I was actually discussing this last night with my bf.

Quote :

"Should confidential mental health information be included in background checks for people purchasing guns?"

What do you think?

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm

I think that some psychiatric information should be considered relevant, but not all.
E.g., if there's a history of violence or threats towards others, psychosis/hallucinations, or blackouts/time loss. Because I was committed to a psych ward for non-violent suicide atempt when I was 12, I can't legally own a gun. 11 years ago

I don't think Nancy should be prohibited from legally buying a gun because she sought intensive in-patient therapy for severe depression 15 years ago. Or, something I saw when I was 12 in the psych ward: a kid whose autism was undiagnosed before he went it, and was diagnosed in his time there. Because his acting out was self-destructive and his parents were seeking help from the county, their case worker did what most would do: throw the kid in a pediatric psych ward for immediate stabilization while a long-term treatment plan is developed.

I also think there should be a provision for what is, essentially, getting "better" (i.e., you have a single exceptionally manic or depressive phase in your early 20s with one or two threats towards another person...that shouldn't keep you from legally owning a gun in your late 30s). A long trial period, if you will. Shit, some new mothers are hospitalized with post-partum depression - that's something you know the source of, and that it's only a recurring problem if she views her vagina as a clown car.

Since if someone wants to kill themselves, they do it with or without a (legally owned) gun, I see no sense in expending resources trying to keep guns out of the hands of those who have proven to be a threat to themselves.

Yes, this is probably something most of you don't care about, and isn't light-hearted enough for CC

1/11/2008 4:02:03 PM

what isn't lighthearted enough for Concealed Carry

i agree about the background checks including mental health information...could be quite pertinent and stop some massacres

criminals dont usually buy guns legally anyway so it wouldnt affect "regular" armed robberies and murders but it might stop some psycho shooting sprees ie Virginia Tech, etc

1/11/2008 4:04:01 PM

Quote :

"Since if someone wants to kill themselves, they do it with or without a (legally owned) gun, I see no sense in expending resources trying to keep guns out of the hands of those who have proven to be a threat to themselves."

i would agree with you; however, the problem is if they are crazy enough that they may kill someone else...see VT

1/11/2008 4:05:26 PM

there should be an established, well known baseline for mental instability that precludes people from buying a gun and if a person crosses that barrier in their mental health history it should be included on any print out like a person's criminal history.

1/11/2008 4:05:53 PM

yes

1/11/2008 4:07:16 PM

Quote :

"there should be an established, well known baseline for mental instability that precludes people from buying a gun and if a person crosses that barrier in their mental health history it should be included on any print out like a person's criminal history."

that would just create more problems than it solves

what about when your employer runs a background check? you shouldnt have to reveal that you had some issues

1/11/2008 4:07:24 PM

And seeing what I've seen in the psych ward, I fully agree that mental health records should be considered...but that there shouldn't be a blanket prohibition keeping anyone whose been in a mental ward from owning a gun. And, many, many, many people with mental health problems have ever sought treatment, much less been hospitalized. Something like 1/2 any incarcerated persons at any given time anywhere are suspected of having an undiagnosed mental illness - many small-time offenders who will get short sentences.

It'd be nice to see some parameters set for retrieving such records (e.g., ignore admissions >15yrs ago, admissions for non-violent incidents - things like that), so as to not drain resources deciding things on a case-by-case basis.

Quote :

"what isn't lighthearted enough for Concealed Carry "

Quote :

"there should be an established, well known baseline for mental instability that precludes people from buying a gun and if a person crosses that barrier in their mental health history it should be included on any print out like a person's criminal history. "

How would you define this line? I don't really trust any goverment entity to do anything right; much less anything that requires any compassion, critical thought, or considering anything other than numbers/fact snippets (i.e., DSM codes)

[Edited on January 11, 2008 at 4:10 PM. Reason : lkd]

1/11/2008 4:07:52 PM

This picture still creeps me out. I did not know Stiletto that well, but clearly he had some depression issues. Directly through those branches and the sights of that gun was my front door. Maybe he was just fucking around and took these pics, but on the other hand....WHO THE FUCK TAKES PICTURES OF THEIR GUN AIMED AT OTHER PEOPLES HOUSES?

