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I'm not seeking an argument here. I agree that mental illness is behind most mass shootings. That said, we have a much higher level of gun violence and mortality in the U.S. compared with most countries that have strict gun laws. I know, I know, the Constitution protects your right to own guns. My question is, why do people feel the need to own semi automatic assault weapons? What is it about owning and firing these guns that people feel so strongly about? I understand hunters wanting to hunt, and even sportsman who enjoy shooting at a firing range if that's your thing. But the need to own guns in which the weapon's use to to fire as many rounds in as fast a time as possible is something I cannot understand. There will always be mentally unstable people who present as normal enough to not be committed or incarcerated - just like this kid in California. The cops had just interviewed him and found no cause to arrest him or search his place. There will always be people out there like this. The difference is, in the U.S., virtually anybody can legally obtain a semi automatic assault weapon and blow many people away in short order. WHY IS THIS OKAY WITH PEOPLE? I just don't get it - kids being blown away at schools should NEVER happen. But in the U.S., these tragedies get a few days news time and are forgotten, because it's that common. As long as we have a surplus of these weapons available to anybody, we will continue to see more senseless killing. And yes, the guns don't kill people, people do. Crazy people who can get any number of assault weapons because this is America.
So are you suggesting we should have trials to determine if someone should be allowed to walk the streets based on the assumption that they MIGHT commit a crime? That's a slippery slope, don't you think, for a country the values freedom and personal liberty? History certainly proves that system of forcing people into "hospitals" for the insane was heavily abused in the name of making money for said "hospitals". Do you consider someone to be mentally ill if they have a bunker full of thousands of round of ammo and guns? I sure do but you would defend their right to own them without restriction, wouldn't you.
We currently have a court system that can declare people "mentally defective".
We won't change our mental health laws because of the believe that mentally ill people have rights.
slippery slope ? The US totally abused the mental health laws to get people committed. That's why the pendulum swung all the way to the other end and there is a very narrow scope to the law today.
You can take away all the guns but you'll still be left with mentally ill people that could crack on any given day.
If they decide that society has to pay they will find a way to do it.
No, he was severely mentally ill, and his parents wanted to send him for treatment, he refused. It is the same situation as Sandy hook.
No accountability.
He was severely mentally ill, and the proof is that he went on a murderous rampage. But BEFORE they go on the murderous rampage, how do we determine who is "severely mentally ill"? What's the criteria? "I don't have an answer" isn't going to work. There's no blood test, no exam, no psychic seers that tell us who the murderers are before they commit murder. Even a complete psychological evaluation based on observations for an extended period of time are not objective. They are subjective. One person, with training and experience, evaluates another person and renders their opinion. And it's just an opinion. A different professional can arrive at a completely different conclusion. Because this science is largely subjective.
And that's why these evaluations can be part of an abusive system. It's not a lack of accountability. It's because we are imperfect human beings.
They blame guns because they hate the people that own guns. Not the people that committ crimes with guns, but gun owners. It's a right vs. left liberal vs. conservative thing. If one party or the other supports a "thing" the clueless and mentally hadicapped on the other side immediately have to hate that "thing". Logic and reasoning go out the door, it's all emotion and moving in the direction required by their media overlords.
So what, the whole point of this thread is to bash the kid's father?
if he was a conservative you people would. He is making idiotic statements which is typical of the hollywood liberal left. The man should have been on top of his sons treatments instead of ignoring him by being to busy with his job( typical of his gernation BTW!). What the Hell does the NRA have to do with his son killing people? The NRA agrees that mental health background checks should be in place.
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You can blame the combination of mental illness and easily available guns, and you can simultaneously wish that the mental health system was better and that guns were more difficult to get.
They are BOTH problems in the same way that having cancer AND having leprosy are both problems.
Agreed. there should be strict mental health background checks.
However, we do have a deeper issue of mental health in this country that has been
simmering for the last 20 plus years.
If he was severely mentally ill and from all reports this is well documented then how did he LEGALLY purchase the guns he did? Why aren't you blaming the gun shops for selling him the guns?
Because he can lie on his application. No accountability. Background check is only for the Felony, not mentally ill.
Yes, they can still get guns too easily from other states and from gun shows.
Exactly. That's illegal in most places, but they still can and will do it.
Only massive banning of all firearms from all persons, can hope to really "get guns out of the hands of _________" (insert favorite forbidden group here, this week it's the mentally ill).
Partial bans or "tighter laws" will NOT help.
And total bans cause far more problems than they cure.
Government cannot solve this problem. So stop trying to solve it by making laws.
They blame guns because they hate the people that own guns. Not the people that committ crimes with guns, but gun owners. It's a right vs. left liberal vs. conservative thing. If one party or the other supports a "thing" the clueless and mentally hadicapped on the other side immediately have to hate that "thing". Logic and reasoning go out the door, it's all emotion and moving in the direction required by their media overlords.
Not at all. I know many people, my daughter included, who own guns. They are responsible in their ownership. The Crazy people that kill aren't to blame alone, they are supported by the insane people who believe the crazy people have a "right" to buy guns.
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