I expect many people disagree with my extreme stance on gun control. I don't mind. Bans on guns in my home is what I can control, what I know, what I can limit and protect and shield and unconditionally forbid. It's not even hard to do.
But I don't know much at all about mental health, and how to help people who are mentally unhealthy. I know little about what to say, how to help, what to do. But I agree that what happened in Connecticut - at Virginia Tech - in Columbine - and so many more places - has less to do with guns and gun control and more to do with how we treat and help those who are mentally ill.
"I am sharing this story because I am Adam Lanza's mother. I am Dylan Klebold's and Eric Harris's mother. I am Jason Holmes's mother. I am Jared Loughner's mother. I am Seung-Hui Cho's mother. And these boys—and their mothers—need help. In the wake of another horrific national tragedy, it's easy to talk about guns. But it's time to talk about mental illness." -Liza Long
Read the full article here by Long, please. This is an important article. This is eye-opening, and upsetting, and moving. It's eye-opening because of how much this mom struggles with her son, that she has developed a "safety plan" to protect her other children from their brother. It's upsetting because of how frightening the scenarios she paints are, how real, how vivid. How they start from such trivial matters. And it's moving because of the love that oozes from this mother for her son, for this son who is impossible and dangerous to live with. Beloved son.
How do we answer this call for help? How do we help these boys, these beloved sons, these mentally ill human beings? How do we remove stigma and create a culture of acceptance and support? How do we embrace these individuals when they are at their worst, seemingly impossible to love and help and support?
And what are we waiting for?
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