"Crazy people are going to be crazy no matter what you do." These are the words of Rep. Betty Anne Schwerd, the Republican incumbent representing District 10 on the Otsego County Board.
Schwerd made the outrageous comment in reference to the 2010 budget. While some county services, such as road maintenance, are essential, Schwerd reasoned, others such as mental-health services are less so. Then Schwerd stated her unfortunate opinion.
It is one thing to differ on what services are more valuable when parsing a budget during a time of economic crisis. It is another thing to disrespect a large segment of the population with an ignorant, insulting comment.
Mental illness has long been unjustly stigmatized in society. Thankfully, the views of and treatments for mental illness have changed.
According to Mental Health America, during the course of a year, more than 54 million Americans are affected by mental disorders. Many disorders are treatable with medication and therapy, allowing millions to function and succeed in society. It is the prejudice of others, not mental illness, that holds back these individuals.
As Mental Health America noted, mental illness is a biological phenomenon no different than cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Yet those undergoing chemotherapy or taking medication for heart disease rarely face the same discrimination. Statements such as Schwerd's do not help to breach this unfortunate gap in public sentiment.
We hope those who feel inclined to agree with Schwerd's comment re-examine their feelings toward those with mental illness. We would also direct them to The Campaign for Mental Health Recovery (http://whatadifference.samhsa.gov), an initiative by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that "improves the general understanding of mental illness, promotes recovery and encourages help-seeking behaviors across the age span."
One piece of advice on the campaign's website could apply to statements such as Schwerd's: "Don't label people with words like crazy,' wacko,' or loony' or define them by their diagnosis. "¦ it's important to make a distinction between the person and the illness." We couldn't agree more.
To have a local representative spew such invective toward a segment of our population is infuriating. We would hope that if Schwerd is re-elected as an Otsego County Board representative, she won't base her decisions on allocating funds to mental-health services on her apparent prejudice against "crazy people." As far as we can tell, the only thing crazy in this situation is Schwerd's prejudice.
