Politics and Mental Illness; The Arizona Shooting
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Today
To my surprise, the Arizona shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, along with several more victims, by a troubled youth, Jared Loughner, has caused a political stir. I fail to see the political relevance in this situation and being splattered on the news as such. Our news is 1/2 politics and 1/2 crimes, it was inevitable for the two to be inseparable.
It's interesting because I don't remember taking political courses along with my studies for my Psychology degree yet somehow politics has been dragged into an issue of mental illness. This was purely an outcome of an untreated mental illness. If anything could have prevented it, it would have been psychological treatment for this individual.
If everyone is so concerned about social issues such as suicide, shootings, crowded jails, drug and alcohol abuse, and homelessness, then we should look no further than treatment for their mental illnesses. Most of our inmates in jail, homeless individuals, troubled war vets, suicides, and irrational shootings are due to unrecognized and untreated illness.
If we correlate the Arizona incident with politics then we are having the chicken or the egg discussion. I believe the egg- or mental illness- came before the chicken, the mentally ill person and how it's effected them and what actions come from the person being mentally ill.
Yesterday
How many times do we hear the back story and history behind someone who committed suicide or crazy crimes such as the Arizona shooting only to find out those who knew him noticed, but ignored red flags about his behavior? Sounds like the Columbine shooters and the list goes on from there. The signals were going off and people chose to ignore it, hoping it would go away, not knowing what to do, or waiting for someone else (maybe the government) to do something about it.
We didn't do anything yesterday so this is the result today. Guess what folks, nothing changes if you don't do anything about it. I have a rowdy neighbor that everyone else in our neighborhood has voiced their concerns and annoyances about, but nobody does anything so one night I did. I spoke to them, gave them some ultimatums, and since then it's been a quiet neighborhood. I had experience with this though and knew it was a relatively docile situation; knowing this from majoring and working in psychology, but most of all working in bars and graveyard shifts at restaurants with the drunk and rowdy crowds. This neighbor just wanted some attention. I gave it to him and now he feels recognized. Everyone else recognized the late night noise, but no one actually did anything about it.
We have made everything political in order to hand over our rights and lives to the government to make all the changes for us, but it doesn't work that way. The government certainly wasn't going to help me with my neighbor so why would it be any different in a situation where someone notices odd behavior in a young man, but does nothing about it? We have put ourselves in a reactive society rather than a pro-active. It renders us helpless and we're all essentially victims.
Hindsight is 20/20 and we always hear about what could have been done so the only logical solution is not gun control (don't be ridiculous), but to take action/seek help for this person or ignore it and take your chances of these crimes occurring. Nobody knows for sure what is a 10 on the red alert scale or what is a fairly timid situation and will mend itself. That takes training and also a willingness to accept our natural instinct to be prejudice of people and situations that invoke a warning signal within us.
To insist a tragedy such as the Arizona shooting is stemmed from a lack of gun control or other political issues, is to say we have some sort of control over the unpredictability of mental illness. We can't talk about gun control concerning a young man who claimed to be liberal- it doesn't make sense.
Nobody knows when the next big earthquake is going to hit California. We know of the big ones in history, but does that mean everybody will move from there or petition the government to do something about mother nature's effect on California or anywhere else disaster strikes? Let's make mother nature a political issue too. Some things like mental illness and natural disasters are unpredictable.
I can tell you from a scary personal experience of mine when I paid my dad a visit with my newborn daughter. I shut out the light at 10 p.m. in an upscale neighborhood and suddenly heard noises at my dad's door. It was a burglar who did not care if we were home. My dad went to the door where the burglar was still trying to break in despite our lights coming on inside. Through the side glass of the door my dad showed his shotgun and told the burglar he had one and would use it if he didn't back off. The burglar left immediately. Guns can save lives too and nobody should move from areas that are prone to natural disasters, it's all random and the chances we take.
