The politics of Compassion. Mental illness is more widely discussed today amongst entertainers and athletes more than ever before, yet it’s still taboo in black communities.
The majority of black families have at least one person with a mental illness whether diagnosed or not.
Rather than have an intervention to get them personal help we keep them in our basements and attics. This could be a subconscious decision stemming from our distrust of medical professionals and Doctors.
We take on the responsibility of healing relatives from mental illness from love and embarrassment rather than professional help.
The paradox with this is, despite the majority of families experiencing this, the family of serial killer Michael Madsen never received that empathy.
The vigil for the mother of serial killer Michael Madsen was different. It filled was with a dozen or so activist and one member of the community. No teddy bears, balloons being released into the sky, or candles drying the tears of loved ones holding them.
Inner city republican member Donna walker-brown spoke to us about holding the councilmen of the ward accountable. Getting funding for mental health is crucial for preventing these situations that could terrorize an entire community.
Part of this is recognizing the stigma and our perception of mental illness before we even advocate these issues. Dealing with our own demons from childhood may prevent and stagnate us however.
Like Michael, Diane was also a victim of physical and sexual abuse. Today 3 generations of trauma unresolved, with the son of Michael Madison murdering his grandmother. Also injured were a 10-year-old girl and her cousin. Who unfortunately may continue to bear the stain of this family despite being innocent children.
If it bleeds it leads, became the mantra of news media all over the United States as news became 24 hours rather than morning, noon and evening centered.. The sensationalism of the media is as American as baseball. It’s subconsciously embedded into our psyche.
Before were old enough to vote were influenced by the politics of compassion,which will influence who we vote. We are programmed on how to respond to certain stories rather than question our response. Is it our natural response or a program?.
When we say we love or care about humanity there is an unspoken condition that follows. A “but” or, an “As long as they don’t” offend our ideas and beliefs they earn our empathy.
In the age of activism its even worse. Everyone thinks their problems are worse than everyone else’s. Fake altruism tells us internally that we’re checking off the list of what’s socially acceptable. Altruism and especially activism were never supposed to be politically correct and socially accepted. If the masses are becoming more engaged in their communities yet not much has changed, what does this tell us?.
Activism was about forging your own path and following your heart, not what’s socially acceptable on social media. As much as we’ve like to think that were rebelling against the norm were deceiving ourselves., Our innate desire to be accepted by our community is what’s holding us back.
The politics of compassion have been deeply embedded in us since pre-school. Pledge of allegiance, children’s books and nursery rhymes giving us a framework for compassion. It doesn’t matter if you grew up watching t.v. or social media. Were all responding to programs and algorithms to the point where we’ve become one. The moment we can admit and become aware of our selfishness in our altruism and activism. The sooner our true potential for humanity will become exposed. It’s so ironic that anything could offend anyone nowadays where people are typing on eggshells.
Yet a family who lost a patriarch along with 2 children who were injured receives no empathy because she “raised a serial killer”?. As if whoopings weren’t commonplace in black households over 30 years ago. As if physical and sexual abuse weren’t commonplace in black households to this very day. These are the very same issues activist advocate and speak out against yet when victims repeat the behavior done to them they receive no compassion. How many untreated physically and sexually abused people are there in the world?
Just because someone is a serial killer doesn’t make the entire family serial killers. By neglecting the grieving and mourning of the family we are socially conditioning them to develop mental illness, become outcasts and anti-social. .While we voice our opinions on the injustices being done to us, and at times being easy on our oppressor. The least we could do is have the same compassion for ourselves as a community that we demand from others.
Social media is exposing our politics of compassion more than any point in history. Before it was a voting sticker, a t-shirt, now it’s exposed for the whole world to see on the internet. So much so that psychologist claim were suffering from compassion fatigue. This is a result of commonly seeing and hearing about unspeakable suffering. Our numbness to the suffering of others is intertwined with who we choose to actually show support for, i.e.the politics of compassion.
Independent thinker Sam Grays created Resonance News to Empower rather than entertain viewers with true objective media. No more news that insults your intelligence with just Right or left wing division.