TIME TO TALK

By Jill Richardson
special to the I-R

After every mass shooting, we repeat all of the same things. Some call for gun control. Those against gun control say this isn’t the time to talk about it. The Onion reprints its story titled, “‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens,” and updates the dateline to reflect the location of the new mass shooting. When the shooter is white, we talk about mental illness. If they’re not, we talk about terrorism. Then, Congress does nothing. But, so long as we’re discussing mental illness, I’d like to weigh in.

That’s something I know a bit about. I suffer from anxiety, PTSD, and depression. I’m not a potential murderer. Mostly I just hide in my bed and cry and get down on myself. My mental illness paralyzes me and keeps me from getting work done, and then I heap shame on myself for not getting work done. There are an awful lot of mentally ill people like me who are not potential security threats. We’re already stigmatized enough without being suspected of mass murder too.

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