Letter: People who have mental illnesses often mistreated

Editor,

Many people treat the mentally ill with no respect. They tend to avoid people who suffer from a mental illness and fail to treat them appropriately, forgetting the Golden Rule.

The reason I write this letter is to inform new students to treat everybody with some respect. This University brings people from all walks of life to a central meeting point. I am not just talking about students, staff and faculty - but transients and other groups of people.

Early Thursday morning, I had a visitor in the B parking lot. While taking a break and enjoying the cool morning air, a man drove up on a motorcycle. He drove up in such a peculiar fashion that I sensed something was wrong. He started up a conversation. I mostly listened and was careful not to say anything offensive.

He delved into several topics, some of them one could hear on any AM radio call-in talk show. I physically agreed with him by nodding my head, but I could hear my inner voice say other things.

This visitor initially kept on his helmet. After he felt comfortable, he took off his helmet and introduced himself. I told him my first name and then he talked some more. After a while we parted ways, and he left the University and headed down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

His name was John. He was dressed in a black jacket and camouflage pants. He had a peculiar belt buckle - Maoist International Movement, I believe - that contained the hammer and sickle. His motorcycle displayed several communist stickers. He had long wavy hair and a moustache - both black. He wore large gold glasses.

I thought little of this encounter, until I returned to work the next night. On my way to the University, I was passed by several patrol cars traveling fast with lights flashing and sirens blaring. I turned on the radio to find out what the situation was, and I heard that two officers had been shot and the suspect was just like I described above. Soon I was to learn that this same suspect may have murdered three others.

My co-workers said I was lucky. I would say no.

I learned from my father, a retired police officer, to treat all people with respect. A little respect will get you far. I remembered a story of my father arresting a person for disorderly conduct and the suspect's wrists were too large for handcuffs - my father talked to him and treated him with respect. The suspect got into the squad car without any problems.

I used this lesson later, during my enlistment in the military. I had to escort several people with mental illnesses to a psychiatric facility. Although it wasn't a pleasant duty, I never had an escapee or a problem. I treated each person as I would want to be treated - with respect and as a person.

I consider this letter a public service announcement: Remember, this is a large community with people from all walks of life.

Eric C. Poncho

UNM staff