Show of Hands

Are mentally unstable. No person in their right mind is going to walk into a movie theater and start shooting. If you're depressed, you basically hate yourself. I'd think a counselor should decide if that person should have a gun or not

The majority of people with mental illnesses are victims, but the majority of mass shooters are mentally ill. I think making mental healthcare more accessible will curb both those issues.

I've never used a gun so I don't for a second trust myself with a one, nor should I be. I should be removed from society? What a rediculous comparison.

That's taking it out of context. You could be trusted to have a gun, because you wouldn't use it to murder people. It doesn't matter if you never would go buy one.

I don't know. I could think of some ways. Other SOHers may have good ideas.

Of course. That doesn't make it a good alternative though just because it's easier.

Uh.

So can anybody then.

Exactly...

Mostly comes down to if you have the ability to overcome it logically and not physically

Maybe they ought to be locked up...

That's the way it used to be.
Maybe Obamacare will cover it.

Kermie, I think you know what people mean when they say that they want to keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill. They're not talking about women suffering from postpartum depression or young adults with anxiety or attention deficit.

Sure they are. The proposals I've heard would block anyone who's had any diagnosis. What mental illnesses would we say are ok and which are dangerous? That seems like a tricky road to go down.

Almost every decision in a democracy is tricky. If I were the president, I'd appoint a special commission consisting of psychiatrists, psychologists, law enforcement, policy analysts, and gun manufactures to issue a report on guns and mental illness.

Then, I'd recommend to Congress the passage of a new law detailing who is and who isn't a prohibited person based on the recommendations of the special committee.

*manufacturers

As someone with post and pre pardum depression over the past 5 years, it should be considered when talking about mental illnesses and danger. Same with anxiety (which I've also had). They can both lead to bad situations, and truly need treatment.

A flat ban wouldn't help as people would avoid treatment though fwiw (hell I did at first, I didn't know what was wrong then I was afraid of being labeled and having rights stripped then I realized it was not worth it to live like that).

Some people have violent or self harming tendencies with them, some don't. You by when classify it by your of illness in many cases, or if the person is getting treatment. It's an incredibly complicated matter sadly.