Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
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Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
If a person is unstable mentally, say with bipolar disorder or depression, should they be denied access to firearms? It seems like we've had a few mentally unstable people go on shooting sprees recently in the US. Would it help to have mandatory background checks on people to make sure they don't have a mental illness? What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
- Terrapin Station
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
Federal law in the US already prohibits gun sales to people with a history of mental illness.
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
That sounds like a good idea.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:39 am What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
A great number of the human population is mentally unstable, and it doesn't make sense to hand them weapons and hope they can "hold it together".
Upholding/supporting their supposed "rights" to own weapons is not upholding/supporting other's "rights" to live. How does that even make sense?
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
if they want to take out groups of people there's more than one way to do that. guns aren't mandatory for taking out thy neighbor, its media friendly for 2nd amendment controversy.Lacewing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 3:49 pmThat sounds like a good idea.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:39 am What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
A great number of the human population is mentally unstable, and it doesn't make sense to hand them weapons and hope they can "hold it together".
Upholding/supporting their supposed "rights" to own weapons is not upholding/supporting other's "rights" to live. How does that even make sense?
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
Why is that a reason to put guns in their hands?
Blaming the media for everything is lazy. We need to think smarter. How is arming everyone -- regardless of their mental imbalance -- intelligent or appropriate?
- henry quirk
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
Wasn't too long ago that homosexuality was considered a mental illness.
Should gays have been prohibited from owning a firearm based on what amounts to a shifty, shifting, definition of sanity?
Schizophrenia can be debilitating, but, with treatment, can be largely controlled: should folks with controlled schizophrenia be disallowed from owning a gun?
Here, in 'murica, certain strains of political thought are bein' categorized as extreme, bordering on psychotic.
Should folks with currently unpopular views be prevented from owning a firearm?
Who sets the bar?
Should gays have been prohibited from owning a firearm based on what amounts to a shifty, shifting, definition of sanity?
Schizophrenia can be debilitating, but, with treatment, can be largely controlled: should folks with controlled schizophrenia be disallowed from owning a gun?
Here, in 'murica, certain strains of political thought are bein' categorized as extreme, bordering on psychotic.
Should folks with currently unpopular views be prevented from owning a firearm?
Who sets the bar?
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
A psychological test doesn't need to get tangled up in all of that.henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:04 pm Wasn't too long ago that homosexuality was considered a mental illness.
Should gays have been prohibited from owning a firearm based on what amounts to a shifty, shifting, definition of sanity?
Schizophrenia can be debilitating, but, with treatment, can be largely controlled: should folks with controlled schizophrenia be disallowed from owning a gun?
Here, in 'murica, certain strains of political thought are bein' categorized as extreme, bordering on psychotic.
Should folks with currently unpopular views be prevented from owning a firearm?
Who sets the bar?
- henry quirk
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
As I say, not too long ago, homosexuality was viewed as mental illness...by psychologists...who ran tests.Lacewing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:15 pmA psychological test doesn't need to get tangled up in all of that.henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:04 pm Wasn't too long ago that homosexuality was considered a mental illness.
Should gays have been prohibited from owning a firearm based on what amounts to a shifty, shifting, definition of sanity?
Schizophrenia can be debilitating, but, with treatment, can be largely controlled: should folks with controlled schizophrenia be disallowed from owning a gun?
Here, in 'murica, certain strains of political thought are bein' categorized as extreme, bordering on psychotic.
Should folks with currently unpopular views be prevented from owning a firearm?
Who sets the bar?
They were wrong then, they can be wrong now.
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
So, what do you suggest?henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:55 pmAs I say, not too long ago, homosexuality was viewed as mental illness...by psychologists...who ran tests.Lacewing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:15 pmA psychological test doesn't need to get tangled up in all of that.henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:04 pm Wasn't too long ago that homosexuality was considered a mental illness.
Should gays have been prohibited from owning a firearm based on what amounts to a shifty, shifting, definition of sanity?
Schizophrenia can be debilitating, but, with treatment, can be largely controlled: should folks with controlled schizophrenia be disallowed from owning a gun?
Here, in 'murica, certain strains of political thought are bein' categorized as extreme, bordering on psychotic.
Should folks with currently unpopular views be prevented from owning a firearm?
