[Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America'sMentalHealth Crisis

Fri Jan 28 12:29:44 PST 2011

I think this is something we can all agree with, Carl, even if we disagree
about what to do about the problem. Thanks! I don't watch MSNBC either
though I turn on Beck and Rush every once in a while. It helps keep me
humble. (That was a joke!) Best, Joe

On Fri, Jan 28, 2011 at 12:05 PM, Carl Westberg <idahovandal1 at live.com>wrote:

>  As one who doesn't listen to talk radio of any political leaning, and
> frankly hasn't even heard of many of those talking heads mentioned, does not
> watch Fox news, does not watch MSNBC or read blogs representing left or
> right, save for an occasional visit out of sheer, perhaps
> morbid, curiousity, it's nice to see some attention being paid to the sorry
> state of mental health treatment.  I know that in Idaho, help for the
> mentally is all but non-existent.  Ironically, one of the victims of the
> Tucson shooting was arrested a week later for shouting "You're dead", or
> something like that, at a conservatice politician, and was subsequently
> involuntarily committed for three days of mental evaluation.  As he should
> have been.  Mental illness is still one of those 800 pound gorillas that
> society is reluctant to discuss.  There is still a prevailing "just snap out
> of it" attitude displayed by many toward the mentally ill.  If only it was
> that easy....
>
> > Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:58:44 -0800
> > From: lfalen at turbonet.com
> > To: lfalen at turbonet.com; philosopher.joe at gmail.com
> > CC: vision2020 at moscow.com
>
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners?
> America'sMentalHealth Crisis
> >
> > P. S, How is O'Neal more offensive than Chapman or Brock? I think it
> depends on your prospective.
> > Roger
> >
> > -----Original message-----
> > From: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
> > Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:47:47 -0800
> > To: "Joe Campbell" philosopher.joe at gmail.com
> > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners?
> America'sMentalHealth Crisis
> >
> > > Bill Maher - " Why couldn't he have croaked fro it instead of Heath
> Ledger"
> > > Ed Schultz- Lord take him to the Promised Land, Dick Cheney's heart is
> a political football. We ought yo rip it out and kick it around and stuff it
> back into him"
> > > Charles Bouley- About Tony Snow "How could a cancer not grow in you?
> Work for Fox News.. and how could your guts not rot?"
> > > Montel Williams on Mechele Bachmanm "Slit your wrist. Go ahead.. Move
> that knife up about two feet.O mean start at the collarbone".
> > > Obama- It they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun"
> > > Several commentators have said. Try Bush and Cheney for war crimes and
> hang them"
> > > There have been very few comments on the right that have reached this
> leave of hate. I personally do no think Obama's statement should be taken
> literally, as most of the statements on the right should not be. You my be
> right about the level of notoriety of those on the left that make such
> statements, with the exception of William, Maher and Obama. Most of these
> statements by the left were explicit calls for the death of someone.
> Everyone on both sides uses military metaphors. These should not be taken
> literally. While I would like to see a decrease in such language I do do
> think that it can be blamed for the acts of someone like Loughner. Violent
> Video games TV and Music that call for cops to be killed have much more of
> an effect.
> > > Roger
> > > -----Original message-----
> > > From: Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
> > > Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 20:26:03 -0800
> > > To: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
> > > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America's
> MentalHealth Crisis
> > >
> > > > Fine, Roger. First, it is worth noting that Michael O'Neal is very
> > > > offensive. All of his articles are filled with anti-left bashing,
> > > > distortions of the truth, and over-the-top rhetoric. As several Daily
> News
> > > > letters-to-the-editor have pointed out, his last column was guilty of
> > > > exactly what he accused folks on the left of doing: exploiting a
> tragic
> > > > situation for political gain.
