In the wake of the tragedy in Sandy Hook, gun control will inevitably come up. Who can legally own a gun has been asked and answered. The children in China who were attacked on the same day were knifed. Senseless violence is not confined to our country.
The question “who in their right mind would…?” The answer is “no one.” People who commit heinous acts need treatment long before they become violent.
According to NIHM “An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.” Personality disorder, depression, anxiety disorder, PTSD are all treatable.
Some people may think mental illness is an excuse for criminal behavior. It is not. Severe cases where standard treatment is not possible are handled in a more aggressive way.
I am not attempting to excuse the acts of a seriously ill person nor do I condone institutionalizing anyone without a professional, very thorough examination. There are most definitely people who do not need to be free among society. My point is to address the real issue of how to deal with psychotics instead of guns. That is the hard question.
Robbie Moore