this is a difficult one. "mad" vs "bad". Is someone responsible for their crimes, or "sick" and in need of "treatment" ?

I struggle with mental problems. I've seen people who -should- be kept out of society go in and out of hospitals, sometimes do brief stints in jail, etc. Then there are people who mess up, 1 time, and...boom! that's it. society brings the hammer down, big time.

I've also seen violence against the mentally ill. I've been a victim of it, myself. Attacked on the street, bashed on the head with a pipe by some angry dude out to hurt...somebody, anybody, I guess. Why not me?

Thing is, violence against the mentally ill isn't limited to random acts of violence against "weaklings," "The Other," etc. I've experienced violence from "professionals," in hospitals. I'm hardly the only one.

Not to sound antipsychiatry, but...I'm starting to wonder if maybe there's a better way to deal with madness than shrink visits and hospitals and pills. Maybe a lot of us should just try to band together and live in communes or something?