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Republicans always say we should focus on "mental illness" after a mass shooting

But republicans never do or propose any solutions for mental illness. In fact, they seem to block anything that is proposed. So if they don't want to do anything about the guns, and they won't do anything about the mental illness, does that say they are OK with elementary school kids being killed?

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TheOneyouwerewarnedabout · 41-45, MVIP

leftists say groom kiddies and kill babies..

so theres that..

youre in no position to lecture anybody..

LordShadowfire · 46-50

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout And more lies from the peanut gallery.

This message was deleted by SimilarWorlds staff.

LordShadowfire · 46-50

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout I keep trying to shush the groomers, but they won't stop lying.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

HIPAA is also making thinga more difficult for intervening when there is an issue.

Congress has dropped the ball on mental illness. Both parties

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HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@samueltyler2 Ordinarily id say yes, but given the state of our education system and mental health services today, I'd have to say the age should be 21.

LordShadowfire · 46-50

@HoraceGreenley I just want to say, I like what I'm hearing from you on this issue.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@LordShadowfire Thanks dude. I'm in favor of responsible gun ownership. We need to stamp out irresponsible gun ownership.

bijouxbroussard · F

Uh huh. They [b]do[/b] say that, don’t they ?

NatureGuy77 · 51-55, M

Republicans dont control Congress nor the White House the last 1.5 years. Nothing is stopping Democrats from passing anything.

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dakotaviper · 56-60, M

@samueltyler2 don't you know to research anything.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/democrats-used-filibuster-over-300-times-gop-once

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster_in_the_United_States_Senate

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/filibuster-history-how-its-been-used-over-the-years/

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jan/11/democrats-have-voted-more-filibusters-republicans

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@dakotaviper you do know the bias of washingtontimes, and the fact that when the reps had control, they chose which bills would even be posted, so there was less ability to even filibuster.

dakotaviper · 56-60, M

@samueltyler2 I gave you 4 sources and you complain about the washington times. figures.

Harriet03 · 41-45, F

A simple check would show 'mental illness', oh hang on 🤔
That would be a 'background check', we can't be having that!

FREEEEDOMM.... 🤦‍♀️

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Graylight · 51-55, F

@CopperCicada You're right on the witch thing. I promise you MGT was a witch burner in some past life.

But cultures to shift, usually over great time. Look at basic history. The Renaissance, the dark ages, the age of reason, the age of technology. All those eras come with shifts in the culture. Shifts of priority, principles, needs, value.

We used to have a slave-owning culture. And while there are some who'd welcome it back, it can hardly be laid as a template over general society these days.

The day before terrible tragedies caused other nations to reconsider guns, they also shared cultures that valued or allowed such things. And then they didn't.

The US is unique in our utter defiance at change of any kind. We don't admit wrong, we don't back down, we don't correct and we'll kill ourselves to make our own point. But that can change. Done right, there's no reason in the world we can't be like every other Western nation when it comes to firearm regulation.

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fanuc2013 · 51-55, F

I beg to differ! Republicans suggest a cure for mental illness all the time, it's called, VOTE OUT DEMOCRATS!

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LordShadowfire · 46-50

@boudinMan Haha, ok boomer.

boudinMan · 61-69, M

@LordShadowfire is that your way of admitting defeat?

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Graylight · 51-55, F

It's BS. Just one of a dozen convenient clay targets they throw up when playing Deflection Skeet.

And it works. Even now, the Democrats are discussing mental health bills with no teeth. One particularly progressive Republican is suggesting raising the age of assault rifle purchase from 18 [i]all[/i] the way to 21.

Because that's why tens of thousands of people die every year from guns. That's why we sacrifice children on the altar of "mah rights." a 2-year age gap.

Assault rifles are not the problem - less than 3% of gun deaths involve them.

It's not mental health - most mental health clients are never violent and there's no safe "background check." And we all remember HIPAA, right?

"Bad hombres" aren't the issue - most murders are among those who know each other and putting extra guns with open carry laws in the hands of those who would protect schools also means arming those who'd destroy them. More gasoline for the fire.

The issue is simple. Guns are a leading cause of death in the US. In other places where this has been confronted, measures have been overwhelmingly successful. Remove guns - even temporarily - and deaths slow to a near stop. But we're going to prove that can't work by never trying it.

Zaphod42 · 46-50, M

But republicans [i][u]did[/u][/i] do something about mental illness! In 1981 Reagan killed funding for public mental health services. 🤷‍♂️

bijouxbroussard · F

@Zaphod42 As governor he privatised our state mental hospitals and a lot of people ended up on the streets. It was the beginning of our massive homeless problem.

independentone · M

@bijouxbroussard Yep, Camarillo is now a school campus

Zaphod42 · 46-50, M

@bijouxbroussard I remember hearing about that. When I’m in LA and see the homeless people with obvious mental issues I think about that 😔

ElwoodBlues · M

Canada has the same proportion of "mentally ill" as the US. Nope, it's the guns.

