Mike's Musings: The Terrible Events in Aurora
By now, most of the world has learned of the terrible events in Aurora, Colorado. At a midnight showing of the summer's most anticipated film, "The Dark Knight Rises," 12 people were gunned down and 58 people were wounded. It was a horrible and completely senseless crime.
Media pundits on both sides of the fence are going to cry out about gun control. I agree that gun control is an issue that needs to be talked about (allowing guns on college campuses to allow potential victims to fight back against a shooter? Is everyone high?). But far more pressing is the need for discussion about mental health.
Anyone who thinks that the alleged shooter was in a clear mental state is either naiive or deluding themselves. No sane person would do something like this. While one might wonder why, the bottom line is that he needed medical treatment in order to prevent this from happening.
One thing that would help is to create discussion. Mental illness is something that isn't talked about, or at least not enough. The military won't let anyone who is taking medicine for even depression or ADD to enlist. They also have a culture where seeking mental help is a sign of weakness and can lead to being passed over for promotion. This is leading to a rash of suicides by veterans (last study was that there were numerous veterans attempting daily with at least one of those successful), and one person in the military was said that they should "get over it."
I am constantly telling people to watch "The War Zone." It's a nearly unbearably disturbing and sad film, but it highlights an issue, like mental illness, that needs to be talked about. I think what Jerry Sandusky did was evil and he deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life (and the people who covered up his crimes deserve the same), but studies have repeatedly shown that most child molesters were molested as children themselves. True, shame and fear keeps most victims silent (to the extent that statistics about incest are completely useless), but it will at least get everyone talking.
People think people who seek mental help are "crazy" or "weird." How often do you see a movie where a person who sees a shrink is not a nutcase? Other than "Prime," I can't think of any. There are many people who take medication for mild or even serious medical disorders, and chances are you wouldn't know it.
Education is so important about a lot of things. Mental illness is not something that a person can "get over." Like addicts, they need help and medication to be a fully functioning member of society. With lack of funding and a broken health care system, people who should be getting serious mental help are being tossed aside. Add to the "head in the sand" mentality about mental illness, and events like this will keep happening.
Forget gun control. We need to talk about mental illness.
Media pundits on both sides of the fence are going to cry out about gun control. I agree that gun control is an issue that needs to be talked about (allowing guns on college campuses to allow potential victims to fight back against a shooter? Is everyone high?). But far more pressing is the need for discussion about mental health.
Anyone who thinks that the alleged shooter was in a clear mental state is either naiive or deluding themselves. No sane person would do something like this. While one might wonder why, the bottom line is that he needed medical treatment in order to prevent this from happening.
One thing that would help is to create discussion. Mental illness is something that isn't talked about, or at least not enough. The military won't let anyone who is taking medicine for even depression or ADD to enlist. They also have a culture where seeking mental help is a sign of weakness and can lead to being passed over for promotion. This is leading to a rash of suicides by veterans (last study was that there were numerous veterans attempting daily with at least one of those successful), and one person in the military was said that they should "get over it."
I am constantly telling people to watch "The War Zone." It's a nearly unbearably disturbing and sad film, but it highlights an issue, like mental illness, that needs to be talked about. I think what Jerry Sandusky did was evil and he deserves to rot in prison for the rest of his life (and the people who covered up his crimes deserve the same), but studies have repeatedly shown that most child molesters were molested as children themselves. True, shame and fear keeps most victims silent (to the extent that statistics about incest are completely useless), but it will at least get everyone talking.
People think people who seek mental help are "crazy" or "weird." How often do you see a movie where a person who sees a shrink is not a nutcase? Other than "Prime," I can't think of any. There are many people who take medication for mild or even serious medical disorders, and chances are you wouldn't know it.
Education is so important about a lot of things. Mental illness is not something that a person can "get over." Like addicts, they need help and medication to be a fully functioning member of society. With lack of funding and a broken health care system, people who should be getting serious mental help are being tossed aside. Add to the "head in the sand" mentality about mental illness, and events like this will keep happening.
Forget gun control. We need to talk about mental illness.
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