White House's Pokemon Intruder Wanted To Meet The President

[Fanghawk]

White House's Pokemon Intruder Wanted To Meet The President

The Pokémon fan who jumped a White House fence had no ill intentions, he just wanted to speak with President Barack Obama about health insurance.

Last week we reported on a man who, garbed in <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/pokemon?from_search=1>Pokémon clothing and carrying a Pikachu plush toy, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/137412-Pok-mon-Fan-Jumps-White-House-Fence-And-Gets-Arrested>climbed the White House fence and was promptly apprehended by the Secret Service. This individual turned out to be one Jeffrey Grossman, and while his actions put the White House on alert, his intentions were far from nefarious. According to Grossman's mother, Cathy, it sounds like he wanted to speak to the President about health coverage for his mental disabilities.

From what we can tell, Grossman was trying to admit himself for out-of-state mental health treatments, but found they weren't covered under his healthcare plan. After pressing further, Grossman was told (presumably as a joke) that he should talk with the President about it. Grossman took this advice rather literally, and traveled to Washington, D.C. to visit President Barack Obama.

"I was informed that, when he was apprehended, he told security that he had come to talk with the president about his health care program," Cathy Grossman explained. Jeffrey Grossman, meanwhile, was placed under observation George Washington University Hospital. He has not yet been charged for the incident.

Grossman was labeled as mentally disabled earlier this year, and was given a court mandate to take his medication. While it certainly helped him for a time, he to chose to stop taking them because he was feeling better. Most medical practitioners will tell you, however, <a href=http://psychcentral.com/lib/discontinuing-psychiatric-medications-what-you-need-to-know/0005742>that you should never stop taking medications without first consulting a doctor.

"I want something positive to come from this," Cathy Grossman said. "I want people to know there are mental health issues out there. I'm hoping for the best. And I hope that maybe now he will get some long-term help."

Source: <a href=http://www.troyrecord.com/general-news/20140915/rensselaer-man-detained-after-trying-to-reach-president>The Record

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[Alpha Maeko]

Good thing they didn't shoot 'em.

"Secret Service mows down unarmed mentally disabled man with automatic weapons fire."

Really dodged a bullet with that one.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

What a truly majestic way of putting forward an important message. America and healthcare havent really met halfway yet. Especially mental healthcare. I hope the guy gets to make a much needed difference and i wish him well.x

 

[Lono Shrugged]

D'awww. This is actually kind of adorable. I would love it if Obama went to visit him.

Unfortunately real life is not the West Wing. Obama was probably busy doing his presidental duty of reducing woman to quivering moaning heaps. But unlike Kennedy or Clinton, he just uses drone strikes.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

"Pokemon Intruder"

"He's climbing in your windows, he's stealing your Rare Candy"
"Tryn'a 'volve them, so better hide your Jinx, hide your 'Carp"

God, I feel old.

I do like his literal approach to politics, you can't say that he didn't get things done.

 

[EHKOS]

Rule number one, if you're feeling better, KEEP TAKING THE FUCKING MEDICINE.

Still though, sad to see this happen. The whole thing is just sad. I'm sad now.

 

[JagermanXcell]

Here's hoping the man gets to meet Gym Leader Brock Obama.... and hopefully dual him.... cmon Obama, go out with a bang.

 

[RicoADF]

How many billions if not trillions does the US spend on killing people on the other side of the earth? How many millions (if that) do they spend on mental health care? Seriously something broken in your country :-/

 

[Redflash]

D'awww. This is actually kind of adorable. I would love it if Obama went to visit him.

That was my thought too, but of course it would only encourage copycats looking to get a similar favour.

On a side note, I think it speaks volumes about the inadequacy of American mental care that this situation arose... a mentally ill person seeking treatment is met with sarcasm and indifference and a system that won't help.

 

[TallanKhan]

There is one line that struck me as odd in that article, where his mother says:

White House's Pokemon Intruder Wanted To Meet The President
And I hope that maybe now he will get some long-term help."
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Exactly what long term help is she hoping for? He was prescribed medication that was working, he wasn't taken off of it, he chose to stop taking it without seeking medical advice. Yeah there may be flaws in US healthcare, but this guy was given an effective treatment plan and suffered problems when he walked away from it. He may have mental disabilities but he has to take some level of responsibility for a decision like that, I'm not sure responsibility can be laid at anyone else's door here.

Also, as it sounds as if his mother is still heavily involved in looking after him to one degree or another, where was she when he stopped taking his meds in the first place?