That is just not rational behavior. Nothing good can come of a picture like that.

1/11/2008 4:28:32 PM

I knew him well enough to tell you that he didn't take that picture to creep you out, but because he liked photography, guns, and mixing the two. I quite liked some of the resulting pictures. I actually wish he and I could have played around with macro some.

You didn't answer the question I asked, either
I understand where you're coming from, and agree that he could have chosen a better place to get the effect he was going for (I don't know why he ever made that pic public, as it rather sucks )

1/11/2008 4:32:05 PM

you do not need to own a gun. owning a gun is much like driving. It is a privilege not a right. If you have a history of mental illness or you tried to commit suicide then yes that is relevant. How is trying to kill yourself NOT relevant to owning a weapon? I don't care if you were 12 or 50

1/11/2008 4:34:02 PM

Oh, and let me clear something up: I'm not making this argument for me. It's one of many things that just sticks in my craw. Like many other people, I don't need to own a gun, and if I get into shooting enough that it's more economical to own than to rent, there are legal ways around the prohibition that applies to me about owning a firearm. Namely, not owning one. There's nothing saying I can't have access to one. Provided my life stays the same and I don't do something silly like get my ass convicted of a felony.

Quote :

"If you have a history of mental illness or you tried to commit suicide then yes that is relevant."

For suicide: yes, it's relevant to you and your loved ones. The government cannot protect you from yourself, nor should it.

Quote :

"I don't care if you were 12 or 50"

So you don't think a person changes or matures drastically in the 38 years between?

Quote :

"owning a gun is much like driving. It is a privilege not a right. "

Depends on who you're talking to.

1/11/2008 4:37:58 PM

Quote :

"because he liked photography, guns, and mixing the two. I quite liked some of the resulting pictures."

1/11/2008 4:39:27 PM

I mean the gun is dead on (no pun intended) to my door. I wish the sun was not glaring because then you could see what I am talking about.

As far as I am concerned, anyone who has guns and is suicidal is a split second from taking some people out with them. I mean how they going be held accountable when they are dead. Everything we do as a society to deter people from murdering does not matter to someone who intends die minutes afterward.

Its the same reason school shooters off themselves when they are almost out of ammo or the cops are coming. I think school shooters are suicidal first, and then become murderers. If they had respect for their own life then they would never think about going on a killing rampage.

1/11/2008 4:42:36 PM

Quote :

"I mean the gun is dead on my door. I wish the sun was not glaring because if it was not you would see what I am talking about."

I can't answer whether or not he knew it was pointing right at your door. I doubt you can. Like I said - for the shot (aha!) he was going for, he definitely could have chosen a better setting.

Quote :

"I think school shooters are suicidal first, and then become murderers."

Eh...I see them as equally important to the shooters - if they were mainly suicidal, they wouldn't involve other people

Quote :

"As far as I am concerned anyone who has guns and is suicidal is a split second from taking some people out with them."

Fair enough, seeing as how if you're about to kill yourself, you're not exactly thinking rationally

[Edited on January 11, 2008 at 4:45 PM. Reason : lkjd]

1/11/2008 4:44:59 PM

the answer is a resounding NO

it isn't your employers fucking business
it isn't the state's business

it is between you and your health care professional

1/11/2008 5:11:49 PM

so at Virginia Tech, it wasnt the business of the famlies of the 30+ dead students?

cause they caught some resounding bullets to their vital organs

1/11/2008 5:13:14 PM

it certainly was the business of anyone killed by that awful man and their families too

after the fact

if you're that afraid of crazies you should take steps to protect yourself

don't make me use that cliche about sacrificing freedom for security

1/11/2008 5:15:13 PM

It's not a cliche.

1/11/2008 7:28:54 PM

Quote :

"It's not a cliche."

1/11/2008 7:31:56 PM