psychotic' falling, when what usually happens is the arms turn into many hands pointing fingers at the 'offender', passing judgement instead....scapegoating is so much easier isn't it, than fixing up either ones own house, or improving the community in which one lives. The individual often feels unimpowered, the 'i can't change the world' mentality, when all it takes is the effort to change oneself, and spend some energy (= time/money) out there in the world outside ones doorstep, helping to improve the conditions and lives of others that we find there - generally though, society and bad laws take way too long changing, and as the most disasterous acts don't need as much time planning, there will always be such things...increasingly...we wait for similar in England, and in the meantime we have tried to take the gun out of the hand of the student, in all the ways one does that....but the kids are more often armed these days, can get guns etc even with tight gun laws, so it will happen there too i think - thank you for your article - it reminded me of many things, cheers Belle :o) Nicky x
While Debtors prisons no longer exist, many people continue to be persecuted for crimes related to poverty or inability to repay money owed to municipalities. This practice remains in an injustice that needs to be rectified.
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :(
I have a hard time trying to forgive people who intentionally kill or maim, but as a Christian, I must do this. It's hard though...all I can do is pray for them, pray that God changes their hearts before it is too late...
Seems our system works backwards on guns and
the mentally ill.
To hate the mentally ill, no, but I hate what he did
to the innocent just trying to get on with their lives.
There were professors that knew he had problems and yet even though they complained they were ignored. It is equally wrong to condemn a gun shop owner for not having the information but it is the law. It is that law that should be overturned. Virginia Tech is a school of technology and this young man mailed bomb threats to the school. He had the means of using common household products to build a bomb equal to the Oklahoma bombing that would have leveled the building. It is easy for us to say that they should have done more and I agree but you have to realize that maybe now they will have security in every building. I do not hate the man but do not expect love and laughter from the parents of the slain. However Virginia Tech will prevail as Nikki Giovanni a poet herself said. These students will continue to achieve their goals in medicine, evironmental issues, technology and that to me is the greatest way to overcome the evil that befell them all. Do you remember the song When You Walk Through A Storm.
Love Tinka