Tomorrow
Mental illness has existed since the beginning of mankind and will no matter what "cures" we find or what programs and laws we adopt. The ugly side of human nature will rear it's ugly head at any given time. We can expect things like this to occur in the future as well. We can prevent them by taking action where we see fit and beyond that it's taking a chance like living in a natural disaster prone area.
I want to note here that a fellow classmate of Jared's had talked with family and friends about him prior to the shooting. She stated she knew there was "something wrong with him", he would ultimately "bring a gun to school", he reminded her of the "Columbine shooters", she was "afraid of him", and knew "his behavior was ticking time bomb". This woman was an ordinary citizen, no special training or schooling to help her identify the mental capacity of anyone, yet she knew this man would act on his delusions. I believe we ARE capable of identifying someone who is mentally ill and may act on their threats or delusions.
Our nation has made speech, debate, and political rhetoric a hobby and an art form. Suddenly everybody knows a thing or two about politics, but the real issue is mental illness. Shoudn't we focus on that topic?
We can learn from the past, possibly from the current Arizona incident as well, and open our eyes to the true issues that confront us today. Not everything needs to be a political issue because political issues are dividing us as a nation and people. We'd be better off to look at the collective societal issue, which is mental illness and the unpredictability of it.
In the future:
- Take action through getting involved in social issues, not necessarily political issues.
- Learn about depression because many severe mental illnesses stem from it. Learn about suicide as well. These will help you identify the warning signs.
- We need to unite as a nation, not divide over politics. Have a community mentality and ignore the need to push your own views and agendas.
- Realize no matter how civilized and educated we become, part of our human nature is prone to mental illness, a disease.
- DON'T ignore your hunches, red flags, and internal warning system.
- Our youth is having issues and focusing on the importance of fitting in. This is a non-political issue that needs to be dealt with, often by parents and educators. Some youth, like Jared, did not feel he fit in and went to a tragic extreme to 'divide us as a nation', as stated by a friend of his.
Is the Arizona shooting a political issue?
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"We have made everything political in order to hand over our rights and lives to the government to make all the changes for us"...so true
tragedies such as this have no business being a platform for political agendas.
It also lends to the media hype we are all so addicted to. I don't watch the news much for these too reasons. I always feel like I'm being manipulated emotionally and politically when I watch it.
You are one of the most thoughtful and well spoken people I have ever had the good fortune to become acquainted with. Your "outside the box" point of view on this topic is absolutely superb. Keep up the good fight!
Great Hub Laura. The difficult part of mental illness is admitting it exists, especially when it involves a friend or loved one. The stigma attached to mental illness is mostly negative, but today there are medications and treatment that can help. Most of us have acquaintances or neighbors that are possibly borderline insane, but we brush them off as harmless kooks. We would all be reluctant to report them for fear of what effect it may have on the remainder of their lives, and fear of reprisal. On top of that, I'm not certain what the clear definition of normal really is. I'm convinced we all have our personal quirks that someone else may view as being insanity. If I knew one of these individuals who was constantly spouting hate and talking about killing another individual, I would most likely take action. I'm not certain, but don't believe our current laws make this an easy process. And to a high degree, law enforcement is very limited in what they can do until a crime has been committed.
Perhaps some public education on the process involved in dealing with this type situation would be a great help. I would hate to think that anytime someone became angry with you they could report you as being insane just to get even.
This is a very delicate issue and I'm glad you addressed it in your hub.
Izet, I agree all the way with you. We should pay more attention to people who show the symptoms of mental illness. This is most of the time already noticeable at a young age. If not treated, the fruit we will eventually reap will surely be bitter. Take care.
ahorseback~ it doesn't matter the IQ, our beliefs are so ingrained in us and many only seek more info and news that reaffirms their beliefs instead of lending a non-bias view. Thanks so much for your comment.
tamarajo~ I love your comment. Tragedies such as this have no business being a political platform. Exactly. I'm with you on the news. I watch very little usually inadvertantly bcause my husband has it on sometimes. It's so easy to get into the mindwarp of the news.
maggiesouth~ wow what a compliment! I thank you so much for that.
