Since I bragged about Washington yesterday, it seems only fair that I air out a little of its dirty laundry today. One of the most shocking and unexpected things I’ve discovered about this state is the unbelievably high number of mentally disturbed people wandering the streets. On an average commute to work, I will see at least a half dozen people standing on various street corners talking to themselves. While standing at bus stops or walking to downtown tourist venues, you are constantly overwhelmed by the number of people who clearly need mental help. It makes me very sad.
You would think that you’d see more homeless people in general, and more schizophrenics specifically, in Florida, where the weather is more amenable to living outdoors. But no. I never saw anything like this in the Sunshine State.
According to this article in the Seattle Times, “Washington trails all but two other states in providing hospital beds for mentally ill patients.” This stuns me. The cost of living here is obscene. The tax base is unbelievable. Sales tax alone in King County is 9.5%. How is it possible that we can’t come up with more beds for those who need them most? Shocking. Horrifying. Deeply disturbing. Outrageous.
[Image credit: archive.freep.com]
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