33 Dead at Virginia Tech. It’s with great sadness that I write about such a horrific event. On the news and radio everyone is discussing the ever pervasive question- What can be done? Well, first of all most states have laws that ban guns on campuses. But obviously that didn’t stop this 23 year old from legally obtaining one handgun and one semi-
automatic. And of course, these guns are our right to hunt deer and such…. yeah, right.
When I think of the high amount of Americans right now on some kind of medication for whatever, and you mix an emotionally unstable society with some loaded guns, and naturally I would expect some explosions to happen rather frequently. But wait, look closely---very closely… and you will see a common thread. It’s hidden and quiet beneath all of the media blabber. Do you know what it is? Give up? Well, I found it.
Each and every incident (including this one)--- someone knew that this person was highly unstable, dangerous, and needed help. Each and every instance no one took a stance to get the person help and follow through to see that they got the help they need. Students, teachers, priests, and all of us failed to help out a fellow human being shouting out for help. When someone is in physical pain, we rush to their side to give CPR, call the ambulance and alert the family. But when someone is in mental pain, we look away, hope that they will get help, tell no one, because of course, it’s none of our business. And just wish that they would get it together someday. Well, it’s time that we learn to recognize mental illness for what it is – a physical disability that needs help. It is all of our business to speak up and get these people the help that they need and our government, schools, and churches no longer can stick their heads in the sand and pretend that the growing number of children and adults in this country with mental illness will stay silent and go away. It will not go away and it is worsening. During any one-year period, up to 50 million Americans -- more than 22 percent -suffer from a clearly diagnosable mental disorder involving a degree of incapacity that interferes with employment, attendance at school or daily life. And suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24.
Emotional and mental disorders can be treated or controlled, but only one in five people who have these disorders seek help, and only four to 15 percent of the children suffering severe mental illnesses receive appropriate treatment. This unfortunate reality is further complicated by the fact that most health insurance policies provide limited mental health and substance abuse coverage, if any at all. But that shouldn’t stop you from speaking up.
If the teachers and the students had gotten this boy the help he needed, maybe this wouldn’t have happened and maybe more shootings will be averted. Silence can kill.
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Okay-okay- I got the message from you all to change the name of my blog since it has all these negative connotations because of the tv show LOST having the bad guys in the dharma initiative.
I am now officially fromfern.com. You don’t have to do anything. My web host will forward all to you. Thanks for the feedback. –From Fern