[sep][sep] [center]UPDATE[/center] [sep][sep]

Canada assault weapons ban
[quote][b]Prohibition on assault-style firearms[/b]
As of May 1, 2020 the Government of Canada has prohibited over 1,500 models of assault-style firearms and certain components of some newly prohibited firearms (the upper receivers of M16, AR-10, AR-15, and M4 patterns of firearms). New maximum thresholds for muzzle energy (greater than 10,000 Joules) and bore diameter (20 mm bore or greater) are also in place. Any firearm that exceeds them is now prohibited.[/quote]

Canada large magazine ban
[quote]As a general rule, the maximum magazine capacity is:
* 5 cartridges for most magazines designed for a semi-automatic, centre-fire long gun
* 10 cartridges for most handgun magazines[/quote]

Canadian licensing
[quote]Starting in 1979, people who wished to acquire firearms were required to obtain a firearms acquisition certificate (FAC) from their local police agency. From 1995 to 2012, all firearms owners were required to possess a firearms licence—either a possession and acquisition licence (PAL), a possession-only licence (POL), an FAC, or a minor's licence—and all firearms were required to be registered.[/quote]

Guns like the AR-15 and the Ruger Mini-14 (used to kill 14 women in Montreal in 1989) have been moved on and off Canada's restricted list since 1977. [b]https://rsc-src.ca/en/node/4117[/b]

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ElwoodBlues · M

@MethDozer So basically you're telling me that because people can break a magazine size law, the law has no effect. Extending that logic, you're saying all laws are useless because people can break them; i.e. there's no such thing as law and order. But Canada has had more restrictive gun laws than the US for a long time:

[quote]Starting in 1979, people who wished to acquire firearms were required to obtain a firearms acquisition certificate (FAC) from their local police agency. From 1995 to 2012, all firearms owners were required to possess a firearms licence—either a possession and acquisition licence (PAL), a possession-only licence (POL), an FAC, or a minor's licence—and all firearms were required to be registered.[/quote]

Translation: the local police had to OK every gun purchase. Plus, the AR-15 was often placed on the RCMP's restricted list. If the locals cops said no to an AR-15, you didn't get one. I think it' s fair to call this a strong partial ban on assault rifles going back to at least 1979.

MethDozer · M

@ElwoodBlues Yes, if the same 10,15, and 20 round magazines are available, just mandated to have a little hole drilled in them with a pop rivet to stop the follower at 5 rounds. Then yes, that law doesn't explain things.

No, no I am not saying laws are useless and that the legal system is helpless on the issue.
Do you not read the word " screening".

And no, the restricted catagory isn't nor counts as any kind of ban.

[quote]Starting in 1979, people who wished to acquire firearms were required to obtain a firearms acquisition certificate (FAC) from their local police agency. From 1995 to 2012, all firearms owners were required to possess a firearms licence—either a possession and acquisition licence (PAL), a possession-only licence (POL), an FAC, or a minor's licence—and all firearms were [/quote]

Translation, a more mature culture and proper screening.

MethDozer · M

@ElwoodBlues The resitrcted list doesn't mean banned. It means you can't walk around or hunt with them and can only shoot them at approved ranges and are legally only allowed to transport them to ans from approved situations with storage requirements.

Fun fact, a sawed off shitgun wich is a destructive device here is a completely unregulated sporting firearm in Canada.

There's a lot of nuance to Canadian firearm laws. But it hasn't limited availabilty much there. I actually think they had a good balance there and have long said we should model from them.

However, we can't ignore the glaring fact that there is another problem in the US with culture and mental health that drives exponentially more people to nut up and go on killing sprees in schools and malls here. They not only don't happen where firearms are completely banned, they don't happen at near the same rate were weapons are closely avaialable. I'm not against better fireame screening measures and requirments at all. But thinking that is the bulk problem ain't going to solve our killing problem if we ignore the deeper issues that is going on.

anythingoes477 · M

Gov Abbot is taking huge bribes............I mean "campaign contributions"...from the NRA. As such he like all Republicans on the take from them has the same carbon copied response to dead kids........."refusing to deal with mental health issues is the problem". And yet for the 2nd successive time he and Texas Republicans have refused to fund any mental health agencies or programs in Texas.

He can get away with this hypocrisy because facts to a Republican is like garlic to a vampire. If Abbot says we did all we can do........and guns don't kill people..........then to a Republican voter why bother to see if he really did all he could to help the mentally ill in Texas?? Just nod and blame a Democrat. Works every time.

