In a world where mass shootings continue, Aleasa Word asks if race plays a part in sympathy for mentally ill shooters.
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As a parent, a human, a woman, my heart breaks for not only the victims when mass shootings occur but for their parents and extended families as well. I could not imagine being a parent who at least in the majority of cases I’ve read about, did the best they could to help a troubled child, but it ultimately ended up in tragedy. In the recent case of 22 year old Elliot Rodgers, the Santa Barbara shooter, his parents did in fact try to get him help. Though Rodgers had documented problems throughout his youth, it is the opinion of many that he should still be held in the same regard as anyone else who committed such a terrible act but the outrage for this crime doesn’t seem quite as visible as many would like. Is it possible that because this young man was half white and assimilated to white culture that it changes the game slightly? This has left many asking “where is the outrage like that shown in the case 17 year old Lee Boyd Malvo involved in the DC sniper shootings in 2003 who suffers from reactive attachment disorder?”
In the case of Malvo, many had no sympathy because they believe he willingly went along with sniper lead John Allen Mohammad. Without knowing Malvo’s back story, instant judgments were made about this young man who was clearly wrong ,but also had behavioral health issues that were heavily influenced by suggestion. In the book The Making of Lee Boyd Malvo, the D.C. Sniper, there are some interesting points that make you go “hmmm.” With that said, it leads me to note a tweet I read by a CNN reporter that said black guy shoots folks = thug; brown guy shoots folks = terrorist; white guy shoots folks = nice kid with mental health issues. Sadly, I immediately agreed with the tweet because I’ve seen all too many times that people of color including children of color just don’t get the same shake in life when it comes to behavioral health concerns in general let alone those ending in tragedy.
As it pertains to crimes themselves, in most instances of atrocious crimes, unfortunately the perpetrator has historically been a white male. In recent large scale shootings, it is often a young white male and the world’s heart breaks at the violence; but sympathy abounds for the troubled person. Was there the same sympathy for Malvo when he was manipulated by a killer into becoming a killer due to his own compromised mental health state? What we saw was outrage that quite honestly should be seen any time these tragedies hit regardless of the color of the victim or shooters skin.
This outrage though, should be levied towards a system that treats those with money differently than those without because they can’t always afford services. The outrage should be also be levied at a system that often portrays a mindset that a crime committed by a person of color is somehow far worse than the same crime committed by a person who is white because there is justification on how they became criminal. It is this same outrage that should be supported in denying our attention to intentionally placed media reports that perpetuate unfair treatment of any class of people painted as those who live to commit crimes, become terrorists, do drugs or contribute to the downfall of our society.
Troubled teens are everywhere in today’s world, but not all can get the help they need for a number of reasons. Many times insurance is a concern because even when there is medical insurance in place, psychologists are paid (or not paid) under a separate behavioral health rider. The co-pays associated are often very steep and regardless of what race a person is, if you aren’t in a certain income bracket those visits may not happen as often as they should and in some cases not at all. What happens to the child who needs the help but doesn’t get it? Are they deemed instead a problem child that doesn’t care, when in fact it is simply they can’t get the help they deserve? Are children of color with mental health concerns given the same leeway in schools and life as those who aren’t of color? It doesn’t seem so and until we look at this head on and stop denying the biases it will continue and we all will suffer as a result.
It is time for us to support a complete overhaul to our mental health needs in the United States. Providers are far fewer than the people who need them. The stigma attached is one that keeps us from getting help for our children and ourselves at an early enough age to make impactful change. People are shunned for conditions they didn’t create or ask for and society is paying the price. Children, especially those of color are thrust into a criminal justice system at an early age when in fact there are mental health considerations that should be looked at and worked through. Families with children who cannot be reached need as much support as those who can be reached. Last but certainly, not least we all must realize that mental illness like any other disease has no boundary of color. Instead, it only has victims who suffer needlessly when not treated properly whether they be the patients themselves or society that endures the wrath of an unhealthy condition.
Photo: Jinx/Flickr
This is the first post I’ve read on this site that hasn’t bought into the mass hysteria whipped up by feminists. And actually takes a constructive look at prevention. I’m sick of hearing about women being so terrified of men in gerneral over it. Forget that women are far less likely to be murdered by anyone. Regardless of ones outlook of hate towards anyone its is the rationality of the pathology that is the biggest dictator of these things happening. There have existed plenty of racists, homophobes, mysoginists, misandrists misanthropes etc that have never comitted any sort of violence. Like… Read more »