PrintJanuary 24, 2011
The Real Danger of the Madman
The horrific shooting in Arizona has brought several cauldrons to a boil, but it has also called some new attention to a rather old fact: in modern society, those with potentially dangerous mental illnesses are subject to extremely little governmental control. In addition to the direct hazards posed by this state of affairs, most conservatives are well aware that it is a major contributing factor to any number of other serious social difficulties, including the "homeless problem." Of course, the individual in this specific case may actually be a simple monster. On the other hand, he may be truly out of touch with reality. Either way, it is very tempting for reasonable people to use an event like this as grounds for revisiting the issue of mental illness and calling for a reassertion of our control over those with potentially dangerous afflictions. But anyone pondering this issue would do well to evaluate the matter with the utmost care before...(Read Full Article)
