I've heard this song before

I've heard this song before.

The lyrics are the same. Deranged man with glaring eyes, armed with a semi-automatic pistol breaks the sound of day as he fires bullets into human flesh. People fall to the ground. Some live, some die.

Words fall short in describing the physical and emotional trauma suffered by victims, family members, and friends. We can only imagine the unthinkable, and then sit in silence, yearning to siphon off a pail of their pain. Uninvited death, especially to a nine-year old angel who was about to sprout her wings, tears a hole in our heart. But what about the other victim, the perpetrator or killer as he is most often called, the one who suffers from a severe mental illness? Does he deserve our compassion?

The brain has over one-hundred billion nerve cells called neurons. When information is transferred from one neuron to another, the gap between the terminals is filled by chemical substances called neurotransmitters, which fire across the space, sending signals to other neurons. At times, brain activity might resemble a well-lit midway at a county fair, with hundreds of rides and booths operating simultaneously. But if the neurons short out and misfire, the brain can turn into an emotional firestorm. Scientists call this a chemical imbalance. In the most severe cases, reality is distorted. A man might commit the unthinkable, the taking of human lives.

Minutes after the gun is fired, the twenty-four hour news media runs with the story. Talk radio, cable news, main-stream media, they all chime in. Politicians close ranks, looking for ways to benefit their chosen position. Some call for more control of firearms, others say leave it alone. Others call for more civility between political parties, some continue to blame the other. All will seem upset and rightfully concerned, but their attention will disappear as soon as their coffee turns cold.

When the song ends, the final chord will sound the same. Some minor legislation regulating firearms might become law. Maybe gun magazines will be regulated, possibly some restrictions on gun shows or sales of guns to the mentally ill. But it will be too little too late. This will happen again.

Proper treatment for the mentally ill remains the crux of the problem. Mental illness is a complex issue, requiring more than words like "just take your medication." Congress needs to reopen the discussion on proper treatment for the mentally ill. These are preventable tragedies. It has been said that the moral character of a nation can be measured by how it treats the mentally ill.

By Larry L Franklin, author of Cherry Blossoms & Barren Plains: A woman's journey from mental illness to a prison cell.