Broken Mental Health System

Many factors play into societal violence. The welfare state is a significant player, and the one thing the Clintons got right was the notion of “super-predators,” where each generation begets another with more sociopathic tendencies. But here, I want to focus on our totally broken mental health system and some theorization on how it is driving violence.

Beginning in the 1950s, the ACLU decided that long-term, secure psychiatric hospitals were cruel and set about shutting them down. By the 1980s, few remained, and the mental health system began relying almost exclusively on 72-hour “holds,” commonly called an IVC (involuntary commitment) or Baker Act in Florida.

Healthcare Is a Revolving Door

The system devolved into a revolving door band-aid approach, relying on a slew of psychotropic drugs but lacking proper therapy and follow-up. You may recall that ADD/ADHD was the “rage” in the 80s and 90s. The Healthcare Industrial Complex diagnosed and drugged every kid to feed their system. In the late 1990s, when I became a cop, it seemed the American Psychiatric Association (APA) had revised many diagnostics in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM).

Why Was Manic Depression Renamed Bipolar?

One condition they renamed, I recall well, is that manic-depressive became bipolar. Well, what’s in a name, right? In the early 2000s, I also noticed that Big Pharma released numerous new drugs, and as a result, they suddenly labeled everyone with a mood swing bipolar (see also “Labeling Theory”). In the latter half of my career, I noticed everyone seemed to be labeled (diagnosed, cough cough) with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD/PTS).

How Are Medications Affecting Violence?

What I theorize is happening is that the non-stop barrage of constantly changing behavioral and psychiatric (psychotropic) medications is adversely affecting many patients’ brains. We all know how alcoholics need more and more alcohol as tolerance builds. Diet pills become ineffective for the same reason.

We know narcotic pain medications bind to pain receptors to trick the body into thinking it is in more pain than it is, creating dependency and addiction. What I think is happening with psychotropics is similar. The drugs are damaging or altering the brain, so patients lacking the therapy they really need are constantly on and off medications, getting worse. Of course, Big Pharma will not research this because it would affect profits.

Mass Shootings and Mental Disorders

Time and time again, in “mass shootings,” we find shooters with long psychiatric histories who have been on and off medications. What we must do is rebuild mental health from the ground up, stop total reliance on medications, focus on other therapies, and bring back long-term psychiatric hospitals to provide actual treatment for those with serious mental illnesses that can lead to violence.

Failed Mental Health Approach

As long as we keep trying a failed approach, we will see increasing problems with violence caused by those suffering from mental illnesses. Such is my opinion! If you’re interested, I discuss this in more detail in my Second Amendment book, INFRINGED.

What Does a Well-Regulated Militia Mean?

As simply as I can explain, “militia” basically means a smaller, lesser, loosely organized, or ad hoc military force. Militias have played crucial roles in American history. In the Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812, the militia played a decisive role in our victory over the British forces.

In post-WWII Athens, GA, citizens armed up, formed up, and put a stop to a corrupt sheriff and politician who attempted to steal the election by confiscating all the ballot boxes. More recently, we saw “militia” deployed in the Bundy Ranch standoff against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which was running full tyranny over them. The ranchers won without firing a shot, and despite the government’s efforts to prosecute as many as possible, the participants were acquitted.

In my book, INFRINGED: Assaults on Our Natural and Constitutional Rights, I delve deeply into the history and meaning of militia, far more than I can in this article. In essence, “militia” is every citizen capable of and willing to bear arms to support the regular army to repel an invasion or, in the case of tyranny, to resist the government.

We find this meaning in the quotes and writings of great men such as Tench Coxe, who said, “Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves? Is it feared, then, that we shall turn our arms each man against his own bosom. Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American… The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but where I trust in God, it will ever remain in the hands of the people.”

What Did the Founding Fathers Say About the Militia?

Senator Richard Henry Lee (First Congress) said, “A militia, when properly formed, are in fact the people themselves…and include all men (today, of course, we would include women) capable of bearing arms.”

George Mason similarly said, “I ask who are the militia? They consist now of the whole people, except a few public officers.”

We, the People

As you can plainly see, a militia is literally “we the people.” Many more writings bear this out. Of course, all governments, including our own, fear armed civilians and take measures to ensure government dominion and hegemony. Although space doesn’t allow, a review of the various Militia Acts outlines the government’s takeover of state militias, ultimately resulting in the National Guard.

Check your state laws. Parallel to this is that many, if not all, states have specific laws banning paramilitary training. Would that include communications or TACMED?

You get the point. The fact remains: militia is not an evil thing. It is not sinister. It means we, the people being armed, are crucial to preserving our freedoms!

By Stuart Klearman

Credit where credit is due. This condenses and builds upon the works of Brian T. Halonen and Denton Bramwell.

Today, well-regulated’s meaning has changed to mean “government-controlled.” This comes as no surprise, as all governments usurp and centralize power to themselves. However, in the 18^th and 19^th Centuries, the time of the 2^nd Amendment, the phrase meant something quite different. There are plenty of examples in literature from the era to support that when the 2^nd Amendment was written, well-regulated meant more along the lines of operating in a normal or proper state, such as a clock keeping accurate time or a gentleman with good manners.

This was reflected in District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008), where the Supreme Court wrote that well-regulated could mean nothing more than “trained and disciplined.” I’ll take it to a simpler interpretation…it means skilled marksmanship. The entire purpose of having citizen militias required that those heeding the call needed to be proficient with arms.

More recently, in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v Bruen, 597 U.S. (2022), the Supreme Court made it abundantly clear that all gun control laws must be anchored in the laws and traditions of 1791. As one more (overlooked) case which I think applies, consider Miranda v Arizona 384 U.S. 436 (1966), which held that “where rights secured by the Constitution are involved, there can be no legislation or rule-making which would abrogate them.”

What are some of those literary examples which show the proper meaning of well-regulated?

Let’s take a look at a few.

Anne Newport Royall commented in 1822 that Huntsville, Alabama was becoming quite civilized and prosperous, with a “fine fire engine” and a “well-regulated company.” Obviously, well-regulated had to mean trained and efficient.

From William Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair, A Novel Without a Hero 1848, “He did not like to own that he had not as yet been to see his parents and his dear sister Ann—a remissness for which I am sure every well-regulated person will blame the major.”

(Editors note: An engraved first edition of A Novel Without a Hero 1848 will only set you back $6k if you want a copy of your own)

From Trumps: A Novel, Geo. Wm. Curtis, 1861, page 146, “Marriage is a most important relation. Young men cannot be too cautious in regard to it. It is not an affair of the feelings merely; but common sense dictates that when new relations are likely to arise, suitable provision should be made. Hence every well regulated person considers the matter from a pecuniary point of view.”

From The Writings of Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1896, page 292, “And there’s no sort of reason, Betsey, why you shouldn’t exercise self-control and eat your supper,” pursued Miss Dorcas authoritatively. “A well-regulated mind”—- “You needn’t talk to me about a well-regulated mind, Dorcas,” responded Mrs. Betsey in an exacerbated tone. “I haven’t got a well-regulated mind and never had, and never shall have;”

As you can plainly see from these examples, well-regulated did not mean “government-controlled.”