"The Jared Lee Loughner case brings out the usual abuse"

[Kurovski]

'Psycho killer'? The Jared Lee Loughner case brings out the usual abuse.

Sadly, many have resorted to language about 'crazed shooters'. Demonising mental illness in this way helps no one. --by SE Smith GuardianUK


...While speculating about the mental health status of the shooter, people also reinforced social attitudes about violence and mental illness, asserting that violence is an expression of mental illness and that mental illness makes people violent. The belief that mentally ill people are a danger to others persists – despite the fact that mentally ill people are actually 11 times more likely than the general population to be victims of violence, according to a Northwestern University study. People with "severe mental illness" are responsible for an estimated one in 20 violent crimes, a rate much lower than the general population usually supposes

**clip**

...the attribution of violent crime to mentally ill "outliers" makes it difficult to hold people accountable for inflammatory rhetoric and political activities. Politicians, commentator, and others who issue incitements to violence can fall back on the claim that "only mentally ill people" would take their suggestions seriously, and "no sane person" would commit such acts. This allows them to evade responsibility for their actions; and it is clear that many are well aware of this and exploit attitudes about mental illness to avoid accountability.

**clip**

Furthermore, focusing on mental illness and ignoring social factors occludes a very real and important conversation about access to treatment and services for mentally ill people. If mental illness was a factor here, we must ask how the alleged shooter was failed by society, to bring him to the point where he thought taking a gun to a public event was the only way to express himself.

Read the rest here...


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/jan/10/jared-lee-loughner-gabrielle-giffords

[Cirque du So-What]

1. In my opinion

'demonising mental illness' is inappropriate, but when the person is acting out like a fucking demon, they need to be provided appropriate care - not allowed to endanger themselves or other people as happens all too frequently in our society. This is the legacy of St. Ronnie, and I find it ironic that his would-be assassin avoided life in prison due to an insanity plea.

[DCKit]

2. The RW would also have us believe he developed his views in a vacuum.

That sucking sound you hear is your brain on Fox News.

[Kurovski]

3. I didn't get the whole headline in there.

Dang it.