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Stereotype is prejudicial DEAR EDITOR: This letter is in reference to the article "Fear of the mentally ill often unjustified" in The Forest-Blade, July 25. "Although people with (a) mental illness are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators, most people are reluctant to interact with them" is a curious statement. In my years of teaching, university and college, private and public school, starting in 1962 until I retired, no one gave a second thought to interacting with me. Nor to the many of us who occupy every profession from legislator to judge, from engineer to author. Like physical illnesses, mental illnesses do not discriminate. What you apparently mean, if "the" mentally ill and "them" are any indication, is interaction with contrived public stereotype. Mel Gibson's version was "the" Jews. "The" Blacks was once equally prominent. Throughout the world there are various versions. All such stereotype is grossly prejudicial. HAROLD A. MAIO Advisory Board American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Editor's Note: The article mentioned by Mr. Maio was a press release by Georgia Department of Human Resources.
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