by: Jesse Leavenworth | The Hartford Courant

Protesters — some wearing placards that said, "Scapegoat" — rallied in the town center Friday to counter a newspaper column that warned against blaming society for the troubles of the mentally ill.

Gathered at Center and Main streets, protesters said the column by Journal Inquirer Managing Editor Chris Powell promotes housing and job discrimination. Heather McDonald, one of the leaders, said Powell's column "is purely based on the label rather than the individual."