One of the lies spread soon after the Parkland, Fla., school shooting was that President Trump had reversed an Obama-era ban preventing the “severely mentally ill” from purchasing firearms. That said, we’re learning there were plenty of signs that shooter Nikolas Cruz was a danger to others and should not have been armed.
The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake on Monday posted the results of a Suffolk poll showing that 76 percent of respondents agree that anyone who has been treated for mental illness should be banned from owning a firearm.
76% say anybody who has been treated for mental illness should be banned from owning a firearm
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) February 26, 2018
Let’s pump those brakes a little … anyone who has been treated for a mental illness? If you saw a therapist about a bout of depression, you’re forever banned from owning a firearm? Let’s define some terms, OK?
Looks like America has quite an education coming on what conditions are considered mental illness, versus what is considered "a danger to self or others". https://t.co/CdggZ7PhQ0
— Sandy (@RightGlockMom) February 26, 2018
Even the ACLU agreed that those Obama-era restrictions were a step too far, bypassing due process and applying the term “mentally ill” without an examination.
What qualifies as treatment for mental illness? https://t.co/LALh7eluyM
— neontaster ? (@neontaster) February 26, 2018
"Anybody who has been treated for mental illness" is, what, 1/4 of the country? https://t.co/aNxuyjWNxJ
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) February 26, 2018
1 in 5 adults experience mental health concerns in a year. https://t.co/bXP801ObTE
— Chad Felix Greene (@chadfelixg) February 26, 2018
Er…that is an INSANE standard. (pun intended).
A huge % of the population has been treated for depresssive and anxiety disorders, for example. https://t.co/SzXlgkCLqQ
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) February 26, 2018
This is very broad. So people with ADHD can't get a gun? Depression? Anxiety? https://t.co/NmIH6EBcBZ
— Alex Pfeiffer (@PfeifferDC) February 26, 2018
76 percent of Americans believe that a person who goes for counseling should lose a Constitutional right. https://t.co/gpUbMjkmMP
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) February 26, 2018
This seems like a great way to discourage a lot of people from seeking needed treatment https://t.co/euImLrIuwx
— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) February 26, 2018
“I’ll take ‘Things That Will Discourage People From Seeking Treatment For Their Mental Illness' for $1,000, Alex" https://t.co/jHFuqDIQxv
— Jeremy Bowers (@jeremybowers) February 26, 2018
So, punish those who seek treatment, and let the untreated have guns. Got it. https://t.co/Joc8teBPZc
— Julie DiCaro (@JulieDiCaro) February 26, 2018
As much as I believe in gun control, as much as I am not sure *anyone* should have guns… all this will do is deter people who need psychological help from getting it, because they'd rather have their guns. https://t.co/4y07Aqv0Ac
— Robyn Pennacchia (@RobynElyse) February 26, 2018
I'm certain that the vast majority of these people have no idea what "treated for mental illness" actually encompasses. There's a universe of difference btw "paranoid schizophrenia" and "seasonal affective disorder." https://t.co/gsSN3NQdOF
— Jeff B. (@EsotericCD) February 26, 2018
this is why popular outrage still shouldn't dictate policy https://t.co/FtfAGdJVQ7
— [email protected] (@vogon) February 26, 2018
Do people not realized the difference between being "treated" for a mental illness and "adjudicated" mentally unfit?
This is why rights aren't up for votes, let alone poling. https://t.co/K1rkytRck6
— Drew McCoy (@_Drew_McCoy_) February 26, 2018
My 8-year old daughter with ADD could never own a gun in her life? It's almost as if we don't actually think these feel-good positions through… ? https://t.co/Qv4rQvJY1W
— Matthew DesOrmeaux ⚜ (@authoridad) February 26, 2018
This is why we should never rush to just "do something." https://t.co/phkypnUJN2
— O. Alan Noble (@TheAlanNoble) February 26, 2018
But you heard those young activists from Douglas Stoneman High … they want ACTION … NOW!
Even Ana Marie Cox isn’t having it.
My fellow nutjobs, we need to talk to our normie pals about this. Lots of liberals and progressives thinks this is a “common sense” gun law. Help them to understand: this is discrimination, this is stigma, and *this won’t help.*
Some stats to follow. https://t.co/xP3UtzEGCw
— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
-mentally ill people are 12x more likely to be the victim of violent crime (incl gun crime)
-mentally ill people are more likely to be a victim of violent crime than commit one
-most people who commit a violent gun crime (incl suicide) have no mental health history /1— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
-mass shootings by ppl with mental illness are less than 1% of all firearm homicides annually
-ppl mental illnesses who do commit violent gun crimes do so at a rate lower than those with no mental illness
– only about 4% of ALL violent crime can be attributed to mental illness /2— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
“What about suicide?”
-Suicidal ideations are typically short-lived, waiting periods have been effective in lowering gun suicide rates
-most ppl who try to suicide by gun would not be caught in a mental health screening—they aren’t chronically mentally ill, just in crisis /3— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
-best predictors of violent behavior is PAST violent behavior and (just statically speaking) chemical dependency
-imho: I think you can use those facts w/o discrimination: use BEHAVIOR/consequences not diagnoses. Like, if you have DUI, maybe yeah, a higher bar to get a gun /4— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
-sure, a record of violent behavior should make it REALLY HARD to get a gun
-I am in principle against lifetime ban on gun ownership. Making it difficult, temporary ban, tracking ownership are great intermediate steps.
-other countries aren’t any less mentally ill than us /5— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
The problem isn’t who has the guns, it’s THE GUNS. /Fin
— ana marie cox (@anamariecox) February 26, 2018
Well, we’d argue it’s the person behind the gun, but fair enough. The point is this: keep a close eye on any legislation being rushed through proposing to ban the “mentally ill” from owning firearms.
Related:
BLAME TRUMP: Shannon Watts spreads bogus talking point about the 'severely mentally ill' and guns https://t.co/BYADvC94DQ
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 15, 2018
