I really don't care what that kid's politcs are. Until we address & fund mental health

[Yorkie Mom]

we are fucked.

[raccoon]

1. Does he have mental health problems or is he just an asshole?

Does he have mental health problems or is he just an asshole?

At This point we don’t know.

But I totally agree it’s shameful the way that people in this country have a such a time getting any kind of mental healthcare.

[LonePirate]

8. Far too many people are relying on the mental health reason when some people are just evil assholes.

Also, just because someone has mental health issues, it doesn't mean they will actively seek assistance for those issues. Sure, we need to vastly increase screening and services for mental health; but it's nowhere near the game changing problem solution some people think it is.

[area51]

63. +1 n/t

[WhiskeyGrinder]

2. But it goes beyond mental health.

We need to fund strong communities, emotional health, violence prevention efforts, recreational and vocational opportunities, and strong safety nets including health care, food security and housing. Mental health is only a small part of the puzzle. And all the work must be rooted in anti-racism and dismantling white supremacy, because it’s all related.

[Meadowoak]

3. Crazy and Maga seem to go hand in hand tho.

[RockRaven]

4. Until we get rid of the guns we are fucked.

[Yorkie Mom]

7. No way we are getting rid of all guns. Ain't going to happen.

We might regulate purchases, they will never all disappear.

[RockRaven]

10. I never said we would.

The conclusion is clear.

[LiberalFighter]

19. It should not be based solely on the buyer.

Gun manufacturers need to be regulated so that they cannot sell military firearms to civilians. Including military style.

Gun shop owners need to be better regulated too.

[Crunchy Frog]

54. So we're just going to get rid of all mental health issues instead.

[ProfessorGAC]

71. Beat Me To It!

Can't get rid of guns, but we can screen out every potential mental health issue?
They both sound impossible to me.

[TexasBushwhacker]

9. Exactly

There will always be disgruntled MEN (mostly white) who want to shoot others and until they add "Right wing, evangelical racist" to the DSM, I don't see a lot of change. People have to recognize they have a mental health problem and WANT to change.

[BootinUp]

5. You seem to overlook that RW politics is motivating these freaks.

[Yorkie Mom]

6. I'm not overlooking anything. I see both sides pointing fingers. The 1 thing all these kids have

in common is mental health issues.

[FSogol]

52. Wrong, the 1 thing these kids all have is an AR-15. n/t

[doublethink]

11. IT'S THE GUNS !!! PERIOD. JFC. N.T.

[tulipsandroses]

21. The APA disagrees with you

Perhaps you know more than mental health experts

[Phoenix61]

23. No, guns kill people. Every other country has all the crap we

have. Mental health problems, rising fascism, poverty, etc. What they don’t have is the massive numbers of guns floating around. Big guns, little guns, single shot, 30 round mags…. It’s. The. Guns!!!!!!

[Silent3]

37. Guns JUST make it easier?

Our gun violence is so high MOSTLY BECAUSE it is so much easier for people to get guns, and to be deadlier once they acquire them.

In other countries, it's not significantly lower incidence of mental health problems that spares those countries from frequent mass shootings, it's that would-be mass shooters either can't get guns, can only get much less deadly guns, can only kill by other means like knives which make it much harder to kill many people at once, or, despite a possible desire to kill, it's a desire to kill that won't manifest at all without the depersonalizing distancing that using a gun allows.

[LAS14]

12. I have a lot of problems with the idea that we can dump these issues...

... in the lap of mental health professionals. It's an art, not a science. You can't predict. But then you get blamed. Get rid of the guns!!!!!!!!!!!

[iemanja]

13. White guy commits mass murder, he's mentally ill

Muslim does it and he's a terrorist. Black guy shoots multiple people and it's a gang feud.
Just saying.


I see no reason to assume he's mentally ill. What we do know is that he had a shit ton of assault riffles. Anyone can be angry, disgruntled, or whatever, but it takes weapons to kill lots of people.

[Yorkie Mom]

35. Did you watch any of his social media videos?

[iemanja]

39. Are you diagnosing him

Based on what you saw on videos? Are you a psychiatrist?

[womanofthehills]

55. So you think a kid who tried to kill himself, and his family has no mental health problems

Trying to kill yourself is a big sign of a personality disorder, let alone wanting to kill others.

[iemanja]

56. I have no idea

but if your assumption is that all murderers--or murders who happen to trigger your sense of outrage-- are mentally ill, you're dead wrong. No one in prison would be guilty if that were the case. Do you likewise assume all mentally ill people are murderers or violent? Because they aren't. The mentally ill are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators.

