the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Apr 29, 2002
Recently a 24-year-old man was arrested and charged with raping and stabbing an 8-year-old girl in her own bed after breaking into the home of the girl’s father. The crimes this man is charged with are horrifying.
And so is the background to this case. The man charged with the attack has a history of mental disease. While he was able to receive some brief treatment for his condition, he was never able to get the sustained treatment he sought because he had no medical insurance.
The politicians claim there isn’t enough money to provide medical care for everyone in this country. At the same time, they go on spending billions in various government subsidies to businesses, while continually reducing the taxes of the rich. In recent years, they have closed state mental hospitals in Maryland and other states because they said they cost too much.
As a result, millions of former residents of mental hospitals are roaming the streets, as are millions of other people who have never gotten any help in dealing with psychiatric problems.
If this man had been able to get real help with his psychiatric problems, this would not have guaranteed that he would not have committed this horrible rape and stabbing. But maybe he wouldn’t have. His victim deserved that chance. So did he.