One skill most humans seem to have innately is the ability to create scapegoats. In times of trauma our brains seem to move instantly to the question, “whose fault is it?” This is particularly true when we do not want to see our own role in a problem.
I’m getting a little nervous that the conversation on gun violence seems to be centering so much upon the “mentally ill,” as though that term was in any way predictive of violence. I do not understand why we treat bodily and mental illness so differently. No one assumes that a flu victim is more likely to commit a crime, why do we assume a heightened threat from someone with mental or emotional challenges?
There are people with and without mental illness who are prone to violence. To focus on the illness and not the violence is another act of denial by those who do not want to face the problem of violence in America.