On behalf of the Mental Health community, I would like to thank the general public for offering us the spotlight in the wake of the Charleston shootings, but we will go ahead and take a hard pass.

Let’s keep that light firmly planted on the Hate-Filled Racist community, where it belongs.

Because these are in fact two distinct, separate communities.

The mentally ill are far– FAR– more likely to hurt themselves than they are to hurt anyone else. They are also FAR more likely to be the victims of violent crimes than the perpetrators.

Racists are responsible for mass killings and genocide throughout this country, throughout the world, throughout our history.

I’m all for bringing awareness to the mental health cause, and encouraging the healing of a broken system, but let it be for the right reasons. Because taking action on mental illness only in the wake of mass violence just perpetuates the stigma– and stigma, without fail, is the greatest barrier to seeking help.

So back to this problem of racism, bigotry, and hate, please.

How are we going to fix that?

It’s Not About Mental Illness: The big lie that always follows mass shootings by white males.