The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - The Language of Mental Illness in Gun Debates

dorc-1 · January 2, 2013, 07:24 PM

Since many of these individuals fly under the radar, it's impossible to depend on mental health officials to keep them from purchasing or owning a weapon. Nobody knows the mental health issues of a stealthy individual better than family members. Mental Health Officials cannot rat on an individual unless they have threatened bodily injury to themselves or someone else. Many individuals are aware of these rules and keep their mouths shut while being treated if they are planning to do harm to others or themselves.

Parents, guardians, siblings, nephews/nieces, grandparents should have the right to advise the FBI that these individuals should not be allowed to purchase or own a weapon. If an individual is reported to the FBI by a sibling, that individuals name should only be removed by a relative or guardian willing to accept full responsibility for that individuals criminal actions involving firearms in the future. Can there be abuse of an individuals rights? Sure, you could have a relative that is anti-gun who out of spite fills out the FBi form. But if that is truly the case, you should have no problem getting another relative accept the responsibility of removing you from the list.

The other option is letting Mental Health Officials flag the FBI if they feel you are unstable enough to ever own a gun. Me, I'd rather leave it in the hands of my relatives. In retrospect, I honestly believe someone in one of the families of the recent shooters would have made sure that guns didn't get into their hands.

January 2, 2013, 07:24 PM	#36
dorc-1 Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2012 Posts: 106	Since many of these individuals fly under the radar, it's impossible to depend on mental health officials to keep them from purchasing or owning a weapon. Nobody knows the mental health issues of a stealthy individual better than family members. Mental Health Officials cannot rat on an individual unless they have threatened bodily injury to themselves or someone else. Many individuals are aware of these rules and keep their mouths shut while being treated if they are planning to do harm to others or themselves. Parents, guardians, siblings, nephews/nieces, grandparents should have the right to advise the FBI that these individuals should not be allowed to purchase or own a weapon. If an individual is reported to the FBI by a sibling, that individuals name should only be removed by a relative or guardian willing to accept full responsibility for that individuals criminal actions involving firearms in the future. Can there be abuse of an individuals rights? Sure, you could have a relative that is anti-gun who out of spite fills out the FBi form. But if that is truly the case, you should have no problem getting another relative accept the responsibility of removing you from the list. The other option is letting Mental Health Officials flag the FBI if they feel you are unstable enough to ever own a gun. Me, I'd rather leave it in the hands of my relatives. In retrospect, I honestly believe someone in one of the families of the recent shooters would have made sure that guns didn't get into their hands. Last edited by dorc-1; January 2, 2013 at 07:37 PM.