This internet diagnosing with no qualification to make such diagnoses is junk. Leave diagnosing to the professionals.

[H2O Man]

59. While it is safe

to say he has several traits from the Cluster B personality disorders, he does not have a major mental illness. His planning and execution of the assault show a fair degree of organized thinking. His escape plan documents his ability to understand the difference between right and wrong. No M'Naghten defense there.

While personality disorders can involve genetic components, Cluster B is largely learned behaviors in the context of getting one's needs met within the family system, in ways that are unappealing in the larger society. Mental health treatment can be helpful, especially if conducted in coordination with other resources. But there are a large number of people -- primarily young white males -- in most communities across the land, that have little if any connections to serve as a support system.

Perhaps related, these fellows have access to guns.

[Skittles]

14. nah

I think it's the GOP and the NRA who needs to be "addressed"

[llmart]

16. We have no idea if he has mental health issues.

Also, you can't force someone to get help for their mental health issues and oftentimes people with mental health issues don't even recognize that they have mental health issues. They can have all sorts of rationalizations for their behavior.

Mental health issues is too easy of an answer. Bottom line is it comes down to the guns and easy access to them. No one needs a gun that can massacre a lot of people in a few minutes unless they are in a war zone.

[tulipsandroses]

17. The bigger problems are easy access to weapons of war and young men being radicalized.

You have young men being radicalized online. A political party that has aided and abetted their radicalization.

You could also say that young men that joined up with Al Qaida have mental health issues. The bigger problem there is radicalization. Same here. Until America gets comfortable with that, and demand action by their action at the ballot box, the killings will continue.

[tenderfoot]

18. Are you suggesting that his parents couldn't afford therapy

eom

[Yorkie Mom]

32. No.

Why would I?

[tenderfoot]

38. Because it's easier to blame mental health that easy access to military grade weaponry?

eom

[Yorkie Mom]

47. I actually think both are issues.

[tenderfoot]

48. How do you know the Highland Park shooter was mentally ill?

eom

[uponit7771]

64. +1,

[purr-rat beauty]

20. We are fucked from what exactly? The Mentally Ill?

More people with mental health conditions are victims of crime than the opposite

This broad brushing of mental health is getting old. I live with depression and anxiety, I know and have worked with many many people with mental illnesses of many sorts and severity and I have yet to meet a mass murdering one (granted some have committed other crimes)

Let's call this what it is - Domestic Terrorism fueled by years of Stochastic Terrorism from multiple Right Wing sources emboldened by the Gun Lobby allowing Weapons of War to get into the hands of any angry, influential, and idiotic asshole.

When is that going to be the We Are Fucked moment?

[Rhiannon12866]

28. +100

[Yorkie Mom]

33. I'm talking about severe mental illness.

Have you ever seen someone lose touch with reality?

[iemanja]

41. Yes

And they didn’t shoot people. Why do you so look down on people with mental illness that you equate us with murderers?

[Yorkie Mom]

43. Oh, come on!

I didn't do that. I have close family members with mental illness and because of that I know how difficult getting help can be.

[iemanja]

45. Did your family members kill people?

I would assume not. Why then would you associate this killing with mental illness? You still haven't explained that.

[Demsrule86]

60. He knew exactly what he was doing which is why he visited synagogues and chose an area

with a relatively large Jewish population...he is a f'ng racist murderer. You should not make excuses for him.

[uponit7771]

66. +1,

[Demsrule86]

68. Thank you...it unfair that those who suffer from mental illness are blamed for the crimes of these

often racist, always violent right-wing thugs...born, bred, and fed on a level of vitriol never before seen from the right. Trump took it to a new level of course. People should stop making excuses for these monsters.

[RobinA]

70. One Can Be

mentally ill AND a racist. Most racists don't kill people. Most mentally ill people don't kill someone. Most mentally ill racists don't kill people. He' a murderer. Maybe he's a racist, maybe he's mentally ill. It would be helpful to know for the future. No excuses need be involved.

[Demsrule86]

72. He is not mentally ill and I am sick of those echoing what I consider right wing rhetoric. Stop

blaming the mentally ill for his shit...it is not true. These right-wing murderers are completely scumbag mass murderers and know exactly what they are doing.

[iemanja]

40. +1

I get sick of the constant stigmatization of mental illness on this site.

[uponit7771]

65. +1,

[tenderfoot]

22. I'm just relieved you didn't bring up easy access to AR-15s

[GoodRaisin]

42. +1

also sarcasm.

