Mental health programs could prevent tragedy

Have you ever, in today’s world of chaos, seriously wondered what it will take to solve mass killings, health care, abortion issues, racism problems, perpetual political divisiveness, and other serious disruptions to the good American way of life?

To my way of thinking, the source of the problem starts with our thoughts, how we think, what we think and what motivates these thoughts. This is learned. This determines our character and determines our behavior. And all the policies, laws and outer attempts at controlling these learned thoughts will not solve the basic problem.

Aristotle said: “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”

Yes. And this brings us right to the heart of what it takes to solve the many disruptions to the good American way of life.

As relates to Mr. Paddock and the Las Vegas shootings, what we are talking about here is totally relevant. I am not suggesting that every bad and horrible act is going to be avoided. What I am suggesting is that America’s focus and dialogue needs to be upon the real source of the problem. It is not just about adjusting policies and laws to make it harder for the mentally disturbed to carry out their mind-set patterns of behavior.

There are some wonderful mental healing programs in America. They range from treating mind-sets perpetuating addictions to mind-sets perpetuating atrocities. We need to know about these programs. We can build upon them in our local communities. We need to speak about them, write about them, and make them ‘front and center’ in our news programs.

In many people’s view, a shift in philosophy from ‘band-aid’ to ‘source solving’ is what is needed in America today.

Bob McClellan

Polson