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Why are we attacking the metally ill?
Every place I turn there is talk of locking up all the mentally ill. Disarming them all and in general infringing on their rights.
Less then 5% of the mentally commit any type of violent crime. You will find higher violent crime rates based on ethnicity then you will on the mentally ill. These constant attacks on the mentally are not only wrong they are reminiscent of some very brutal dictators.
It's pure ignorance on Americas part. There are millions of people in America living with varying degrees of mental illness ranging from mild depression, OCD, panic/anxiety disorders to more extreme things. Most are fairly harmless.
I personally can't own a gun because of depression and being OCD. I've never harmed anyone I've never been arrested for a bar fight or any type of violent crime. Yet I can't own a gun to go out to the range with my friends family which has become rather popular.
How in the world do you justify this? I know you'll say the Theater shooting or something. But as I said less then 5% commit ANY type of violent crime and even few commit homicides.. So how do you justify this?
I should add that banning the mentally ill from owning guns. Attacking them and taking away their rights make those who are in need of treatment avoid it entirely. So now you've created an even more dangerous environment a mentally ill person avoiding treatment with a gun. Smart move real smart.
3 Answers
- Anonymous8 years agoFavorite Answer
The mentally ill have been victims of our society for a long time, this isn't new. I don't agree with limiting the rights of the mentally ill but I can see where it stems from. In the past those with mental illness were seen as being possessed by demons, later on they were locked up in horrible conditions and the public could come and see them - for a fee of course- as a form of entertainment. The mentally ill were (and are) treated as a separate group from the larger society. It's easy to rationalize harmful actions on others if they don't belong to your group.They're different from us. They don't think/feel/hurt like us etc. etc.
If I had to justify why you couldn't have a gun I would use the excuse that you might us it to harm yourself( b/c you have depression). This is stupid though, b/c if you or anyone else wanted to kill themselves you wouldn't need a gun to do it.
I know several people with mental illnesses and they will never talk about their illness unless forced to. There is a sort of shame in having one. If mental illnesses were talked about openly, the shame in having one would decrees and mental illness could become accepted by society instead of being shunned by it. Just eliminate the "Us vs Them" mentality and this issue could be fixed; easier said then done though.