I will reiterate ahorseback hear-hear!! Kudos to you! Speak it proud, speak it loud. It's time we take a look in our own neighborhoods and WE THE PEOPLE do something, rather than leave it up to the Gov't who will speak it/vote it to death. In either case, nothing will get done.
You have a voice, keep using it!! Excellent Hub!
sweetsusieg~ thanks Susie. With some things people are limited to what they can do, but it doesn't hurt to make the effort. I definitely agree about nothing getting done if we leave it to the government. That's a forever process.
Martie~ There needs to be more public awareness about mental illness, but you'd think we live in the 1920's and the thought of speaking about mental illness is just swept under the rug. Every time a story comes out, like the Arizona shooting, I pay attention to the first thing people start blaming because that usually isn't the issue. You bring up a good point about mentall illness showing symptoms when these people ar kids or teens.
Poolman~ I know you're the guy to speak action to and you have me thinking about something on making the public more aware about mental illness. There is so much stigma assoicated with it and it needs to change. As far as action, awareness is a good start and you are right about the laws and police not really able to do enough to prevent something- they are the guys for when something actually happens. I hate that limitation. I spoke in the hub about my noisy neighbor and people had called police on him but police can't do much so it took action from us, well, me. It's scary but citizens sometimes have to take the law into their own hands. You've got me thinking more on this...
Laura;
Funny how the experience of dealing with besotted sociopaths, the semi-insane and marginally miscreant bar patrons can make one an expert in sizing up people exhibiting odd or erratic behavior...separating the fruits from the nuts as it were!
I was a bartender/manager and cooler for 8 years, and I can relate.
I admire your pragmatic point of view concerning the disturbing events in Arizona. Although the political rhetoric has gotten out of hand in America, the irrational actions of a deranged individual should not used by the spin doctors to further their party's agendas.
You exhibit a daring willingness to confront contentious subjects and, as usual, you see them with a clear and analytical eye.
CP
Thank you for this thought provoking article.
Im not Pro or Anti guns i grew up with them and respect them ... I am however dismayed by a law that only applies to the law abiding citizens making them easier target's by not allowing them to defend themselves ... all guns should be strictly registered and checked each year anyone who has a unregistered gun should be convicted and sentenced as a murderer because they should not have one if there thoughts are strictly legal
Love your writing izettl great topics and thought promoting
Thanks CP~ I joke and say that bartending and waitressing was a great primer for getting my Psych degree. In fact, I think it's hands-on experience and the Psych courses are just the theory aspect of understanding people. If you were and bartender and manager you certainly have experience with reading and dealing with people. It is increasingly hard to have discussions about random topics without politics being involved or mentioned because some people are basing their point of views on, and letting it influence their point of views, about every topic. Let's just look at the topic itself and the raw data without forming an opinion about it right away. It's hard to do.
Thanks Tom!
MrAhSea~ I always figure a deranged individual will do whatever they can to get guns if they want or find another way to carry out a their plans or acts of violence, even home made bombs. Most gun violence is by guns that were stolen. I agree about your comment on unregistered guns- very good point. Thanks for the comment.
I have worked in the mental health field for a long time. I agree that we need to deal with the mentally ill differently than we have been. We cannot just hand a person with a mental illness a bucket full of pills and say go home and take them and you will feel better. We stopped locking up mentally ill and expected them to treat themselves. It doesn't work. They feel better and stop taking their meds. They need monitoring weekly by professionals. But we don't do that. We don't have the resources to do that. What is the answer?
As far as politics being involved. Well, I must agree that what one person says or does CAN influence another persons actions. And if a bunch of well known people are standing up and saying things like-kill the bad guys- then I can see how a mentally unbalanced individual just might go kill someone he/she perceives to be a bad guy
What the politicians are saying is not make more laws, but step back and quiet down, and they are saying it to themselves as much as anyone else.
