We are a Sick Society. What are we going to do about it? We have become a society experiencing major mental health and behavioral problems. The evidence for these are the ever-increasing population rates of violence and drug addiction. Both problems have already risen to the level of national emergencies affecting primarily the young (15-44).
Because these domestic public health problems are killing thousands of our youth annually they pose clear and present threats to the continued prosperity of our Nation. Its become like the old cliché from the comic strip: “we have met the enemy and he is us” (Pogo). And yet our government is inordinately focused on eradicating foreign Islamic radical terrorism, whose threat pales in comparison. Instead of enacting legislation to effectively confront these dual domestic epidemics our ‘elected’ government officials are paralyzed by political gridlock and bitter infighting. They are weak and the majority of our representatives lack the character to do what is right for our country for fear of losing the support from special interests.
What must we do?
First, we must reassess our national priorities, hold our representatives accountable to finding solutions for them and replace them when they fail. This means doing our civic duty by learning about these problems and voting for representatives on the basis of their record of past achievements and character — not their ‘popularity’. This also means changes to laws governing campaign financing.
Second, modern military technology has advanced to the point of allowing even the most basic hand-held rifles to become weapons of mass destruction. There is an irrational obsession with, and proliferation of, these types of ‘military grade’ modern assault weaponry in our communities and we have failed to enact sensible gun control to limit access to them. We must change that reality.
Third, in concert with sensible gun control we must attempt to tone down the level of gratuitous acts of violence our children are exposed to on a daily basis on TV, movies, online and in video games.
Fourth, we must redirect the minds and activities of our idle youth towards better educational and training programs, so as to get them off the streets and into better paying jobs.
Lastly, we have failed to enact sensible health care legislation to address the fundamental problem that drives both these public health crises namely, lack of adequate coverage for mental and behavioral health, including drug rehabilitation services. In the midst of an unprecedented and terrifying level of drug overdose deaths and extreme hateful acts of mass murders, how can we justify the legalization of marijuana for ‘recreational’ use or allow the continued ready availability of weapons that belong only on a battlefield. Now is not the time to add yet another mood altering drug with clear abuse and adverse mental health repercussions to the social sphere.
In conclusion, these public health epidemics have been growing in severity for several years and they will destroy us if we don’t act now.
#assaultrifles
#ar15assaultrifle
#violence
#drugoverdoseepidemic
#guncontrol
#marijuanalegalization
#publichealthemergency