 

[Roxas1359]

Rule number one, if you're feeling better, KEEP TAKING THE FUCKING MEDICINE.

It's not that simple. For many people with mental disabilities, when you suddenly feel better you up and stop taking the medication because you think that you don't need it anymore. Every person in my family, and all my friends who have mental disabilities, at one point or another do this. I also say this from person experience because I've had this mindset come up from time to time as well, in fact I went through it again recently and I've had to take medication just to function in what would be considered "normal" in society for over 10 years now. Part of it is also because it gets pretty disheartening because sometimes in your mind you get the realization that just to do what is considered "normal" for other people, you have to take pill or shot after shot just to get by. Many people are ashamed of it, and it's lead to being bullied by others because of it (happened to me a lot from elementary school to high school). It gets even worse when you get into college and some people are actually prejudice to people with mental disabilities. I remember my college actually had banners everywhere to discourage people from doing it, and while I myself haven't encountered discrimination based on it, I have seen others.

Sorry if I'm coming off as hostile, I don't mean to. I've just seen a lot of people get confused about when some people with illnesses stop taking their medication, so I'd thought I'd share some personal experiences I've had with it.

Also, as it sounds as if his mother is still heavily involved in looking after him to one degree or another, where was she when he stopped taking his meds in the first place?

It's very easy to pretend to take your medication when your supposed to. Again, take it from someone who has gone through the mindset of thinking I was "better" or "cured" multiple times in my life. It's also extremely easy to hide the symptoms you suffer from when it comes to others, and only if you know the symptoms can you possibly tell at times. To bring in another example, I've noticed a lot of the time that whenever a suicide due to severe depression occurs, many people are shocked or didn't know that the person was depressed in the first place. That's because some people put on complete facades because they feel that it may be a burden to others if they were to see it.

 

[TallanKhan]

Also, as it sounds as if his mother is still heavily involved in looking after him to one degree or another, where was she when he stopped taking his meds in the first place?

It's very easy to pretend to take your medication when your supposed to. Again, take it from someone who has gone through the mindset of thinking I was "better" or "cured" multiple times in my life. It's also extremely easy to hide the symptoms you suffer from when it comes to others, and only if you know the symptoms can you possibly tell at times. To bring in another example, I've noticed a lot of the time that whenever a suicide due to severe depression occurs, many people are shocked or didn't know that the person was depressed in the first place. That's because some people put on complete facades because they feel that it may be a burden to others if they were to see it.

I can appreciate what you're getting at and don't necessarily disagree. However, that said, her comments clearly demonstrate that she feels the care he was receiving was in some way lacking in respect of his needs. Now as someone responsible (or at least partially responsible - it doesn't make it clear in the article how dependant on her he is) for providing care and support to him, she either failed to pick up on the fact he had stopped taking his meds, or she knew and didn't intervene. As such, she has to take a share of the responsibility for any breakdown of his care or deterioration of his condition, along with any medical professionals involved, and indeed he himself. My point being, that with this in mind, her statement at the very least lacks any introspection.

 

[Urgh76]

Clearly a fake article.

Pokemon fans can't even climb over ledges let alone fences.

 

[Johnson McGee]

I seem to remember watching a movie that had pretty much exactly this plot. A mentally disabled Muslim man was attempting to tell the president that he 'wasn't a terrorist' after someone suggested he should. I can't remember the title though.

 

[Sillarra]

I seem to remember watching a movie that had pretty much exactly this plot. A mentally disabled Muslim man was attempting to tell the president that he 'wasn't a terrorist' after someone suggested he should. I can't remember the title though.

The title is My Name is Khan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Name_Is_Khan], a Bollywood movie by Shah Rukh Khan released on 2010.

 

[synobal]

How many billions if not trillions does the US spend on killing people on the other side of the earth? How many millions (if that) do they spend on mental health care? Seriously something broken in your country :-/

You don't have to tell me, unfortunately most people here are brainwashed and have been convinced by rich people that no healthcare is good for them.

 

[Dying_Jester]

No nefarious reason...kudos to him. Whenever I think about talking to the president about health care issues I always imagine it with nefarious undertones.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

a testament to how little we care about people with mental issues until they pose some (even if little) threat.

Obama was probably busy doing his presidental duty of reducing woman to quivering moaning heaps. But unlike Kennedy or Clinton, he just uses drone strikes.

another charlie brooker fan?

If you are going to steal, steal from the best. That quote has never gotten enough love IMO