[at-l] Respect for the "Queen of England"

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Rather than recounting war stories of mentally ill folks encountered on
the trail, I'd like to remind folks about the original message
referring to MacKaye's writings and irony regarding the history of
treatment of mentally illness in this country. 

Just as these people are often afraid of us (and capable of some pretty
clever ways to discourage our presence), our culture has long held
stigma and sorrow for these people. Early Americans would ridicule and
ostracize some of these people, convinced satanic possession and sin
was the root of their suffering. We have attempted to control them, as
one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Rush, was proud to display his
restraints and shackles.  Later the humanists attempted to recover
these lost souls by showing human kindness and comfort, but as far away
from others as possible. Early civil rights advocates, such as Dorothea
Dix, petitioned states and localities to develop asylums and
sanitariums rather than allow these ill people to languish in basements
and jails. More recent civil rights advocates have petitioned that such
people deserve real treatment if their liberties are lost due to
illness. 

States have responded by releasing patients to return to communities
without treatment, frequently to be ostracized or accused of criminal
behavior as a result of their symptoms. Jails and prisons have largely
returned to the role Dix attempted to eliminate. Our shelters are one
of the more comfortable respite facilities - and the price is right.

The asylum movement aimed to provide "healthy" labor and community for
the mentally ill committed to their care. They built their wards,
plowed their fields, fell timber, raised cattle and livestock and
harvested a variety of crops. Too often they competed successfully
against local farmers, as inmate labor was cheap and renewable. They
often died forgotten and buried in poorly numbered paupers graves. Much
of the CCC strategy was to remove healthy, hungry, angry and
potentially rebellious laborers to similar islands, safely away from
centers of population and mischief. Of course, that was 10 years after
MacKaye's essay. Asylum life was barely humane compared to shackles,
chains and straightjackets which equally limited their lives and
liberties.

When you encouter such mentally ill and disabled people, recognize that
there is little they can do to change their lot in life, and perhaps
little that prevents you from sharing their station. Cracking jokes at
their expense is about a adult as laughing at traumatized Vietnam Vets
or a stroke victim's drooling. You may not be comfortable with them,
and should attend to that "third ear." There is a time and place for
the war stories, but temper that with respect for those without the
support and resources to rejoin a portion of the mainstream. When
others suggest simplistic solutions, know that they speak lies and
ignorance.

Bill...


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