[Yorkie Mom]

44. Well, there is that, too.

[tenderfoot]

46. and that a low percentage of mentally ill commit heinous crimes

you sound like the GOP candidate for Governor of Illinois and everyone else on the right that cannot be bothered to address gun violence.

Now go on a screed about video games and heavy metal lyrics.

[obamanut2012]

24. Link to where it's been stated he is mentally ill?

[Lancero]

30. That's the go-to excuse that media has trained us to accept for white shooters.

[gldstwmn]

25. Ban assault weapons now.

We'll deal with the rest later.

[iemanja]

26. +1

[Rhiannon12866]

29. +100

No civilian needs weapons of war - unless they're active military fighting in a war zone.

[Yorkie Mom]

34. I agree.

[Cha]

27. I care.. it looks like he's been Fucking

Brainwashed by Fascist white Supremacists led by the Psychotic trump.

That Cannot be swept under the faux news rug.

Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[Peace4Life]

31. Exactly!

It just happened and already we have quite a number of things pointing in the Hate Crime direction. The very group that is preventing mental health checks and stringent gun control measures. This isn't even political, it's criminal in all aspects.

[llashram]

49. it's always mental illness

with young white murderous thugs like this one...'sup with that? No passes for this guy and there is money and resources for true mental illness in Amerika. People just have to do their research...

[Demsrule86]

61. Cha they have him on camera casing synagogue. I was born nearby and lived there...the area has

a significant Jewish population...and I saw pictures of him with his racist Frog that Trump's stupid kids were always posting...he is a monster and I doubt he is mentally ill...evil perhaps.

[Cha]

62. Pure Evil.. Unadulterated.

he's a Monster.. no getting out of it
pleading "Insanity"

So Terrifying and Heartbreaking, Dems

Save Our Democracy💙 in 2022 & 2024!

[Demsrule86]

69. While I can't understand the racism and hatred that fuels the right...it is not insanity. And

they know the difference between right and wrong...this guy disguised himself to escape from the scene and get away with his monstrous behavior...not insane....EVIL!

Nice to talk to you Cha...although a sad topic.

[uponit7771]

67. +1,

[AZProgressive]

36. I get tired of posting the same links over and over

A tiny percentage of gun violence is committed by those with mental illness. In fact they are more likely to be victims of violence than the general population. Gun suicides are where there is a link.

I have a 100% service connected disability from the VA and am not at all a violent person. I just have trauma from war. Also victims of mass shootings are likely to have mental illness from the trauma. Provide help but understand it isn’t going to make a dent in the gun violence unless we get rid of guns.

Ideology, radicalism, and extremism matters. GOP candidates are constantly in campaign ads with guns and their rhetoric leads to more of this.

[maxsolomon]

50. Then we're fucked, and we're not going to be unfucked.

Alienated (male) Youth are a constant in every society across the globe, through history.

You can't treat them all, you can't even identify them all.

Only in AMERICA can they acquire high-powered semi-automatic firearms legally and cheaply the moment they turn 18 (and in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse, BEFORE they turn 18).

[Crunchy Frog]

51. There will always be disturbed and unstable people, however hard we address mental health.

As long as they can freely access military grade weapons, we're fucked.

[Caliman73]

53. We have to fund A LOT more than just mental health.

We have to better fund education. We have to provide more financial and social emotional support to families. We have to fund community development programs.

We have to find a way to deal with corrosive propaganda from hate groups online and in the media.

How the kid was oriented toward the world is very important in figuring out how we can intervene to try to prevent future problems.

Also we need to figure out a way to keep people who are prone to and more likely to commit violence, from getting their hands on firearms.

[Hekate]

57. It's the murder machines, Yorkie Mom. We didn't have fewer "crazy people" when I was a child...

… nor when I became an adult. We don’t have exponentially more insanity in America than the rest of the countries in the world.

What we have is a death cult promoted online and radicalization likewise.

What we have is mass murder machines.

[electric_blue68]

74. This a very good point. 👍

[Demsrule86]

58. He is not a kid but a cold bloode murderer who is a racist and was checking out

synagogues in the Days leading up to this shooting...we need mental health to be better but it won't stop monsters like this one...Him and his little racist frog...wanted to kill people period...and you are spouting rightwing crap right now...he needs to spend the rest of his life in jail and guns need to go.

[electric_blue68]

73. Besides the RW BS Most People living with Mental Illness are NOT Violent