safe space

 Heard on the news last evening that America is having a mental health crisis. No kidding, I've known that for quite a while now, people are nuts! But this story centered around the mayor of New York, who has a mental health crisis of his own in my opinion, authorizing the apprehension and retention of those considered to be mentally ill. This is mostly centered on the homeless population. I'm old enough to remember when that wasn't an uncommon practice, committing a person to a mental institution by a judge that is. The person had to commit some sort of crime to be admitted though. It's true that in some cases the "charges" may or may not have been valid but that's not the point. Using that as a method to clear the homeless from the street however is taking it to another level. Is it a crime to be homeless? That's tough to justify when the state becomes the enablers for that condition. On one hand the state says those folks have all the protection of the Constitution and are entitled to do as they please. Then on the other hand the state is going to declare them mentally unstable and confine them for treatment. Well, it is a sticky wicket to say the least. 

 Just what is behind this mental health crisis in America? That's the question to be answered. In my opinion it is because we have raised generations of dependents, not independents. Once it was determined that everyone should get the prize regardless of ability, that was the beginning. People started to feel entitled to everything and that if they didn't get what they wanted it wasn't fair. Yeah, well life isn't fair. It isn't fair that others have more money, are better looking, and have more talent than I do. I can either accept that as fact or cry about it. The only sane approach is to accept the facts. There is an awful lot of denying the facts going on in America right now. They have even given it a name, alternative facts! Adam Schiff, one of our esteemed Congressmen, in response to testimony said, " we cannot accept this excessive factualism." Too much truth? Yeah, we are having a mental health crisis. 

 In generations past the lesson was completely different. We were taught to "get over it." God helps those who help themselves was a common mantra when I was growing up.  I was also taught you had to able to depend upon yourself before you could depend upon anyone else. If you want to be free, you have to be self-sufficient. In short, be able and willing to do for yourself. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote an essay all about that titled Self Reliance. "What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think" (Emerson) Emerson was writing about those that follow the crowd instead of thinking for themselves. I think that is the biggest problem we face today, that is the mental health crisis! So many people are consumed with looking for someone to "help" them they aren't doing anything for themselves. Robin Williams said, "Self-Reliance is the key to a vigorous life. A man must look inward to find his own answers." Way too many looking elsewhere these days. Looking to twitter for answers, looking to the evening news, and looking to politicians. It's enough to make anyone go nuts.

 "You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.” (Abraham Lincoln) Old Abe hit the nail on the head with that bit of wisdom. It was applicable then and still applicable today. We need to teach the children mental strength. Knock it off with all this talk of a "safe space" there is no such thing. The world isn't a safe place! Deal with it! The only safe space to be found is within yourself. If you are depending on others to provide that safe space, you will never be safe, simple as that.