CTD Responds to Sandy Hook Elementary Tragedy
It’s in the nature of Americans to try to make sense out of the senseless events of December 14th in Newtown, CT. And it's in the nature of the mass media to bring as much information to the public about those events as quickly as possible. But in those efforts, stereotypes about people with disabilities are proliferating. For people seeking answers, those stereotypes can lead to mistaken and even harmful conclusions. In the wake of this tragedy, the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities joins the voices of compassion and sorrow for the families and community of Newtown. And we would like to address a few points concerning disability and violence.
In this critical moment, it is imperative that Americans immediately dismiss any connection between violence and autism, a disability that Adam Lanza may or may not have had. First of all, for the media to report an unconfirmed diagnosis is a disservice to the public. Second, let’s be clear: there is no evidence linking autism to premeditated violence, as the Autism Society has emphasized.
Another topic that begs discussion is the relationship between violence and mental illness in general. Research does not support the idea that people with a mental illness are more violent than others. But despite this, Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan asked, "how do we target people with mental illness who use firearms?" This uninformed reaction singles out a group with no inherently violent tendency, and it is not the answer to preventing another tragedy.
On the issue of gun control, CTD does not take a stance in favor or against. We do maintain that an individual should not be put in a situation of choosing between lawful gun ownership and seeking treatment for a mental health issue. And we recognize that the Kaiser Health Foundation ranks Texas second to last in dollars spent on mental health services per capita.
CTD supports changes to public policy and practice that will prevent future mass killings. Part of that change should be to repair our disintegrating social safety net and perhaps intervene before such events occur. And we believe that changes based on unwarranted discrimination against people with disabilities will not address the root causes of such events.
Media Kit
Members of the media interested in leveraging our expertise or scheduling an interview about an issue or upcoming event are encouraged to contact Chase Bearden at info@txdisabilities.org.
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