Who sets the bar?
They were wrong then, they can be wrong now.
- henry quirk
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
Innocent till proven guilty.Lacewing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:59 pmSo, what do you suggest?henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:55 pmAs I say, not too long ago, homosexuality was viewed as mental illness...by psychologists...who ran tests.
They were wrong then, they can be wrong now.
Don't punish before a crime is committed.
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
Guns ought to be permitted on a need to own basis.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:39 am If a person is unstable mentally, say with bipolar disorder or depression, should they be denied access to firearms? It seems like we've had a few mentally unstable people go on shooting sprees recently in the US. Would it help to have mandatory background checks on people to make sure they don't have a mental illness? What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
Since the only valid practical use for a fire-arm is to commit a crime, I see no reason why anyone should be permitted to own one.
A strict licencing system ought to be the norm, and loss of licence ought to follow any infraction much the same as we licence car driving. Why not guns too.
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
A person that commits the crime of a mass shooting has a mental illness.Terrapin Station wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 1:48 pm Federal law in the US already prohibits gun sales to people with a history of mental illness.
So, clearly the prohibition does not go far enough.
Without a proper licencing system to onus is placed on the police to prove mental instability, as there is a presumption of a right to own.
I suggest mental competance ought to be established to gain a licence. Ownership without a licence needs to attract sever deterent punishment.
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
People also use guns for sport hunting and recreational target practice. If people are safe and responsible, then those activities can be engaged in safely. Unfortunately, not everyone is mature and responsible enough to handle firearms appropriately, it seems. So I agree that such things should be licensed and any infraction results in the suspension of that license. And I believe that mental illness should preclude one from being able to own or possess a firearm.Sculptor wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:44 pmGuns ought to be permitted on a need to own basis.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:39 am If a person is unstable mentally, say with bipolar disorder or depression, should they be denied access to firearms? It seems like we've had a few mentally unstable people go on shooting sprees recently in the US. Would it help to have mandatory background checks on people to make sure they don't have a mental illness? What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
Since the only valid practical use for a fire-arm is to commit a crime, I see no reason why anyone should be permitted to own one.
A strict licencing system ought to be the norm, and loss of licence ought to follow any infraction much the same as we licence car driving. Why not guns too.
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Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
I believe Ireland has very strict gun ownership laws. I believe almost no one is allowed to carry them there. And they don't have the same problems we have with gun violence. Unfortunately, after the fact seems to mean, after people get murdered. In both recent cases, If I understand correctly, I believe people close to the perpetrators saw signs and didn't say anything or else alerted authorities and nothing was done.henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:10 pmInnocent till proven guilty.Lacewing wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:59 pmSo, what do you suggest?henry quirk wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:55 pm
As I say, not too long ago, homosexuality was viewed as mental illness...by psychologists...who ran tests.
They were wrong then, they can be wrong now.
Don't punish before a crime is committed.
Re: Should the Mentally Ill Be Restricted from Owning Guns?
I would suggest that is mostly a vanity that the USA cannot afford to continue to persue. However if the NRA had a more sensible policy on licencing I see no reason this could not continue. As it is the NRA seem quite happy for there to be more guns than enough to keep criminals well supplied.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:50 pmPeople also use guns for sport hunting and recreational target practice.Sculptor wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 8:44 pmGuns ought to be permitted on a need to own basis.Gary Childress wrote: ↑Wed Mar 24, 2021 2:39 am If a person is unstable mentally, say with bipolar disorder or depression, should they be denied access to firearms? It seems like we've had a few mentally unstable people go on shooting sprees recently in the US. Would it help to have mandatory background checks on people to make sure they don't have a mental illness? What about mandatory psychological testing before the purchase of any gun to prove that a person is not mentally unstable?
Since the only valid practical use for a fire-arm is to commit a crime, I see no reason why anyone should be permitted to own one.
A strict licencing system ought to be the norm, and loss of licence ought to follow any infraction much the same as we licence car driving. Why not guns too.
If people are safe and responsible, then those activities can be engaged in safely. Unfortunately, not everyone is mature and responsible enough to handle firearms appropriately, it seems. So I agree that such things should be licensed and any infraction results in the suspension of that license. And I believe that mental illness should preclude one from being able to own or possess a firearm.