No doubt it’s politically incorrect to say this, but I sometimes have the impression that the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other in our attitudes toward the mentally ill.
In the bad old days - and they were truly horrific - we locked up people in antiquated prisons posing as hospitals, so “experts” could use outmoded “treatments” that dehumanized patients who had no real need to be institutionalized. Now, though, community-based services are all the rage, even when those services are inadequate, or overused.
There is a state mental hospital here in Augusta, Maine. Some obviously troubled people who, presumably, have spent time there end up living in our city. They roam the streets day and night, even in the coldest winter weather, talking to themselves and gesticulating wildly at passing motorists. Most or all of these people probably pose no threat to themselves or others. Unless, of course, you happen to view disturbing the peace as a threat to the social order.
One such fellow, whom I have seen many times while walking our dogs, takes regular early morning walks, during which he always shouts random thoughts at the top of his lungs, even in the pre-dawn hours. He's so loud that there have been times when I've heard him coming more than a block away.
I don't know his name, and even if I did, I wouldn't use it here.
Let’s call him Joe.
In the bad old days - and they were truly horrific - we locked up people in antiquated prisons posing as hospitals, so “experts” could use outmoded “treatments” that dehumanized patients who had no real need to be institutionalized. Now, though, community-based services are all the rage, even when those services are inadequate, or overused.
There is a state mental hospital here in Augusta, Maine. Some obviously troubled people who, presumably, have spent time there end up living in our city. They roam the streets day and night, even in the coldest winter weather, talking to themselves and gesticulating wildly at passing motorists. Most or all of these people probably pose no threat to themselves or others. Unless, of course, you happen to view disturbing the peace as a threat to the social order.
One such fellow, whom I have seen many times while walking our dogs, takes regular early morning walks, during which he always shouts random thoughts at the top of his lungs, even in the pre-dawn hours. He's so loud that there have been times when I've heard him coming more than a block away.
I don't know his name, and even if I did, I wouldn't use it here.
Let’s call him Joe.
Sunday morning, I took Martha, one of our dogs, for a walk at 6 a.m. It was dark out. There was no traffic, even on our normally busy street. I saw no lights in any nearby homes. The neighborhood was still asleep. In fact, the only human being in sight was Joe.
As Martha quietly went about her business, sniffing the ground and slowly working her way toward her favorite pooping spot up at the corner, Joe was walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the street, heading our way. I immediately recognized him by his characteristic shuffle.
When she reached her pooping post, Martha got down to business. Ignoring Joe, I pulled a plastic bag from my pocket and waited to scoop things up. By this time, Joe was directly across the street from us. And he was upset.
As Martha quietly went about her business, sniffing the ground and slowly working her way toward her favorite pooping spot up at the corner, Joe was walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the street, heading our way. I immediately recognized him by his characteristic shuffle.
When she reached her pooping post, Martha got down to business. Ignoring Joe, I pulled a plastic bag from my pocket and waited to scoop things up. By this time, Joe was directly across the street from us. And he was upset.
That’s when he started shouting.
“Oh, nice!” he said in a loud, deep voice that carried far and wide. “Didn’t you ever go to kindergarten?”
Like most dogs, Martha is protective of her people. Not surprisingly, she viewed this verbal assault as a threat, and began barking. Loudly. But that didn’t deter Joe. Maybe it encouraged him. He continued with his rant as he shone his flashlight on the slippery sidewalk in front of him.
“No, I’m not all right!" he shouted, as if in response to a question, even though I had not talked to him. "I’m not all right! No! No! Icy! Icy! Icy!”
Not surprisingly, Martha continued barking as I dragged her back to the house. We passed other homes en route to our own. So I assume Joe and Martha, between them, woke up half of the neighborhood.
“Oh, nice!” he said in a loud, deep voice that carried far and wide. “Didn’t you ever go to kindergarten?”
Like most dogs, Martha is protective of her people. Not surprisingly, she viewed this verbal assault as a threat, and began barking. Loudly. But that didn’t deter Joe. Maybe it encouraged him. He continued with his rant as he shone his flashlight on the slippery sidewalk in front of him.
“No, I’m not all right!" he shouted, as if in response to a question, even though I had not talked to him. "I’m not all right! No! No! Icy! Icy! Icy!”
Not surprisingly, Martha continued barking as I dragged her back to the house. We passed other homes en route to our own. So I assume Joe and Martha, between them, woke up half of the neighborhood.
Having seen Joe in action many times, I don’t think he is a dangerous man. And I certainly wouldn’t assume that he should be institutionalized. Perhaps he lives a quiet, peaceful life . . . when he’s taking his meds and when he isn’t outraged by a defecating dog, or an icy sidewalk.
But at 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Joe’s “right” to shout whatever popped into his head trumped my right to walk my dog in peace and my neighbors’ right to sleep in. So the question is simple, even if the answer is not. Shouldn’t Joe's rights and those of other people be more in balance?
But at 6 a.m. Sunday morning, Joe’s “right” to shout whatever popped into his head trumped my right to walk my dog in peace and my neighbors’ right to sleep in. So the question is simple, even if the answer is not. Shouldn’t Joe's rights and those of other people be more in balance?
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