Separating politics, mental illness

Posted January 03, 2024 12:28 pm

This is in response to a letter by Ed Schmitt headlined “A homework assignment for voters in 2024.”

Using mental illness to explain Trump’s behavior is a poor approach. It results in less understanding of biological, no-fault brain illnesses and increases the stigma of those who truly suffer from them.

Using mental illness as a way to vilify Trump vilifies others by association.

Don’t get me wrong. I do not like Trump. He’s a traitor to Constitution and country. He is a threat to the republic in which we live. But he’s not mentally ill.

Mentally ill people don’t choose their illness any more than one chooses cancer. Donald Trump is purely evil by choice and by privilege

Voting in 2024 is a choice between democracy or authoritarian fascism.

I would advise the letter writer to learn more about what mental illnesses are and more importantly, what they are not. Learn more from the National Alliance on Mental Illness,

Louis S. Guagenti

Arlington Heights

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