Who Ya Gonna Call
The National Alliance on Mental Health has a squad of people who serve as Stigma Busters and report instances of hurtful and unfair representations of mental illness. So when McDonalds created an ad that featured someone who said he heard voices in his head telling him to go eat burgers, this bustin’ brigade began a letter writing campaign to the company headquarters*. The goals of the program include breaking barriers of ignorance and discrimination by promoting respect and understanding. These are good and sound. And no one is going to argue that the cultural impediment of stigmatization is tremendously negative for people seeking mental stability. But…really? Stigma Busters? It’s almost too funny to not make fun of. They need a theme song or something. And a van they drive around in.
* In case you were worried, after exhausting their hands and hearts in an intense afternoon of the letter writing, the crack squad of savvy Stigma Busters, yet again, busted another stigma. Mcdonalds retracted the ad.