ElwoodBlues · M

@anythingoes477 Abbot blames Uvalde mass killing on mental health after cutting mental health spending

Pitchblue

In April Abbott cut 211 million from Mental Health programs. Most likely to use the money on the disaster he created on the US border, with the National Guard.

justanothername · 51-55, M

Yes they are 100% OK with anyone being shot because it means that someone somewhere bought a gun and in the process made a donation to the NRA..

If Republicans had their way a lot more people would be being shot in mass killings more often and no cops would ever intervene.

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justanothername · 51-55, M

@Slade Look in the mirror.

Slade · 56-60, M

@justanothername took you an entire day to come up with that sublime retort?

justanothername · 51-55, M

@Slade Nope, about 2 seconds.

SunshineGirl · 36-40, F

When conservatives talk about 'mental illness' it's time to start worrying. The mentally ill conveniently include those who disagree with their one dimensional view of the world.

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MartinII · 70-79, M

@SunshineGirl Thanks, and I agree with that. Another point is that there’s not a lot you can do about mental illness, beyond trying to treat people properly.

basilfawlty89 · 31-35, M

@MartinII mental illnesses aren't made the same. Someone with bipolar disorder is not the same as someone who has Antisocial Personality Disorder. The former is far more likely to be a victim of violence, the latter is more likely to harm people.

MethDozer · M

I'@MartinII There is. We need more mandatory housing for certain mental illnesses and behaviours.

@basilfawlty89 Exactly. More people need to wake up that fact.

butterflybaby75 · 46-50, F

The only 'mental illness' is 'Trumpanzee-ism'.

Adogslife · 61-69, M

Republicans are to blame for mental illness?

That makes absolutely no sense. That’s like blaming a political party for alcoholism. There’s no correlation.

If you have a mental illness, it’ll be covered by your health insurance. It’s a choice to seek help. The government can’t stop you from smoking, drinking or eating too much. It’s your job to self-regulate. Your family should suggest help. It can’t be mandated effectively by any “government”, perhaps with the exception of a local school system suggesting help/counseling.

The NRA would do themselves a massive favor by mandating higher licensing for semi-automatic weapons. It should take a significant investment of time and education to obtain such a license - literally years. It should also require letters of reference, much like it does to earn the right to carry in many states.

That would mitigate many of the problems and allow both sides in the gun control argument to win.

Ultimately isn’t that the goal?

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Graylight · 51-55, F

@samueltyler2 And all the lip service they pay to the deflection topic of mental illness is completely transparent. They talk about flags, backgrounds, treatment, prevention...and then use words like 'rogue,' 'bad guy,' 'crazy man,' 'monster,' 'evil' when the time comes for reflection on what might have created this situation.

samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@Graylight they refuse to admit what they stand for, what they would do if eleccted.

Graylight · 51-55, F

@samueltyler2 Difficult to defend the darkness and justify greed to the masses.

softspokenman · M

When the bill comes in for the total cost of therapy charged to the Republicans the voice will then be:
😡 This is an outrage!

Therapists are crazy people! Nothing but Psychobabble!

I'm not a therapist but I do have common sense!

Captainjackass · 31-35, M

They actually like it because every time there’s a mass shooting like this gun sales go up so their owners make more money and so do they.

Thevy29 · 41-45, M

Politicians announcing what they think the problem is and then doing fuck all about it. Is nothing new. Unless it affects them personally.

SomeMichGuy · M

I think you figured out that their "service" to the country is mostly LIP service.

masterofyou · 70-79, M

But it is the mentality ill that pulls the trigger. If you take all the guns away from the ones that are responsible and want to protect themselves then the mentality ill will go out of there way to get a gun illegally and do carnage anyway ....

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ElwoodBlues · M

@masterofyou [quote]But it is the mentality ill that pulls the trigger.[/quote] Your basing your comments on the belief that 'open carry' makes us safer, right?

Funny thing, guns are NEVER allowed in a Trump rally.
Funny thing, guns are NEVER allowed at an NRA convention.
Funny thing, guns are NEVER allowed where the Republican National Committee meets.

If guns make them safer, why would these folks be rejecting safety?? Why wouldn't they allow their fellow gun totin' citizens to help protect them and help PROVE their beliefs about gun making them safer? Why not???

masterofyou · 70-79, M

@OggggO @ElwoodBlues Funny i was was brought up in a family that hunts and fishes and my dad was a Trap and Skeet shooting champion people would have gun racks onthe back window of their pickup trucks people were responsible and had respect for each other. And when i was in fourth grade we didn't have this problem so what is answer ??

ElwoodBlues · M

@masterofyou Homicide rates per capita in the 1950s were only a bit lower than our current rates. We did have plenty of murders while you were growing up, just no school shootings.

It's much harder to do a mass killing with a trap & skeet shotgun or bolt action hunting rifle.

