As I write this (last Friday for those of you reading it on the day it posts), I'm following reports on Twitter about a shooting in mid-town Manhattan. Where people I know work. Where I've happily taken my children and actually thought about doing so today. World, I'm getting really sick of hearing about mass shootings.
I don't want to get into a fight about gun control, World. Sure, if there was a sharp shooter in mid-town or in the Aurora movie theater or in wherever the next shooting happens, s/he may be able to take out the killer if s/he happens to have a loaded gun on his or her person, the killer is not wearing protective clothing and the sharp shooter gets a clear shot when people are running around freaking out, then a concealed weapon permit would have saved lives. Sure, there's nothing wrong with hunting or target shooting as sports and/or ways to get meat, though I fail how to see 100 round magazines and Uzis are sportsmanlike. And sure, guns don't walk out the door and start shooting by themselves.
That's the part I want to talk to you about, World. People using guns to kill people. Surely we can agree that all these killers are profoundly mentally ill? I'm not saying that they're not responsible for their actions or don't deserve to be severely punished, I'm just saying that they've got big mental health issues. Can we all agree on that? Okay? Okay.
World, nobody just wakes up one day so mentally ill that s/he thinks a shooting spree is a good idea. Which means instead of spending all this time and energy on what wrong AFTER a person loses it and pretends life is a video game, maybe we should pay attention to what's going on with people before they lose it?
Aren't we all supposed to be smarter than this guy?
Like maybe mental health care could be more affordable and accessible? And maybe we could see it like we see any other trip to the doctor? Do you think people who get cancer treatments are weak? Or people who use antibiotics? No? Then why is there a stigma when people take care of their mental health? If you don't expect people to overcome cancer through sheer force of will, why would you expect people to overcome anxiety or PTSD or bipolar disorder or addiction* that way?
We keep talking to our kids about bullying and its effects. Which is great. But maybe we should realize that adults do it too, yet we have no teachers or parents exhorting us to stop. Or, if we're not bullying actively, we're ignoring the neighbor who is quiet or weird or whatever. We look the other way when someone near us is in pain, unless that someone belongs to our family or church or other kind of tribe.
World, this whole tribal thing? It's not working. Dehumanizing people who are different, who we consider "other", that's what opens the door for mass killings. We are all human, no matter what our belief system. We all hurt, we all grieve, we all have dreams. All of us. Even the person who is so broken that he starts shooting in the street. Why can't we all remember that?
With love,
Jen
*I am in no way diagnosing these killers with these disorders, nor saying that all people with these disorders will become evil without treatment. Got it?
6 comments:
Word.
Another big problem is getting help for people who don't want it or can't see that they need help.
Another big problem is getting help for people who don't want it or can't see that they need help.
Okay, those last two paragraphs? YES. YES!!!
And I have just have to tell you, you are so inspiring to me. You write, pretty much every day and it's good and thoughtful. You're one of my favorite blogs to read, because you make me feel like writing. I love you for that.
LucidLotus - Thanks.
Soapbox Girl - Absolutely. That's definitely where the territory gets gray.
Leslie - Thank you so much! I've been trying to re-commit to blogging and yours was one of the blogs that inspired me to re-commit!
If you're wondering about my multiple comments, I'm catching up on my reading over fishie crackers, cheddar cheese (fine cheddar cheese I might add) and juicy summer apples. I missed lunch, whoops!
What you say right here is exactly bang on the money. Forget the long protracted and oft confusing -- for a western Canadian anyway -- arguments for/against guns, like you said. Treatment must be available for any illness, regardless of what that illness may be. Anything less is bizarre.
Okay. Just agreeing with you here. I love your writing too.
and ps. to Soapbox Girl: Amen to that. Sorry if you are going through that with someone close to you and #$&*(#$^.
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