I know I don’t blog here all too much anymore… but I’m surprised it took me this long to remember to blog about this.

A most heinous act happened in Fullerton, CA in July. A homeless man with schizophrenia was ruthlessly beaten to death by 6 Fullerton police officers. The officers, who said they were responding to suspicion of stolen items from a car, are claimed to have hogtied Thomas, beat him with the butt of a tazer until blood squirted up on their arms, and drop-knee kick him, crushing his neck. I won’t post the picture here, it’s pretty graffic. You’re welcome to check it out on Fullerton’s Future. Actually, just read the whole blog. It’s obviously slanted with a “distrust political authority” slant, but the facts are dead on about the beating: the officers have been placed on administrative (read: paid) leave, but it took 3 weeks before the public outcry lead this investigation to continue. I won’t go into all the details, but it sounds too hard to deny there has been an intense effort on behalf of Fullerton Police Department to cover up this crime. Without the impassioned, outraged cries of the public, it’s uncertain if this would have ever been responded to in a human manner. To quote Kelly’s father, all that may have been left of his son would be “the blood in the gutters.”

I post about this because I am saddened on so many levels. First, it’s inexcusable for police– who “serve and protect”– to have enough power to beat any suspect senseless. They are not the executors or punishment. Kelly, regardless of his innocence or guilt, deserved a proper trial. Even hardened, violent criminals deserve a trial. Even these 6 officers who beat Thomas deserve a trial. Regardless, the punishment for stealing from cars is not DEATH.

Yet it’s undeniable that there is punishment for being homeless, or having a mental illness. Because, let’s face it, that was probably the true crime here. Kelly Thomas was homeless, potentially smelly from having been out in the elements, maybe exhibiting symptoms without having had his medications… and apparently the crime was worthy of death to those officers. How despicable.

Obviously, this crime outrages me. I can’t even write straight about it.

But I write today to ask you to do something.

No matter where in the world you are… Fullerton, Long Beach, San Fransciso, New York, London… you can make it known this is unacceptable.

1. You can “like” the Justice for Kelly Thomas page on Facebook to show your support of justice.

2. If you’re in the area, you can attend the protests outside the Fullerton Police Department every Saturday at 9AM until action is taken against those responsible.

3. You can do your part to refute stigma as you see it around you.

Thank you. I trust you to see justice comes forth from this tragic death. Justice for Kelly Thomas, justice for others in his company, justice for those in your community. Thank you, thank you.

Part two of yesterday’s post. I just now saw a PSA which commented on the same thing:

I’m linking an excellent reminder of how stigma can permeate our language. I’m convicted with an awareness of how my word choices have the potential to undermine those with mental health issues. Phrases like, “That’s nuts” or “Driving me crazy” often slip my lips. If I pay close attention, do I realize I promote stigma against those with mental illness?

But, as the article mentions, I recognize our habitual word choices often reflect the current state of our culture. Maybe we speak in phrases that generalize and stereotype because it’s not yet considered a tragedy that those generalizations and stereotypes exist.

It’s not okay to generalize against other races. It’s not okay to stereotype against other orientations. Nor should we allow ourselves to participate in activities that stigmatize and alienate persons with disabilities.

Just another topic to remain PC on

Ladies and gentlemen… your tax dollars at work! Tired of those annoying, handicapped, mentally-ill people screaming down the street? No worries… NOW THE COPS WILL SHOOT THEM FOR YOU.

As I just finished relaying to my friend who shared this video with me, what the f? This is exactly what pisses me off about cops. This video demonstrates that they no longer exist for the protection of the law, but they exist for the sake of the law. By that, I mean they aren’t functioning for the betterment, safety, and well-being of society; they are acting out of a need to keep things normalized. The response to this man wielding a knife while in his wheelchair did not fit the crime.

It’s even better that this happened outside of a MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY! Cops need to have better training SPECIFICALLY in working with people with mental health issues. Did this guy actually pose a threat to these officers? Maybe, but probably not. Did the cops recognize this man was less of a threat to others than to himself? No. But if they had, they would have seen that shooting this man was exacerbating the problem, not resolving it.

I hate to make mass generalizations, but this is what I’ve been seeing for years now. Cops need to be more confident in their ability to talk down potentially violent members WITHOUT having to use needless brute force which will just further agitate the person. Do they go through non-violent crisis intervention training to understand how to effectively address these NON-THREATENING situations? Because to me, this just looks like the man who fired his gun was acting out of an adrenaline surge. Watch the video… do you disagree?

This past month, I had the opportunity to attend a screening of a documentary that is premiering in this year’s LA Film Fest. “Lost Angels” is a documentary that chronicles the life of several of the thousands of people who live in the 4.5 square miles of central LA known as Skid Row. We are given a tour through the unique and complex lives of those who are normally categorized and dismissed as “homeless,” “addicts,” or “mentally ill.” Viewers are given a window into the hopes, fears, barriers, and strengths of the strong and talented individuals that call Skid Row their home.

What I love about the documentary is the life that is captured– in the eyes and voices of those telling their stories… in the snapshots of those dancing and singing in the streets… even depicted in the artwork that adorns the walls of missions and churches. Those who call Skid Row their home take ownership of it. Their home appears different from yours and mine… but it is something many take pride in. Viewers are walked through the people-filled streets as a homeowner would walk guests on a tour through a house. I felt I had been taken in by the wonderful individuals who shared their stories and still feel a deep connection to each person who shared. I only wish I could share with them my joy and tears from my journey to their home.

Definitely check it out if you can.

Today, my heart was reminded of the people I work with and for daily. I saw them with renewed eyes.

