Zelda Williams' Tweet Had a Message We All Needed to Hear About the Las Vegas Shooting
I’m still reeling from the horrible news about Las Vegas. It’s even more apparent how divided our country is when you look on Twitter and see people calling for “more guns” and others calling for “gun control.” I personally feel that when tragedies strike, we need to put forth the effort to make stricter policies and enact gun control to prevent this from happening.
But I’m not going to get too political, nor am I going to try and sway those who feel the opposite.
On another note, I came across a tweet from Zelda Williams (daughter of Robin Williams) and it included the best message about mental health in relation to mass shootings.
— Zelda Williams (@zeldawilliams) October 2, 2017
It is not OK to always blame a mental illness as the reason why someone would do such an unspeakable act. Like she said, it’s not OK to say someone who does not have an illness, or as they would say someone who is “normal,” is incapable of doing this. People who have a mental illness are normal and the majority of us don’t want to hurt a fly let alone another person. Every time a mass shooting happens everyone is so quick to say that they must have been “mentally ill” without a second thought.
This needs to end — the violence, the judging, the stigma, gun violence — it just has to stop. The more people blame people with mental illness, the harder it is for us to coexist with those who don’t have mental illnesses. Do you know how hard it is for us to tell you we have a mental illness knowing that in the back of your mind you may wonder if we’re going to harm you one day? Do you think companies ever wonder if they hire someone who has a mental illness if they’ll come in one day and commit a heinous act such as the one that happened this morning? This is why many live in silence and this is why many die by suicide because they fear how others perceive them. The stigma needs to end.
Please do not judge someone for their race, sexual preference, religion or illness. Instead focus on helping those that lost their lives, those who are injured and the families impacted by this. Help heal a city that is broken and spread awareness and positivity instead. Do not contribute to the stigma. Be the change. Fight for equality for all. Spread love, not hate.
I’m not a believer in religion, but I’m praying for a better world and I’m hoping that one day we can live in a world that thrives on compassion instead of hate. Please pray for the victims and everyone else involved.
If you or someone you know needs help, visit our suicide prevention resources page.
If you need support right now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text “START” to 741-741.
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Photo via Zelda Williams Instagram
Hi! My name is Chelsea, and I’m a girl hoping to end the stigma surrounding mental health. My end goal is to help provide the words for the feelings that many go through but don’t know how to verbalize themselves. I hope to one day make a difference in this complicated world.
spacedoutchels