Guns and the Mentally ill

[Tall Grass]

The NRA doesn't even address this at all do they? How about a link if they do.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/...ry?id=18435882

Sheriff Targets Mental Illness Link to Gun Violence

"If you look just in this jail, with 38,000 inmates who come through here every year, about one third of them suffer from some form of severe or untreated mental illness," Stanek said.


Eight of the nine killers in mass shootings last year had histories of mental illness. Few are believed to have been under the care of a mental health care provider or part of an organized community support system. None were blocked from legally purchasing a weapon.

[guidoLaMoto]

it's not quite as simple as you would like to believe. First off, you mention 9 crazy people out of 310 million Americans. Statistically speaking, those 9 don't even exist. Secondly, mental illness remains undetected in many cases for an extended portion of the patient's life. Even with stricter laws, they would still qualify to buy guns before their disease manifested itself. Third, even if prevented from buying guns, they could still steal them. (Who commits a crime with their own registered gun? Registration requirements prevent no crimes. it just ensures that at least one additional crime is committed to obtain the gun) Fourth, it is the Liberals' insistence on privacy of medical records and the threat of lawsuits should that privacy be violated that prevents physicians from reporting potentially violent patients. ...We could go on and on about the probabilities involved in trying to predict violent behavior, but the real point is that we can't legislate sanity anyways, let alone predict it with any degree of certainty.

Remember that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to bear arms so one can protect his home from criminals, but so private citizens can protect themselves from a tyrannical govt. Trying to curtail the 2nd amendment is an example of tyranny. If the 2nd amendment falls, which one will be next?

[nlballard]

I agree with you, Guigo. However , I am a physician; and if we feel some one is a serious threat, we can inform the police without being afraid of prosecution.I also work 2 days a week in a prison. They tell me the same thing you just said. They will never sign their name to any type of registration. It would leave a track to them. Any gun they have is either stolen , or bought on the streeet.They live in a world you or I can not even imagine.

[Smallest Dairy Farmer]

it's not quite as simple as you would like to believe. First off, you mention 9 crazy people out of 310 million Americans. Statistically speaking, those 9 don't even exist. Secondly, mental illness remains undetected in many cases for an extended portion of the patient's life. Even with stricter laws, they would still qualify to buy guns before their disease manifested itself. Third, even if prevented from buying guns, they could still steal them. (Who commits a crime with their own registered gun? Registration requirements prevent no crimes. it just ensures that at least one additional crime is committed to obtain the gun) Fourth, it is the Liberals' insistence on privacy of medical records and the threat of lawsuits should that privacy be violated that prevents physicians from reporting potentially violent patients. ...We could go on and on about the probabilities involved in trying to predict violent behavior, but the real point is that we can't legislate sanity anyways, let alone predict it with any degree of certainty.

Remember that the Constitution does not guarantee the right to bear arms so one can protect his home from criminals, but so private citizens can protect themselves from a tyrannical govt. Trying to curtail the 2nd amendment is an example of tyranny. If the 2nd amendment falls, which one will be next?

Great post!! Welcome. So you've been a member since 2011? and just 2 posts. Two great posts here @ you nlballard. Didn't know you were a Dr.