Cheryl is an older woman who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. She hears persecutory voices harassing her… constantly, as far as I can tell. She is often curt, obstinate, and argumentative– which I can very easily attribute to the fact she almost certainly is always hearing negative voices. I will admit, Cheryl’s argumentative nature has gotten the best of me more than once.

Today was one of those days. I ran into Cheryl and she already flying off the handle– screaming and swearing and provoking arguments with anyone who passed by. I walked her outside the building and tried my best to be patient while she got all her screaming out. I’m no mental health professional, but sometimes I really do believe it feels a little better to blow off steam. So I allowed her that room– begrudgingly. I resented the time I stood there with Cheryl, waiting for her to finish yelling before I intervened. Still, she quieted before long, we had a brief discussion on stress tolerance, and then carried on with our task for the day.

I wont bore you guys with the details of our outing, but while we in line at a store, I found myself zoning out. Everything else had just become so much more alluring to me than devoting my full attention to this woman. Each time I tried to bring my attention back to her, I found my eyes attracted to the cashier mechanically scanning items… the bright, sunny day outside… the hangnail on my left thumb…

At one point I found my attention directed at a balloon someone was holding in the line over. It was a brightly-lettered happy birthday balloon with curling ribbon cascading from it’s knot. I forced my attention back to Cheryl and found myself wondering when her birthday was. If I remembered correctly, it had passed recently without my having so much as wished her a happy day. Yikes.

The memory of her previous birthday then flashed into my mind. She had come into the office, cheerful for a change because it was her birthday… but again, no one had remembered. She kept inviting people to join her in running to the store for grab milk so she could have a special birthday lunch. Later that day, I saw her in the deli– alone– sitting behind a half-pint carton of milk and downing spoonfuls of Frosted Flakes. And that had been her birthday celebration.

It struck me anew the lonely life this woman must lead. Not only does she fear everyone she is around because of the voices she hears… but her defensive actions prevent her from making friends. She must be in her late 50s, yet she has no significant other or children, few if any friends, and an estranged family who doesn’t know how to support her any longer. This woman’s mental illness is truly keeping her in isolation, obliterating her chances of having a positive social support network.

Loneliness: The forgotten side effect of mental illness. Who wants to be without community, love, and support?

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Accused of forging his identity and living in the United States illegally, Mark Lyttle was driven across the Texas border and dumped in Mexico. The North Carolina native, who didn’t even speak Spanish, tried repeatedly to prove his citizenship… yet no one followed up on his story. Having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and a learning disability, it is likely his attempts to advocate for himself were brushed off and misunderstood by the courts and officials who “processed” him.

While facing deportation is a difficult and lengthy process, those with mental illnesses facing the system have an increased amount of barriers. Psychosis, delusions, low frustration tolerance, and other mental health symptoms can easily stand in the way of a person appropriately (or even clearly) expressing his or her case.

The Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union are urging authorities to provide needed services to those detained persons with mental illnesses– services that address the lack of appointed counsel, inflexible detention policies, inadequately coordinated services, and insufficient guidance for judges on handling people with mental disabilities.

At least 15% of the 392,000 cases processed by the US Immigration Courts involved persons with various mental illnesses. Check out this article (which inspired this blog post) that highlights the problems that have thus-far been encountered.

This article got me thinking about the multiple institutions that aren’t adequately prepared to provide services to persons with mental illnesses. One of my clients right now is trying to appeal a loan on her record that went to collections– she claims she has no idea why she is being billed for this loan. Based off my interactions with her, I don’t doubt she was conned into applying for a loan and then out of her money. It’s happened before. But her mental illness makes it so difficult for her to coherently string two phrases together, let alone plead her case to any sort of credit official. I wouldn’t be surprised she she ends up lost in the system with a mounting debt that she never can clear.

These are just two systems that are difficult to navigate. What about the systems that you and I encounter daily? Will many managers be willing to rent to potential tenants who, out of their high anxiety, continuously call and plead for apartments? Will employers jump at the opportunity to hire someone who can’t manage to keep a job due to his bouts of depression which confine him to home for weeks at a time? Will any teachers stand for a student experiencing active psychosis in the classroom? How, then, are we to accommodate persons who need an extra hand in finding housing, employment, and education– 3 factors which undeniably contribute to one’s quality of life?

…Perhaps an appropriate question for the week we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act?

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I’ve rarely been so giddy to see an episode of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart* (of which I am an avid fan). The show recently featured Rosalynn Carter, the former first lady, who wrote a book titled Within Our Reach. In the book, Carter explores lessons learned during her 39 years of devotion in the mental health field: recovery is possible for all with mental illnesses and all deserve the opportunity to move forward from illness to lead fulfilling lives.

What I found most encouraging about this was Carter’s passion to promote awareness about mental illnesses. It’s more common than you’d expect– a good 1 in 4 Americans suffer from mental illness, according to Carter.

I prefer to think of mental health as a spectrum (just like she said!) There’s mental wellness and mental illness, and at various times ALL PEOPLE move up and down and around the spectrum. There are times when depressive symptoms are more evident. There are times when anxiety runs rampant. There are times when no symptoms are visible. There are times when psychosis occurs.

Mental health is really much more like physical health, in that matter. We all experience some form of physical wellness, and physical illness. We aren’t afraid to treat our symptoms when we are physically ill– why should we fear to treat our symptoms when we are mentally so?

*[I was going to find a clip of just the interview, but then I decided just to include the entire episode because, let's face it, Jon Stewart is awesome. But if you just want to see the interview, it starts at 13:45.]

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