Thread by @BazelonCenter

As we have done many time in the past, we continue to call on advocates, community members, policymakers to turn to strategies addressing gun violence that do not place already vulnerable communities at greater risk.

People with mental illnesses, especially people of color, will be at great risk from any policies that aim to reduce gun violence by unfairly subjecting people with mental illness to greater surveillance, registries, or quicker/easier use of forced treatment.

It is heartbreaking for all of us that each time someone commits a mass shooting, we cannot simply mourn the victims, but must gear up to fight for the rights and basic dignity of our community members with mental illnesses when we know mental illness does not cause gun violence.

It is further damaging and harmful to people of color with mental illnesses when many of those advocating for gun violence prevention describe racism, white supremacy, hate, bigotry, or fear of the other as a mental illness.

FYI: Bigotry-NOS is not a diagnosis in the DSM or ICD.

We support those working to craft measures to reduce and end gun violence, including mass shootings, who do so while supporting people with mental illness and people of color (and especially people of color with mental illnesses), rather than adding to unfair targeting.

And again, as we have done many times before, we have released a statement for the press and our community members on the shootings perpetrated earlier this month:

bazelon.org/wp-content/upl…