To the editor:

One of my favorite introduction treatments in movies is when the camera opens on an individual busily going about regular household activities in the home. The camera then pulls back, goes out a window, up into the sky, and continues off into outer space. From there, we see more – the solar system, the galaxy, and eventually, the universe.  

I enjoy this because I happen to be somebody who sees the beauty in the details. I do want to know the who, what, when, why, and how. I marvel how they then all come together to form a big picture. It is not surprising that jigsaw puzzles were one of my favorite childhood pastimes. 

My career also reflects my predilections as I work with quality systems where the inter-relationships of details can ensure or destroy intended outcomes. I understand the need for regulations because I have encountered firsthand the deceit and malicious activities that override health and life, i.e., profit at any cost. This callous indifference contrasts sharply against the people sincerely wanting the best for all.

My work involves identifying the root cause of problems so that issues can be corrected and prevented. Most times, the root cause is not the obvious.

And because I work so intimately with systems and details, I found Patti Agustin’s letter naïve.

Ms. Agustin’s assumptions regarding where she can go and under what conditions might, on the surface, seem understandable. What she fails to grasp are the complexities and efforts behind their existence. These are not entitlements. Our society consists of products, results brought about by the needs and collaborative efforts of many generations of talents and specialties.  

When I read that she wants “severely mentally ill persons” to be removed from “normal society” and why — it is right for them and their community – my jaw dropped.

Most people do not have the fascination with details and systems that I do. I recognize that. To help them understand the puzzle pieces that I see, I often ask them to substitute themselves for those on the receiving end of their solutions. If that placement is unacceptable for them, personally, then it is time to look for another solution.  

Nobody gets to take while leaving the burdens of work and responsibility to others. A system like that will inevitably collapse because of its bias and unsustainability.

The US is in transition. We have entrusted our voices and values to elected officials. Historically, we have had no other choice, but today, that is no longer true.

Transparency has permanently altered our world. The source of our instability is finally being exposed where it lies — corruption at the core. While we are demoralized daily by the endless incidents of betrayed trust, the speed by which information can be exchanged makes accountability possible.

The root cause of the shattering horrors in our society is not mental illness nor guns; it is greed. Our knowledge and focused attention disempower the powers-that-be. Our diligence and participation are absolutely required.

Marcia M. Weeden

Barrington