And gun control. Well, even advocates say that a clip with 20 bullets for a handgun is used only for killing human beings. That I would agree with and think that we need to eliminate those types of things. No one is saying that we should burn all guns. A very thoughtful hub, thank you
I appreciate your "balanced" article. Guns do not kill people: people kill people. Gun clips do not kill people...
This was another brilliant, insightful article. Your pointed observations about people's lack of actions made me wonder: why don't we do anything? Kitty Genevise comes to mind, so maybe that has some similarity in that everyone is just waiting for someone else to deal with the problem? Also, in the pc, litigistic society, it's hard not to wonder if helping means stepping on someone's toes, especially if you're uncertain if your help will actually help. But ignoring the situation doesn't seem to be doing much good either. I still remember reading one story where a woman found out her neighbor committed suicide and after that, she resolved that she would never let a situation like that happen again in her neighborhood. So she reached out and befriend the new neighbor and was a friend to her. Simple story, but maybe that's part of the answer. Mother Theresa once said lonliness was the new leprosy today and I can't help but agree. Thanks for the article!
Beege215e~ very thoughtful comment and I agree with you on a lot of your points, even about the guns. I have a chronic illness and I go to the doctors often and I keep thinking about a statistic I heard about how doctors kill so many more people than guns. Guns are one of those things, like cars, should be given to the responsible, but often the irresponsible give the responsible a bad name. I've got mixed feelings about all that.
You are completely right about the mental health situation. I saw a news report about how mentally ill people were doing thing to try and get back in jail so they cantake their meds. Sadly, many of them are addicts outside of jail because they can't get proper meds. And even more, don't need meds, but just some help with coping.
dallas93444~Thanks for the nice comment.
Elefanza~ I love the examples you gave- so true! I think people don't help because they think someone else will and sometimes helping gets themselves in trouble. ALso, there is a lot of general public awareness about mental illness and recognizing signs, etc, and what to do. Thanks for stopping by and adding to the conversation.Always nice to see you.
I have myself been interested in this Arizona shooting and how people will turn it into a political issue about which guns to ban or not now. When it is so very clear, it's all about the fact that somebody with such a bad problem wasn't getting the help they needed. So glad to see here another person who agrees with me on this topic. A.B.
This is largely a mental health issue and I agree with your points here. I'm not sure if people will know which mentally ill folks will act on their thoughts or threats.
amybradley~ I didn't even see this as a political issue when I first heard about it, then upon watching the news and features on it, I saw how it was being portrayed. Some are discussing the mental illness aspect of it and I think that's what the focus needs to be on.
Char~ thanks for the comment and it is tough to know which will act on their threats, but with the Arizona shooter there was a fellow classmate of his who had talked about him to friends and family prior to the shooting, stating he would likely bring a gun to school and do something crazy, also said he reminded her of the columbine shooters. If this regualr citizen can identify a mentally ill person ready to act, then most of can too.
Thank you for presenting the voice of reason. I agree with you. Shame on some people for trying to make this a political issue. Why? To stifle free speech, of course. The ghost of Karl Marx is still with us.
** We have made everything political in order to hand over our rights and lives to the government to make all the changes for us **
Be sure not to include me in that WE part. I have a voice and I know how to use it. I vote, and I always read and research those amendments that appear on our ballots, long before going to the polls to cast my vote. And I call my congressman, and I discuss them with friends and family, since too often their heads are in the sand.
My opinion - it’s Media hype, and the desire of politicians to be in the spotlight, a dangerous combination.
Don't forget, that damn sheriff is the one who could've done something about the kid, didn't, and then started the political crap.
He also does not inforce laws on illegal immigrants, while people are being killed.
James W.~ great to see you here. First it was about politics and now finally more people are talking about the mental illness aspect, but I hate the way politics can be woven into a tragedy of any kind.
zellio~ haven't seen you in a while! I didn't know all that about the sheriff- not surprising though. That's so frustrating. Thanks for leaving a comment.
nflagator~ thank you for being a responsioble voter and researching the issues and your rights. Your last sentence on your comment speaks volumes of truth!
