Mentally Ill Deserve Non-Discriminatory Coverage

It appears that there are some kinds of hate speech that are acceptable at Harvard.

William P. Moynihan '00 reports that a student named "[Edidiong N.] Ikpe '00 said it is possible [Janice] George was mentally unstable." ("Students Befriend a Fraud," news story, Sept. 24). What does mental instability have to do with deception? It is more likely that a psychologist would deceive someone. Attributing mental illness is an effective way to discredit someone as Ikpe has done.

On Sept. 18, 1996, The Crimson reported an Associated Press story about a shooting at Pennsylvania State University, noting of the 19-year-old woman suspect: "acquaintances said [she] had a history of mental problems and once spent time in a hospital."

What is the connection between mental illness and criminal violence? Is it fear in the minds of reporters, students and law enforcement authorities? All too often a person's alleged mental illness is used as evidence of guilt when charged with a crime. Bias against persons considered to be mentally ill pervades society.

We hear about discrimination against gays, women, blacks and Jews regularly in the media and the courts. But it is still acceptable to discriminate against persons considered to be mentally ill, to harass them and to utter hate speech about them in polite company--even at Harvard University, a stronghold of political correctness. Are some kinds of hate speech good? What is the difference?

It is illegal to hate Jews and blacks in America. Persons alleged to be mentally ill are treated the same today as they were during the Inquisition. --Roy Bercaw, Cambridge