Mental instability often a factor in crime

Re: White terror again being whitewashed ... (June 17)

This author’s assertion that the issue of mental illness arises mainly when the perpetrator is white beggars belief. In fact, it is more accurate to make the argument that mental illness is almost always suggested in news reports of Islamist terrorism. Some examples:

In 2016, Omar Mateen attacked a gay club in Orlando, Fla., killing 49 and injured 53. His first wife said he was “mentally unstable and mentally ill” and “obviously disturbed, deeply, and traumatized.”

In 2016, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ran a truck into a Bastille Day celebration in Nice, France, killing 86 (including 14 children) and wounding 458. His father said Lahouaiej-Bouhlel underwent psychiatric treatment before moving to France.

In 2017, Rehab Dughmosh carried out an ISIS-inspired attack in Toronto. The judge later concluded that her mental illness played a major role and “rendered her vulnerable to extremist beliefs.”

In 2018, Faisal Hussain killed two and wounded 13 in Toronto’s Danforth district. Hussain’s parents claimed he was psychotic and depressed. A former teacher said he was very disturbed.

There are numerous other examples, but the point is that this assertion is false. I do agree however about “... not using mental health as a blanket argument to diminish responsibility for hate crimes.” However, the author cannot use white skin as a blanket argument to imply responsibility for hate crimes.

Steven Scheffer, Burlington