This diary should NOT be construed as a perp defense. Only an explanation and a look as to why. Now, details are sketchy, but we all know at this point the man had mental issues. He took hostage and committed a crime that terrified and affected is victims' lives forever. Why the sympathy just because he had "issues". So what? Well, the man had flares, it doesn't look like he had a bomb, and he wanted to speak to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. That much we DO know. What did he desperately want to convey to her?
But there is speculation that is supported by hearsay and circumstatial eveidence, that his mental issues were NOT being properly cared for by "the system", meaning, THE GOVERNMENT. Of course this is all just speculation and I could be totally wrong and he could just be a guy that wanted publicity for "kicks".
But let's assume my premise is true (and it looks like that may be the case). And let's consider 50 million people in this country lack even basic health care insurance, including mental health coverage. In addition, of those who DO have some kind of health insurance, no matter how shitty the coverage, many of those "covered" lack a mental health insurance coverage component to their plan. I do not have the figures in front of me, but, there is a consensus that the mental health crisis in this country is a magnitude - or several more magnitudes than just the physical-condition side of the health care crisis that we are now in the midst in the United States. (hey, I have to mention Reagan here, since he began all this with his shutdown of government funded programs in the early 1980s).
An often over-looked aspect of UHC is mental health coverage. And it doesn't take an expert to be aware that having optimum mental health vastly improves the overall condition of one's physical health. If you approach it from that aspect, sound mental health makes one less likely to need the other aspects of he health care industry like treatment for heart disease and cancer as well as the obvious: gastro-intestinal problems.
Whatever ends up happening vis-a-vis highlighting the mental health care crisis in this country as a result of this hostage case in NH, it is my hope that the good to come from it is the exposure of this crisis to the mainstream media and the general voting public.
I am NOT excusing this man's criminal behavior, nor do I feel that he should avoid getting punishment from the criminal justice system that is appropriate in this case, but I do believe that this man is due - finally - to get proper mental health treatment that is so lacking in America right now. Since the freed hostages are indeed safe, it is my hope that, with this incident, the candidates - as well as the general public - put mental health on the front burner. If they don't, incidents such as these may become way more common and with much worse outcomes.
Is it any accident that this man chose Hillary Clinton's campaign office to take part in this, being she is the candidate most associated with UHC? I hope she paid attention. Btw, I do not wish to convey in this diary any sense of making excuses for this man's actions. It was reprehensible and there is no excuse for this behavior, mentally ill and desperate or not. However, it is incumbent upon us, and, especially the national politicians to take notice and DO something about the severe mental health crisis engulfing the country as we speak.