Racism = Mental Illness. Good to know even Faux now agrees.

[IdaBriggs]

And the Republicans, too.

That is what all the "the boy was mentally ill which is why he was reading and promoting white supremacist nonsense, plus insisting he wanted to kill black people, then, you know, killing black people - he was mentally ill and now we should discuss the state of mental health care available in this country" rhetoric means, right?

Proud to be an American today.

Never thought they would admit it, but now that they have jumped on the bandwagon, let us welcome them to the sanity train.

Racism is a Mental Illness.

[Bjorn Against]

1. Not only wrong but very bigoted as well

The mentally ill are a minority group and most of them are not racist. I am sick of people trying to tie every nasty thing to the mentally ill, it is bigotry and it disgusts me to see this bigotry applauded here.

[fizzgig]

2. yup

i shouldn't be surprised any more, but i always am.

[polly7]

5. Totally agree.

No mentally ill person I've ever met personally has shown the slightest hint of being racist or any other form of bigot and hater. Many have illness partly brought on by being 'over' sensitive to the hatred in the world, imo.

[Matariki]

8. Logic 101: racism is a mental illness

is not equivalent to the mentally ill being racist.

IMO, racism is a sickness of both the mind and the soul - on both a personal and societal level.

[Bjorn Against]

10. Those who claim racism is a mental illness are ignorant

As others in this thread have said racism is a learned behavior not an illness. I am sick of bigots who try to tie this nasty shit to the mentally ill. It does not matter if you say "not all mentally ill people" drawing an equivalence between mental illness and racism is bigoted. Period.

[Matariki]

11. You are making a false equivalant

Psychopathic murderers are mentally ill - that doesn't mean every mentally ill person is a psychopath. You are putting words in people's mouths. Also, calling people 'bigots' who you disagree with is cheap and nasty.

But otherwise, I agree that racism is a learned behavior. It's passed like a virus. And in my opinion is a disease of the mind and spirit and is a societal sickness that needs to be healed.

[fizzgig]

12. mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance

racism is not. it IS bigoted against those of us with brain disorders to lump us in with racists. racism is a societal illness, but it's not physiological.

[Matariki]

13. Well, I don't agree that all people are is walking bags of chemicals

If that was the only cause of mental illness then chemicals should be a repeatable and reliable cure. Which clearly they are not. Chemical imbalance is one cause certainly but there are others, early environment for instance. But I'm a preist not a doctor so I'm not going to argue with whatever is the theory du jour. Saying that racism is a sickness doesn't take away compassion toward people who are suffering from any type of mental illness, chemical imbalances or otherwise.

[fizzgig]

15. no two people are the same

no two imbalances are the same, no two meds are the same and no two disorders are the same. environment can cause the chemical imbalances, but it's a chemical imbalance nonetheless. saying that brain disorders should have a repeatable and reliable cure is like saying all cancers should have a repeatable and reliable cure. i'm not arguing that racism isn't a social sickness, what i am arguing is that racism isn't a physiological sickness as brain disorders are. that's the point you repeatedly fail to see.

[Bjorn Against]

14. No the OP made the false and bigoted equivalence

The OP said "Racism=Mental Illness" that is clearly a false equivalence as any psychiatrist would tell you. It is bigoted as well, it is not just bigoted because I disagree with it, it is bigoted because it associates a minority group with something completely awful. Stop pushing this bigotry on DU.

[fizzgig]

3. racism is a LEARNED behavior

all hate is a LEARNED behavior. conservatism is a LEARNED behavior. mental illnesses are physical.

i am so sick of how those with brain disorders are maligned here.

eta: let's not forget that the dsm once listed homosexuality as a mental illness.

[Spazito]

4. Bullshit...

It's a disgusting excuse for a white person committing a hate crime. I am appalled you have fallen for it and, even worse, spreading Fox bullshit as the truth.

[SamKnause]

6. Racism is NOT a mental illness !!!

Racism is taught.

Racism uses brainwashing.

Racism uses indoctrination.

Racism is a learned behavior.

No one is born a racist.

Racism is NOT a mental illness !!!

How insulting to the many who suffer from mental illness !!!!

[Iggo]

7. So if someone can be proven to be sane, then they can't possibly be racist?

Yeah, I don't think so.

[jwirr]

9. Excusing crime by saying someone is mentally ill is an insult to those who really are mentally ill.

I would like to see our court system changed so that when a crime like this is committed insanity is no longer a plea. Instead the suspect would go through a trial to determine if he/she is innocent or guilty using only the facts of the case. After the first trial - then a plea of insanity can be offered when sentencing is decided.

This would remove the idea of using insanity as a means of getting off after you commit a crime.