I am going to have a damn rage blackout, y'all.

On my neighborhood FB group, there have been several posts over the last week that there's a 20-something white* dude who has been roaming around the neighborhood, sometimes sitting and smoking, but generally following women who are walking alone. He's groped several women already (who have reported him to the police).

His stepmother posted to the FB group saying that he has severe mental illness but they can't afford another inpatient stay for him, and they can't force him to stay indoors.

The stepmother's post has brought out all the commenters who are saying shame on every single person who condemned this dude before, how can we be so cruel to someone with mental illness, prayers for him and his family, blah blah blah.

Y'ALL. You know how I feel about mental illness. I'm 100% on Team Support Those With Mental Illness. Which in no way takes away from the fact that I am ALSO 100% on Team The Dude Physically Assaulted Women And That Is Not Okay So Sorry But Mental Illness Doesn't Change That How About You Send Some Of Your Sorry-Ass Prayers To The Women Who He Assaulted.

Like. More than one thing can be true about this situation. I can think that it's terrible that people in his situation can't access adequate mental health care AND I can think that mental illness doesn't excuse assaulting women so he needs to be off the streets.

It's getting pretty heated in the neighborhood FB group between Team Prayers For The Mentally Ill and Team Hey I Really Don't Want To Be Assaulted Just Because I Want To Walk To The Park And It Doesn't Matter If The Perp Has A Mental Illness Or Not.

*(And let's be clear: if he were any color other than white, he'd already be in jail or shot by the police. No question.)

Hey, I take some of it back. Team Just Because He Has A Mental Illness Doesn't Excuse His Assaults seems to be hitting the keyboards. Okay. I feel a little better. I was starting to feel a little unsafe in my neighborhood (not from the dude himself, but from neighbors who are apparently just fine with women being assaulted if the perp has mental illness).

I'm sorry, Steph. For everyone! Not a good situation at all.

That sucks, Tep. Everything about it.

I just overheard a coworker saying "That chardonnay changed my life" and I can't help but feel I would rather be in that conversation than doing the work I am currently doing.

I really do hope the guy is able to get treatment that works, whether it's inpatient or outpatient or what. There are social services that might be able to help, so I'm hoping his family can follow that up. But he also needs to be off the streets, for everyone's good, including his, because at some point someone will get violent with him.

I just overheard a coworker saying "That chardonnay changed my life" and I can't help but feel I would rather be in that conversation than doing the work I am currently doing.

Reminds me of the conversation I overheard about some guy who was "really proactive about his vacation time."

Timelies all!

It doesn't help that Gary has an in-town meeting yesterday, today and tomorrow that starts at 8, so I have to get Mr. S dressed and to the bus on time.(Also, yesterday's meeting included a dinner, so I had to put him to bed, which is always a thrill.)

You are not wrong about that, Tep.

Ugh, what a tough situation, Steph.

In dessert news, I poached some pears in red wine the other night, and then cooked down the wine into syrup, which I just ate over ice cream, and it was DELICIOUS. Recommend!