> > > >
> > > > My point is that the right is worse than the left wrt the kinds of
> things
> > > > Nick is talking about. I understand you disagree and that some on the
> left
> > > > like to say "we're all to blame" but that strikes me as bunk. Folks
> like
> > > > Rush, Beck, Palin, and others are far worse in this respect --
> > > > disrespectful, angry, hateful, distorted comments about their
> political
> > > > opponents -- than any of the folks on the left. I'm not saying all
> the blame
> > > > goes to the right. This is a comparative claim.
> > > >
> > > > Again, you're free to prove me wrong by illustrating the kinds of
> examples I
> > > > note below. I doubt you can do it but I'm willing to listen. But
> there
> > > > really is no comparison.
> > > >
> > > > On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 6:16 PM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I said nothing about any school. Nether did Nick for that matter.
> He
> > > > > referred to Rush in particular. My comments were on the broad
> spectum of the
> > > > > left vs right as were Micheal O'Neal's.
> > > > > Roger
> > > > > -----Original message-----
> > > > > From: Joe Campbell philosopher.joe at gmail.com
> > > > > Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:54:56 -0800
> > > > > To: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
> > > > > Subject: Re: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America's
> Mental
> > > > > Health Crisis
> > > > >
> > > > > > Every bit as violent? I'm sorry Roger but you're wrong. Name one
> school
> > > > > which has on the front page of it's website an example of the kind
> of
> > > > > rhetoric that NSA has on it's website. Name one potential
> Democratic
> > > > > candidate for president who had a poster like Palin's with
> crosshairs
> > > > > designating Republican candidates. Name two liberal/progressive
> radio talk
> > > > > show hosts who regularly portray Republicans as Nazis (or whatever
> the
> > > > > rightwing equivalent of Communists is).
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Be honest, Roger. Of course you can find examples on both sides
> but they
> > > > > are hardly equal in number or volume.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > On Jan 26, 2011, at 11:10 AM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com>
> wrote:
> > > > > >
> > > > > > > Nick
> > > > > > > I agree with you that we should take care of the mentally ill
> and the
> > > > > disabled. I just wish that you could find it in your heart to be a
> little
> > > > > more even handed in parcelling out blame. As the Michael O'Neal
> article
> > > > > points out, the rhetoric coming from the left is every bit as
> violent if
> > > > > not more so than that from the right. I personally think violent
> video
> > > > > games, TV and rap music have more of an impact that that of
> politicians. I
> > > > > have seen research reports that say these things have no effect. I
> think
> > > > > something is wrong with their research. A constant bombardment of
> these
> > > > > things can not help but deaden the senses. Particularly for the
> mentally
> > > > > unstable.
> > > > > > > Roger
> > > > > > > -----Original message-----
> > > > > > > From: nickgier at roadrunner.com
> > > > > > > Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:21:38 -0800
> > > > > > > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > > > > > Subject: [Vision2020] How Many More Jared Loughners? America's
> Mental
> > > > > Health Crisis
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >> Dear Visionaries:
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Below is my radio commentary/column for this week. The full
> version
> > > > > is attached.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Nick
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> HOW MANY MORE JARED LOUGHNERS? AMERICA’S MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Jared Loughner, the gunman who killed six and wounded 14 at a
> Tucson
> > > > > Safeway, has all the symptoms of someone who is mentally ill. Even
> though
> > > > > anti-government rhetoric was found in his writings, many people
> want us to
> > > > > believe that Loughner’s actions are exclusively those of a deranged
> mind.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> In a heart-wrenching letter in the Daily News, a father wrote
> about
> > > > > his autistic son, who listens to Rush Limbaugh every day and sends
> > > > > frightening e-mails to his father. He confesses that he “can easily
> see how
> > > > > Eric might decide to make himself instantly famous with the aid of
> a gun.
