The gun control debate continues with a focus on legislation to be enacted if both parties can align on a solution. Currently, much of the discussion is on whether or not something can be done along the lines of considering it a mental health issue. There are those within both parties who would have us believe individuals who engage in the violent and atrocious massacres of innocent people with guns are mentally ill. By identifying these individuals early and taking away their guns or not allowing them to exercise their Second Amendment Right to possess a gun, we can eliminate these atrocities.
While I agree the individuals perpetrating these acts are disturbed, I hesitate to allow the government to curtail any rights based on the presumption a person is mentally ill. Mental Illness is a totally subjective classification of behavior not meeting societal standards. There exists no objective scientific basis for determining mental illness.
Is it determined by a chemical imbalance in the brain? Do we know exactly which chemicals are involved and the proportions of those chemicals rendering a person mentally ill? Is it the same disproportion of chemicals for violent behavior as it is for obsessive behavior? Can we correct the aberrant behavior by bringing the chemicals back into proportion? I have never seen anything indicating science or medicine has an adequate understanding of the causes to address these problems. Some people’s behavior may be corrected through behavioral counseling. Others to some extent with drugs. Still others with a combination of both. Even in the best of outcomes, there are those cases where a simple slip, missing a dose of medicine, missing a counseling session, a life-altering event, death, abandonment, etc. has caused the patient to fall back into their previous behavior.
I do not believe a government should be allowed to base any law governing the rights of citizens on subjective determinations. There have been too many instances of government misuse of the powers we put in their hands. Often times by individuals who believe they know better than the common person what is best. Perhaps these individuals should be considered mentally ill.
If Congress does put forth a bill restricting gun rights on the basis of mental illness or defect, I encourage everyone to oppose its passage. What behaviors might fall into this category and what rights might they later determine to curtail?
