Lunacy

van der Leun:

Lunatics have always been with us and always will be. Insanity is an “occupational hazard” of being “the smart monkey.” In the sixties our keepers decided that it would be a “good idea” to deinstitutionalize the insane among us. Like all “humane” ideas it started small and over the decades grew to a flood until the insane walk among us on our streets with little hindrance. We lump them with addicts and alcoholics and bums and kindly call them all “homeless.” As such, they hide in plain site until they choose to make their madness manifest. And then we wonder how all the “signals” could have been “missed,” why “something” was not done to protect the insane from themselves and others from their manias.

Read the whole thing.