Gun control, mental health and blaming inanimate objects

Note: I don’t often speak up about controversial topics. Controversy makes my stomach turn. I’m not one of the people who pull energy from controversy. It makes me turn off comments so that readers can’t attack each other. Controversy sometimes makes intelligent, responsible discussion difficult for a lot of folks who are typically very nice people. Please remain respectful if you comment. By all means, have your say but please be respectful to each other. If you absolutely must attack, attack the idea, not people.

~Robin

I’m frustrated, disgusted, disappointed and sad. There’s so little talk about mental health and a lot about banning guns on Facebook this morning that I closed it before I said too much. Annoying people serves no purpose when it comes to mental health and guns.

Mentally healthy people don’t commit mass murder and other violent crimes with any weapon.

This is the response from a man replying to a call for people to ask their governors and members of Congress to deal with gun laws.

irresponsible moms gun safety

OF COURSE responsible parents teach their children gun safety. Children must know what to do, what not to do, and who to tell when they encounter a gun. Not teaching gun safety is irresponsible. “Irresponsible” moms also teach their children to not touch hot pans and what to do when they find a sharp knife. There was no call with this to ask governors and members of Congress to deal with mental health.

Gun control starts with mental health.

Gun control starts with mental health.

Mentally healthy people don’t commit mass murder and other violent crimes with any weapon. I don’t believe everyone has the right to own a weapon. I do believe mentally healthy, upstanding citizens do have the right to own a weapon. I don’t want people who are not stable driving cars into crowds of people but really, are we going to ban cars? Lets deal with mental health, that thing we’re not supposed to talk about. Mental health, the taboo topic. Mental health, the big, horrible, tragic issue behind mass murders.

Woman accused of trying to run over boyfriend with car among Penobscot grand jury indictments. That’s a clickable link. This issue will be taken care of when we ban cars. Of course we won’t ban cars, too many people use them. Most people use them responsibly just as most people who use guns use them responsibly. More people use cars so we won’t be inconveniencing the masses. Note that a woman mentioned in this article pulled a knife on a guard in Bangor Mall. Is it time to ban knives? You better hope your food is tender. No more knives to cut broccoli before you drop it into the pan? People are being killed by knives and this insanity has to end. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous?

If we follow the idea that inanimate objects are to blame for the actions of people we must now ban computers. People could not download child porn if they didn’t have access to computers. Following suit, we must blame the laptop for this man’s actions.  Harpswell man sentenced to 30 months in prison for possession of child pornography.

It’s lazy to blame inanimate objects for violence. Mentally healthy people do not commit mass murders. It’s more than time to stop blaming an object and start demanding attention for mental health care. It’s difficult and usually painful to deal with mental health issues. We have a serious lack of mental health care in the United States. It should be available to everyone. Everyone should be educated in how to recognize the signs of mental instability. We should have the ability to help people who don’t realize they need help. It’s easy to blame an object.

Let’s talk about the real issue – mental health care, and stop blaming objects for people’s choices. Mentally healthy people don’t commit mass murder and other violent crimes with any weapon.

Robin Follette

About Robin Follette

Maine Press Association award winner, 2013. Robin's Outdoors, Bangor Daily News, third place in Sports blogs. I grew up with a fishing pole in my hand and have always loved the outdoors. From gardening to hunting and fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking and foraging, most of my time is spent outdoors. I teach outdoor skills as a volunteer instructor for Hooked On Fishing - Not On Drugs and Becoming an Outdoors-Woman. Pro-staff at The Limb Grip. My personal blog is here. I'm currently working on my first book, a collection of short stories based on my outdoors experiences.