Crazy, Insane?

*Updated* (with the usual edits)

This morning after writing an initial version of the following and sending it out to some of those on my e-networks and, then after doing a rewrite, I submitted this version for publication as commentary to Counterpoint:

Crazy, Insane?

by Morgan W. Brown

Stigma defined:

In sociological theory, a stigma is an attribute, behavior, or reputation which is socially discrediting in a particular way: it causes an individual to be mentally classified by others in an undesirable, rejected stereotype rather than in an accepted, normal one.

via Wikipedia, here.

Although it is not really anything new when it comes to both society in general as well as within political circles at various levels and, the news media that covers such, it seems it is becoming even more common than usual for people and particularly the news media to describe or term in one manner or another and for one reason or another anyone as crazy or insane who they or others disagree with, do not understand or fail to accept.

Recent examples include the embattled Governor of Illinois who is being publicly tried within the press as well as the person he appointed to serve as U.S Senator to fill the seat of President-elect Barack Obama. However there are a multitude of examples provided on nearly a daily basis.

It also seems that these portrayals go completely unchecked. The problem is real and serious and it is just not one of being too sensitive about it or one of being politically correct either.

Not only are these stigmatizing (read: prejudicial) acts of negative labeling and public shaming damaging, they also raise issues concerning how, why and when our society labels others as crazy, insane or mentally ill anyone who they might disagree with, do not understand or fail to accept in one form or another, which is more of a political, moral or social form of oppression and exclusion in order to justify prejudice and discrimination.

These stigmatizing and prejudicial acts in fact act to neutralize and limit those so labeled, causing others to instantly question anything the person says or does, in effect marginalizing them by limiting their free speech rights as well as other rights, since through this process they are not to be taken seriously and this appears to be the aim.

As many already well know, this behavior then has an effect of how people think and act regarding those who become diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illnesses as well as how people so labeled perceive themselves. something which can also have the potential of adding to the numbers of those who attempt or actually commit suicide.

In addition, these matters should also raise issues, concerns and questions about psychiatric diagnosing, labels and labeling in general, whom gets diagnosed or labeled and who does the labeling as well as the actual basis or roots such is based or judged upon.

While there are those who are working on these and related matters, there remains a growing need to find various means to begin to push back against the free for all taking place, particularly via the media in a variety of ways.

This is something that has been concerning me for quite some time now, but the continued daily bombardments of these forms of negative labeling and public humilation with political overtones is getting too overwhelming to be allowed to go virtually unchecked and not call such into question.

Concerning what to do or how to do so, at the moment I have no suggestions to offer, yet it is my hope the means can be found.

One approach of course is to exercise what one person had once mentioned to me in such instances: i.e., something along the lines of:

Free speech that bothers us can only be countered with more free speech.

These are among some of my thoughts on the subject, what are yours?

*Note*: made several edits for the purposes of clarification and readability; last updated on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6:54 AM (EST).