> > > > > Violent rhetoric can indeed have violent consequences.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Mental health professionals are reminding us that not all
> those who
> > > > > have a mental disorder are violent individuals. In fact, the
> mentally ill
> > > > > are more often the targets of abuse not perpetrators. It is
> estimated that
> > > > > only 40,000 of 4 million mentally ill Americans can be considered
> violent> > >>
> > > > > > >> Loughner should have been referred to a mental health clinic,
> but he
> > > > > most likely would not have received treatment. In his own Pima
> County 45
> > > > > percent of those in mental health programs were disenrolled in 2009
> because
> > > > > of budget cuts.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> A 2007 study in the British medical journal The Lancet
> estimated that
> > > > > 67 percent of Americans with mental disorders do not receive any
> treatment
> > > > > (vol. 370: 878-89). As with other social and health statistics—such
> a teen
> > > > > births and infant mortality—U.S. mental health care compares with
> Third
> > > > > World countries.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Fox News’ psychiatrist Keith Ablow states that “in most
> states, the
> > > > > mental health care delivery systems have been gutted by
> disproportionate
> > > > > cuts that leave them reeling, understaffed and unreliable.”
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Ablow also blames private health insurers “who routinely deny
> > > > > comprehensive services (like hospitalization) to people, even if
> they are
> > > > > psychotic and drug addicted and even if they have expressed very
> serious
> > > > > thoughts of violence.” But Ablow and his friend Glenn Beck condemn
> the
> > > > > civilized world’s socialized medicine that offers much better
> mental health
> > > > > coverage.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Republicans now control the House and the most state
> legislatures
> > > > > ever, and they will make sure that economic inequality increases
> and funding
> > > > > for social and health programs decreases.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> The GOP mantra of “No New Taxes” will prevent the
> implementation of
> > > > > the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health’s recommendations. Set
> up in
> > > > > 2002 by then President George W. Bush, the commissioners bemoaned
> the
> > > > > collapse of the nation’s mental health services and proposed
> increased
> > > > > federal funding in this area.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> The advocacy group America Mental Health makes a strong pitch
> to the
> > > > > nation’s business leaders by reminding them that “untreated and
> mistreated
> > > > > mental illness costs the United States $150 billion in lost
> productivity
> > > > > each year, and U.S. businesses foot up to $44 billion of this bill.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> American Mental Health proposes that “many
> considerations—ranging from
> > > > > social justice to economic self-interest—make it imperative that
> the federal
> > > > > government assume a major, focused, coordinated role in mental
> health
> > > > > policy, a role both different and larger than it currently plays.”
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> In his state of the state address Idaho Governor “Butch” Otter
> > > > > encouraged families to gather around the kitchen table to solve
> their
> > > > > problems rather than relying on “soul-crushing” state and federal
> programs
> > > > > to help them.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Even the strongest families are helpless in the face of the
> challenges
> > > > > posed by the Jared Loughners of the nation. Even the wisest fathers
> and
> > > > > mothers on limited Idaho budgets must admit that government
> subsidized
> > > > > mental health is the only way their troubled children are going to
> get the
> > > > > help they need.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Gov. Otter is not calling for cuts in Health and Welfare in
> his FY12
> > > > > budget, but the department has suffered a 21 percent reduction over
> the past
> > > > > three years. In mental health alone 49 positions have been
> eliminated in
> > > > > the adult and youth divisions. In 2009 a Pocatello man, who had
> been
> > > > > removed from a mental health program, shot and wounded a man near
> his home.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> When I travel to India it is depressing to see so many beggars
> on the
> > > > > streets and so many people that are obviously mentally ill. The US
> > > > > Conference of Mayors estimates that 40 percent of America’s 1.6
> million
> > > > > homeless people are mentally ill. This is a national disgrace and
> an
> > > > > international embarrassment.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> No amount of Otter “table talk” is going to solve these basic
> social
> > > > > and psychological problems. Far too many souls have already been
> crushed and
> > > > > fallen through the huge holes in America’s social safety net.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >> Nick Gier taught philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31
> years.
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >>
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > =======================================================
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> > > > > > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> > > > > > > http://www.fsr.net
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> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > =======================================================
> > > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> > > http://www.fsr.net
> > > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
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> >
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> > List services made available by First Step Internet,
> > serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
> > http://www.fsr.net
> > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > =======================================================
>
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>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
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