Jimmy Kimmel – This is For You

By Jill Chapin

October 7, 2017

Dear Mr. Kimmel,

Why am I writing to you? Because you seem to have morphed from a successful talk show host to an even more successful voice of reason and passion. Many credit (or damn) you for likely being the one who killed the repeal of Obamacare.

Now I have an even bigger message for you to disseminate to a public who has no idea what I’m about to share, even though it’s readily available to anyone curious enough to search for it.

Nearly every single mass murderer in the United States these past few decades had one thing in common besides guns; they were using legally prescribed psychotropic drugs during or just prior to their deadly rampage. It’s a known fact that they can cause ideations of homicide and suicide. But don’t take my word for it. Google anything about this and countless sites will pop up. You can see for yourself that post-mortem toxicological autopsies on these murderers reveal exact drugs and amounts.

So guess what? Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock was also using a drug – Diazepam – which can cause paranoid or suicidal ideation and impair judgment.

This is an inconvenient truth that congress won’t address, nor will the media because they are too often bought and paid for by pharmaceuticals. But this revelation is not meant to be a big pharma bashing rant – we don’t have time for that right now. What we can do is add a prescription drug investigation to the background checks of all who want to buy guns. Sometimes the simplest idea can be the most effective, and this is our best chance right now at reining in these monstrous moments.

But if we are looking for the common denominator as to why we have drugs and guns so sickeningly available to all who want them, look no further than our elected officials in congress who really should be held as accomplices to these mass killings. We had a 1994 ban that outlawed 19 types of military style assault weapons, but congress let the ban expire. So it’s no surprise that mass shootings have dramatically increased since then. But if allowing automatic assault rifles on our streets isn’t bad enough, the GOP now has plans to vote on NRA backed legislation that eases gun restrictions by making it easier to purchase silencers. Amidst the carnage in Las Vegas, at least we were able to locate where the shots were coming from because we could hear them.

Mr. Kimmel, you are now the go-to guy when we need someone to speak truth to power. I know this was not a mantle you were looking to wear, but when your voice cracks, my heart breaks.

Jill Chapin

Jill Chapin has been a guest writer and columnist in several Los Angeles area papers for over fifteen years. She has written a bilingual parenting book titled, "If You Have Kids, Then Be a Parent!" and a children's book entitled, "My Magic Bubble."

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