I have no idea what's going on with #Kanye but can we stop insinuating that he has 'mental health problems'. He appears to simply be another right wing lunatic and a nazi-sympathizer.
I spent much of my career working with folk with pyschosis and major mental health disorders - none were hateful people or had an inclination towards nazism. They were ill.
It damages an already targeted and stigmatized group and further alienates those with geneuine mental health conditions.
@Florence His bipolar disorder may affect his impulse control, but not the underlying hate that is festering in his head and heart.
@MsJudyJetson The impulse control thing is really dependent on what kind of medication he's on for his bipolar (if he has bipolar, which he claims to have). But his behavior at the moment doesn't seem bipolar-induced, he just appears to be following an increasing number of people into fascism. I think it's easier for people to believe it's a mental health manifestation as otherwise they have to think he really means it (which he probably does), and that's just a horrific thing to realise.
@Florence I think a lot of people (and I'm one, tbh) believe you have to have some amount of mental illness to embrace such hateful ideology. So, knowing he self describes as having Bipolar Disorder gives a handy bucket. Doesn't make it right. But does show how hard we try and fail to understand what draws people to these kind of hateful ideologies (much less find ways to fight it)
@MsJudyJetson Spot on. You articjulated that perfectly. It's a useful 'excuse' for people who'd prefer not to face the existing reality of the far right.
@Florence It's the question: why does the alt-right even exist? What are we doing wrong that we are raising so many people in a way that results in this festering hatred?
@MsJudyJetson And the question 'where were they radicalized' that we don't seem to want to answer.
We ask it about foreign terrorists all the time, but not often about our own home-grown terrorists.
And you can understand why when the entire GOP have difficulty really standing up and condeming it. It's almost become 'legitimized' which is a terrible indictment on so many things.
@nopuppet_007 @Florence The thing that really chafes my shorts about that is that news anchors know better. They are deliberately letting all the hate language slide because of ratings. So, they are indirectly fanning the flames for $, which has to be about the lowest ring of Hell. It's completely irresponsible. F all the news these days. Asholes.
@Florence @MsJudyJetson by not being questioned, AT ALL by network news, it is getting normalized as well. They keep viewing these terroristic actions as singular events rather than label them as right wing extremism - yet they then have the gall to turn around and point it out in other countries.
And the same people who were beating middle easterners after 9/11 are the ones that are directing it at their neighbors now.