The residents of Barber’s district are wondering why, in a district filled with so many apparently mentally ill people, Barber isn’t sponsoring a mental illness field hearing in Southern Arizona. They also are questioning why Barber, the founder of the Center for Civility, never condemns fellow democrats’ uncivil behavior.
Just this past weekend, a volunteer for a Barber fundraiser in Sierra Vista appeared to become quickly enraged with little provocation. The gentleman, Phil Micheau, a regular volunteer for the Cochise County Democratic Party, became angry when invitees to a Barber fundraiser wanted to bring in signs about the NSA spying on citizens. In short order, Micheau, age 71, became very aggressive against two progressives and insulting to a young woman to whom he said, “I don’t even want to hear from you. You are fourteen years so don’t even talk to me.”
Although Barber is a staunch advocate for mental health funding, the issue of mental illness has been used by Barber and others to increase gun control. In the statement Barber released on Wednesday, he notes, “Mental Health First Aid was a component of a comprehensive plan introduced by the president to reduce gun-related violence. It also was adopted with broad bipartisan support as an amendment to gun-violence prevention legislation approved by the Senate.”
According to Barber, the training comes just two days before the one-year anniversary of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Tomorrow’s 90-minute event will educate members of Congress and their staffs on the signs and symptoms of mental illness and stress factors. Attendees will also learn what to do in a crisis situation and how to locate appropriate mental health resources. The training will be conducted by licensed mental health professionals through the House Office Employee Assistance program.
This is the second mental health training that Barber has hosted. In May, he cosponsored a similar event to mark national Mental Health Month.
Arizona residents hope that Barber will ensure that his Arizona staff and volunteers receive the same training.
One republican operative suggested that if Ron Barber wants an easier method for democrats to identify mental illness, they would distribute mirrors instead of the customary condoms.
Note: People with intermittent explosive disorder lose their tempers often in response to minor frustrations, and it is frequently the source of road and office rage. According to Harvard Health Publications, “Intermittent explosive disorder is more common than experts initially believed — affecting 3% to 4% of people in any given year. Several studies suggest that the disorder is associated with abnormal activity in parts of the brain that play a role in regulating aggressive behavior. The biggest challenge with intermittent explosive disorder, notes Dr. Michael Miller, Editor in Chief of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, is that people who have trouble resisting their violent impulses are not very likely to seek treatment.”