Mirror Reflections and Scapegoats

I've been reflecting a lot lately on how people are sometimes mirrors for each other.  When you believe the worst about someone, despite evidence to the contrary, that is a mirror.  You are falsely seeing in someone else a trait you may not be aware of about yourself, and don't want to see or admit about yourself.  It's painful to see the unpleasant sides of ourselves, so we humans have a habit of projecting those sides unfairly onto others. I think scapegoating is a similar situation; not exactly the same, but in the same category.  In either case, you're putting the blame where it doesn't belong.  You're putting guilt on an innocent person.

I've been wrapped up in the Ted Williams story.  I've read comments on various places across the internet, some supportive and some downright ridiculous and mean.  Where is compassion and understanding?  Are there really that many people out there who only want to blame him, point the finger at him, degrade him, and villainize him?  He's an addict for christ sake.  He admitted it from the beginning.  And i admire his courage for going forth in this circus and trying to make amends with his family (who are being RIDICULOUS...soooo many mirrors going on there!  When will they look at themselves and get help for their own issues?) and trying to get back on his feet and come back to society.  Can you imagine being homeless for years and the changes that take place in the psyche in order to survive that?  And then can you imagine being sucked back into standard society by the media in a whirlwind of attention and spotlights?  I think Ted is doing amazingly well.  I admire his decision to check himself into rehab.  I wish his family would realize that what they're really angry at is Ted's disease, and not Ted himself.  Maybe that would help them heal, and more importantly, help Ted heal.  Ted, i wish you the best!  You deserve happiness and peace, like all humans do.