From National Tragedy to National Disgrace

On Saturday, January 8, horror struck America again.

For reasons not yet known, a gunman opened fire in a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, Arizona. Brave citizens wrestled the gunman down, but not before six people were killed, including a Federal judge and a 9 year old girl.  13 people were wounded, including U.S. Congressman Gabrielle Giffords who remains in critical condition.

Initial reports indicate that the suspect, 22 year old Jared Lee Loughner, specifically targeted Giffords, a Democrat. While no clear motive has been publicly released, Sheriff Clarence Dupnik was quick with his his suspicions. Media outlets such as National Public Radio passed them on:

There is reason to believe, he said, that the shooting suspect "may have a mental issue," adding that people like that "are especially susceptible to vitriol."

NPR: "'Vitriol' Cited As Possible Factor In Arizona Tragedy"

In one sentence, Dupnik managed to turn a national tragedy into a national disgrace. The slain and wounded were made subservient to the political agenda of the sheriff. There was a crisis to be exploited, and he pounced. Sorry mourning families, the political monster must be fed.

Not only was this an instance of brazen political opportunism,  it was a despicable exploitation of the mentally ill.

In essence, what Dupnik was saying is this: 'The mentally ill are out there waiting for any excuse to fly into murderous rampages. We know that Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity incite people to violence. So if you don't want crazy people mowing your families down, you need to shut them up!'

As a man who has mental illness -including psychotic breaks- I profusely object to Dupnik's own vitriolic rant and its implications.

There are millions of us out there who have some form of mental illness. Depending upon the study, anywhere from 1/10^th to 1/4^th of Americans have a condition that shows up in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. As for me, I have Bipolar Disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, hallucinations, and a whole laundry list of quirks that are annoying and sometimes pretty funny.

Yes, some mental illnesses may have 'triggers'. But don't buy into the ignorance displayed by Sheriff Dupnik. Some patients might be set off by 'vitrol' as Dupnik declared. But each situation is unique. There is no universal 'trigger' as Dupnik would imply.

The sheriff's flippant remarks only feed common stereotypes.  Yes, the mentally ill can become violent.  However it is usually the patient harming himself or herself when 'triggered'. Only a very small percentage of those with mental illness commit violence against others. Suicide rates for bipolar patients and schizophrenics reach about 15%. Self inflicted injury rates that don't result in death are much higher, and occur so frequently that accurate measurement is not possible.

While there is no universal trigger to mental illness, there is one common factor: 100% of mentally ill people are made in the image of God.  Therefore, we are entitled to the same respect and basic courtesy due to all humans. We are not pawns in some sick political game.  Shame on Sheriff Dupnik for allowing us to be used as such!

As a nation, we must mourn the senseless deaths, pray for the injured, and make sure the guilty are brought to justice. What we should not do is allow a national tragedy become a national disgrace as the Sheriff is doing.