Marijuana Tax Stamps

Posts Tagged ‘shooting’

On March 4, 2010, John Bendell shot two police officers at the entrance to the Pentagon. He and I have a feared and very personal trait in common.

Like me – and 5.7 million other Americans – Mr. Bendell had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. However, unlike Mr. Bendell, most of those 5.7 million and I have never committed a crime and are not violent.

The shooting at the Pentagon was a tragedy. Two police officers were wounded and Mr. Bendell was fatally shot as officers justifiedly returned fire. The fact that Mr. Bendell had bipolar disorder can in no way excuse his evil act. However, it would be a grave error to conclude from this crime that there is a causal link between bipolar and violence. And it would promote a prejudicial myth about the vast majority of people who have bipolar and are not violent.

Dr. Igor Galenker, M.D. (Director of The Family Center for Bipolar Disorder, Beth Israel medical Center) states, “(W)hen people with bipolar disorder are in treatment and do not have symptoms, there is no difference in violence between those people or anybody else in society.” (See: “What is the Relationship Between bipolar disorder and Violence” abcnews.go.com)

Dr. Galenker also says, “The majority of people with bipolar disorder are not violent. And those people who are, are typically in the midst of either a manic or depressive episode and drinking or using drugs.” id.

Dr. John M. Grohol, Psy.D. (CEO and founder of Psych Central) concurs with Dr. Galenker and notes that, “(Y)ou will find the same association (between violence and substance abuse) in people without mental illness (as in people who do have a mental illness). (See: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/05/22/no-significant-relationship-between-violence-crime-and-mental-illness/)

Given the statements of Dr. Galenker and Dr. Grohol one may ask whether there is actually a greater link between violence and substance abuse than any hastily presumed link between violence and bipolar. And it is interesting to note that little more than one month prior to the Pentagon shooting, Mr. Bendell was arrested for possession of two ounces of marijuana.

I shared an illness with the man who shot two police officers at the Pentagon. And, as I discuss in my book, I have had to learn ways to manage my emotions, including anger. However – like millions of others who have bipolar – I participate in regular treatment for my disorder, I do not abuse drugs or alcohol, and I do not commit acts of violence. And I ask you not to judge 5.7 million people by the single evil act of one man who happened to be diagnosed with the same medical condition.

1 held in Palm Bay shooting
PALM BAY — Police arrested a 22-year-old man about 6 p.m. Friday night in connection with a shooting earlier in the day at a Palm Bay shopping plaza.

Read more on Florida Today

Quiet neighborhood rocked by shooting, questionable activity
Quiet neighborhood rocked by shooting, questionable activity – Burlington police spent Tuesday investigating a sh

Read more on Burlington Times-News

Detroit officer killed, 4 wounded in shooting
A 25-year-old man with a history of tussling with police shot and killed one officer Monday in a gun battle at a suspected drug house that left four other officers wounded, authorities said.

Read more on AP via Yahoo! News