Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Mental illness epidemic has kids killing kids. Uvalde school shooting is only the latest

William Luther/San Antonio Expre/TNS
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board
Tue, May 24, 2022, 6:53 PM·

Not even two weeks ago, it was Buffalo, a horrific racist attack on innocent Black shoppers by a warped 18-year-old.

Today, it's Uvalde in South Texas, an inexplicable assault on elementary school children, perhaps as young as 7, also by a man still in his teens.

Many details remain unclear, and sweeping early conclusions are dangerous. But we know we have a mental health crisis with our youth. We know there are no easy answers. And we know we must act.

We'll fight, as we always do, over guns. We'll examine how the shooter got into the building and debate whether we can turn our schools into tighter fortresses.

We'll examine the law enforcement response, including why the Uvalde ISD's small police force wasn't able to neutralize an obvious threat. We'll dig into whether the shooter sent signals that he was capable of this and whether someone should have recognized them and acted.

We don't know yet what may have driven this particular teenager to such a heinous act. But we've known that more youths feel angry, disconnected, perhaps even hopeless. The COVID pandemic supercharged those problems. The isolation, the loss of meaningful social connection, the dependence on screens are a toxic mix when added to the inherent difficulties of adolescence.

Whatever else these mass violence events are, they are a screaming symptom of our overall epidemic of mental illness, at all ages. We must address it forthrightly.

Yes, guns must be part of the discussion. Sadly, many of the tropes that are rolled out in these circumstances are true: It was clearly far too easy for the shooter to obtain weapons. But he violated any number of laws already on the books and shouldn't have even had the handgun he used.

The U.S. is the only country to regularly suffer this kind and level of gun violence. But we don't do enough to keep guns out of the hands of those who might be dangerous.

The country is awash in guns, but the vast majority of them are legally and safely kept.

An appalling mass casualty event understandably draws attention. But American youths are quietly suffering every day, and many will harm themselves if not others.

We'll know more soon about what, if anything, could have prevented the Uvalde shooting. But we already know things we can do to help avoid more - in our families and communities, not just in our governments.

Will we do them?

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Dora Hates You

True. The stigma around mental illness is huge, but starting to fade. Many of us may know someone mentally ill. Getting that person to admit it, and into counceling can be impossible. Counceling, support from good people and meds. can help a lot. But, many parents don't want to admit there is a problem. And many mentally ill will say, "I don't have a problem. Having said that, guns are too easy to get. No training, no license, just cash and carry. Something needs to change. The gun Lobby has too much power. The repubs don't care enough about solving the problem, to DO SOMETHING. Politics first. Party first. American citizens second. Sad.