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narrow policy of the trade union leaders in the 1930s and during the postwar
boom, who fought for health benefits for their workers, instead of
fighting for quality health care for all workers. But what does this have to
do with the shooting in Connecticut?
The circumstances surrounding the gunman’s motivations have yet to
surface, and perhaps will never be known. However, the discussion around
how he obtained his weapons is far less important than discussing what
leads people to commit these atrocities in the first place. Improved access
to mental health care would go a long way toward preventing these kinds
of incidents from happening.
For example, the expression “going postal” has its origins in a
number of incidents at post offices starting in the early 80s, involving
disgruntled employees who killed or attacked co-workers, supervisors, and
others. In response to two events in 1993, the USPS created 85 positions
for Workplace Environment Analysts, given the task of improving
workplace conditions and thereby preventing violence. Presumably this
worked as such incidents were greatly reduced, with just two on public
record since then. However, in 2009, coinciding with the austerity attacks
on the USPS generally, these positions were eliminated. Everyone can
sympathize with anger and frustration at work, and while very few would
carry out such rash acts of violence, there are now no services in place at
the USPS to provide people with an outlet or a way to resolve these
frustrations. In workplaces and schools around the country, cuts and
austerity will inevitably lead to a dearth of such services.
Nationalizing the hospitals, pharmaceutical and medical machine
industries, and the assets of the health insurance behemoths—to be
democratically administered by the health industry workers and by the
public as a whole—would lay the basis for the creation of a health care
system that could provide everyone with quality care. Such health care
would include counseling and therapy for all who seek or need it; from
those suffering from minor workplace stresses, to those suffering from
much worse. Removing the profit motive from health care would lead to a
complete transformation in the way mental health is viewed and dealt
with.