Excellent, well-written hub. I had hoped the shooting would bring some attention to the plight of the mentally ill. The lack of regard for those who suffer from mental illness is a national disgrace.
izetti
Some of what you have classified as mental illness is just plain old human nature. Some forms of conduct go outside of a the social barriers but many are just the animal part of humans.
My point is that mental illness is not always the same as people escaping the bounds set by society. True mental illness may or may not exceed the barriers of society. Some forms of mental illness are harmless to other people.
mental illness used as a term to trace illegal acts is a legal term and not one of actions.
This may have been off point for your hub in which case please ignore this comment.
Fay Paxton~ People focus more on the unrest in other nations compared to issues in our own country such as homelessness and mental illness- you won't find that a featured issue on the news. I think two things we disregard are related, homelessness and mental illness.Thanks for adding to the discussion.
OpinionDuck~ As I stated in the hub, an ordinary citizen can recognize strange behavior or normal human nature compared to out of the ordinary, like those around Jared noticed. Problem lies in what are threats and behavior to be ignored and what is a disaster waiting to happen.
All mental illnesses are harmful- ask friends and espceially family members of someone with even a minor mentall illness such as depression- it can drive a sane person nuts being around it. I know this. Also, my father who had a mental illness, was the focus of our family. It took mine and my mom's every effort to keep secrets from society and keep him funcitoning to go to work, etc. What you see is not what you get when it comes to mental illness. Sure, mentally ill people are going to work, having relationships, etc, but the damage done may not be reported on the news or turn into a public tragedy, but let it be known that there are people suffering around that person, regardless.
Izetti
My point is that not all behavior problems are mental illness, much of it is just human nature.
Of course I don't know what is your definition of mental illness. For example, even if a person kills someone in cold blood they are not necessarily mentally ill.
OpinionDuck~ well let's stick to the definitions and guidelines of mental illness in the DSM: if the behavior fits into the pre-defined categories, then it's a mental illness. If it effects important aspects of their life and lasts longer than 3-6 months. There will always be fuzzy boundaries of course- I get your point.
In the Arizona case, this man absolutely had a mental illness, almost borderline Schizophrenia and it went untreated. My real issue is when people ignore strange behavior and know something is wrong. If you look into many of these cases of shootings and tragedies, the people responsible had a mental illness. If someone kills someone in cold blood, something is wrong. Killing is not a symptom or diagnostic criteria of mental illness. If you look closer, the person may have other issues, undetected that would lead them to kill. Serial killers suffer from mental illness, but some are able to funciton in society, and why? Because people ignore those little "human nature" behaviors. Serial killers are often preoccupied by killing someone- so that is a diagnostic criteria.
Also, we can tell this from sending "normal" men to go into war and they come back a mental mess- most with PTSD and other issues. A lot of our homeless are war Vets too.On a whole, we underdiagnose mental illness or choose to ignore it.
I completely agree with this article. We're always so shocked when tragedy happens but never willing to listen to common-sense ways in which it could've been prevented.
mjfarns~ its called intuition (or common sense) and nobody ever listens to it or takes it seriously. Thanks for stopping by.
izetti on a personal and professional front I would like to thank-you for your well written and thought provoking article. I have always maintain very strong personal political belief but mental health issues and politics are two very differnt issues one is social and biggie for me as well the other is socially based as in "we the People" but differnt ball game entirely. I am new to this forum and still blindly wandering aound here but format wise i.e the poll eyc. I loved everything about how you set up this hub. I'm not rich by any definition (but I am wordy huh lol) but this hub.com site is more educational tham financial for me at this time. I want to thank you for a well written hub it will hopefully help me with some of my more glaring editorial errors I'm recently getting err smacked with ty voted up and awesome
ahorseback Level 7 Commenter 16 months ago
Here , here...! Excellent posting. will we ever get it through our heads, I am amazed ; reading the forums of fairly bright people and the complete lack of maturity and social I.Q. ,Blame is the new game. I can't wait until maturity kicks in ! But , I dont see it in our future.