The Focus On Mental Illness In the Gun Debate

Some atheists say that Christianity is a mental illness.

http://articles.exchristian.net/2003/04/religion-is-mental-illness.php

Some anti-gun lobbies say that desiring to own a gun is a mental illness.

Is being a conservative a mental illness in the eyes of a liberal?

How about a child showing off a PICTURE of his new airsoft BB gun to his friends?

Read how an actor's son is having his mental health questioned after he brought a picture to school to show off his new Airsoft BB gun.

http://gunssavelives.net/blog/conservative-actors-sons-mental-state-question-after-showing-picture-of-airsoft-gun-at-school

When we include mental illness as a broad definition, we must be very careful.

Most of the proposals on "gun control" by the White House addressed mental illness:

• Remove barriers that prevent states from reporting information on people prohibited from gun ownership for mental health reasons. 

• Provide $10 million to CDC for additional research on relationship between video games, media images and violence. 

• Provide $55 million for new initiative (Project AWARE) to make sure students get treatment for mental health issues. 

• Provide $25 million for state-based strategies supporting individuals ages 16-25 with mental health or substance abuse issues. 

• Provide $25 million to offer students mental health services for trauma or anxiety. 

• Provide $50 million to train 5,000 additional mental health professionals serving children and young adults. 

• Clarify that the health-care law does not prohibit doctors from asking their patients about guns in their homes. 

• Launch a national dialogue about mental illness. 

• Finalize requirements for private health insurance plans to cover mental health services. 

• Ensure that Medicaid recipients get quality mental health coverage.