No Laughing Matter

Robert W. Welkos shows his lack of understanding of mental illness when he writes, “Can the Farrelly brothers, who had the surprise hit of 1998 with ‘There’s Something About Mary,’ strike it rich again with ‘Me, Myself and Irene,’ a hoped-for Christmas release about a woman who falls in love with both sides of a schizophrenic?” (“In a Theater Near, Near to You . . . ,” Jan. 17).

As the father of a mentally ill son who suffers from schizophrenia, I am deeply hurt and offended by the improper use of the word “schizophrenic.” My son does not have two sides; he is a human being, just like you and me, who happens to suffer from a disorder that is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain.

I would suggest that your staff contact the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill at their Web site (https://www.nami.org) and learn about schizophrenia and all other brain disorders, and maybe in the future they can avoid the use of words that stigmatize millions who suffer from these devastating diseases.

THE REV. CHET WATSON

President, NAMI Contra Costa

Concord