Imagine a child so fearful that news of school shootings would someday be something more, his reality... that he and a friend decide just in case, to comprise wills. They considered family and friends as they recorded final instructions and words of endearment in the event a school shooter were to ever take their lives...
How do we fix this? What needs to change?
People ARE talking, in fact, A LOT of people are talking...but they're talking about changing gun laws.
NOT NEARLY as many people are talking about mental illness, affordable insurance OR more accessible mental health centers/medications.
ALL of the above heavily influence the massacres in our country that are growing more frequent than anywhere in the world as we wait to take action.
They call the Parkland school shooter a "mentally unstable monster" yet no one implies MENTAL ILLNESS is actually the monster!!??
Taking the guns away WON'T FIX THIS. Jailing mentally ill offenders WILL NOT CHANGE THEM. People with uncontrolled mental illnesses will still hurt people and themselves.
Saving mentally ill people from the "monster" inside will change things...from school shootings, murder, road rage, addiction, domestic violence and so many other things that happen in THE FACE OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
"TWO MILLION people with mental illness are booked into jails each year...If individuals do come to the attention of law enforcement, communities should create options to divert them to treatment and services—before arrest", suggests the National Alliance for Mental Health. Unfortunately though, this is a far cry from how these situations are actually addressed. Had authorities followed this path of action in the case of Nikolas Cruz SEVENTEEN YOUNG LIVES could have been saved.
This country is facing a crisis alright but we're looking for the solution in the wrong place...
Resteem this post and start a conversation.
We can fix this together <3
For references and more information about mental illness please see here