Nowadays it's a WHOLE LOT easier to get an assault rifle with a 100 round magazine nowadays. This is what the Dayton shooter used. In the 32 sec before a cop got to him, he killed 9 and wounded 17 more. Would you agree to banning magazines with more than 10 shots?

[sep][sep][sep][sep][sep][sep]

!!! UPDATE !!!
Looks like @masterofyou blocked me. Why? Did I provide too many facts that challenged his opinions, LOL!!!

Crazywaterspring · 61-69, M

Republicans have nothing to offer. Is "mental illness" the new "thoughts and prayers?"

masterofyou · 70-79, M

@Crazywaterspring what have you to offer??????

bijouxbroussard · F

@Crazywaterspring Not that they’re going to fund any treatment, of course:

MyNameIsHurl · 41-45, F

If people were capable of a dialectical discussion things would be different in this country.

msros · F

The problem seems too complicated for Americans considering the fact that it is happening again and again and nothing or no one can stop it.

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Pitchblue

@bijouxbroussard It's just one of the Cults that have control in the House and Senate because they can buy Congressmen and Senators. There's the Gun Cult, the Abortion Cult, Dozens of Religious Cults, the Oil and Gas Cult/No Global Warming Cult, etc, etc. All with easy access to the Government and the laws they pass because of money.

bijouxbroussard · F

@Pitchblue [b]The anti-Abortion[/b] cult, you mean; the only pro side allows women to decide for themselves.

Pitchblue

@bijouxbroussard The anti abortion cult has been working for 50 years to make it illegal. They have enough money to install the.people they want in the Supreme Court. Of course that did take decades.

RedBaron · M

Nobody’s OK with kids being killed, and I haven’t seen any such solutions proposed by either party. And Democrats and Republicans can propose whatever you want, but the scary reality is that nothing can be done to prevent these shootings.

NoGamesTolerated · F

Says the main troll…

nedkelly · 61-69, M

They are not in government, so the Democrats should be promoting this and encourage the republicans to support them

RedBaron · M

@nedkelly They actually are. Republicans hold nearly half the seats in the House and exactly half in the Senate.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

So you want to do away with due process then?

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HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@CorvusBlackthorne They should not have firearms. I have no porblem with that. The local state and federal govenment dropped the ball and did not intervene. It can be done. I just don't want to violate their Constitutional Rights.

CorvusBlackthorne · M

@HoraceGreenley Then you agree with red flag laws in theory.

HoraceGreenley · 56-60, M

@CorvusBlackthorne Absolutely...as long as they dont violate Consitutional rights. i want more extensive background checks, wating periods, increasing the age to purchase to 21 and red flag laws.

Responsible gun owners don't commit crimes. The mentally ill and people buying illegal guns commit crimes.

TheOneyouwerewarnedabout · 41-45, MVIP

Only happens in the election years..
soros funded death is expensive.

Yeah I said it..

LordShadowfire · 46-50

@TheOneyouwerewarnedabout You sure did, you sick piece of shit.😆

Driver2 · M

Democrats do also they are both at fault

Democrats don’t have a moral ground to stand on trust me

Slade · 56-60, M

Mental illness is only curable to the extent one wants it.

Everything else you vomited was pure garbage

nedkelly · 61-69, M

All countries have mental illness

[center][b]There have been no school shootings in Australia[/b][/center]

SW-User

Wouldn't our focusing on mental health be better?

bijouxbroussard · F

@SW-User It would be more than we’re doing at present.

AthrillatheHunt · 51-55, M

That’s some fuzzy logic there. Lol

ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

[c=800000]No. [/c]

Human1000 · M

They just toss shit out waiting for the rage to subside.

LordShadowfire · 46-50

We [i]should[/i] focus on mental illness.

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samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@masterofyou you are being an ahole! Neither POTUS nor any of his cabinet has any direct control over what you claim they do. I am getting tired of explaining to idiots like you that the formula shortage was caused by big business, not the FDA. All the FDA did was close down on manufacturer Ng plant of one company, after finding children fed formula made there had gotten seriously I'll. Inspection found conditions horrendous, causing the VOLUNTARY shut down, to save lives. There is no storage of formula at the border, no more than at hospitals, grocery stores and pharmacies. So check your facts before you spew missing information on any social media.

I take a look at the country. Progress in so many areas is being blocked by a group of insensitive, evil in my mind, politicians who are a part of NO! Nothing can get done because of the evil actions of the Republican leader of the Senate, and a remnant of a mistake in voting Ng in the Senate which created the filibuster! Look at what is s happening in the country, how many more deaths will occur until some common sense, or efforts based on research elsewhere, changes are made to stop an 18 year old from buying over $3,000 in weapons in a couple of days, and no one tries the stop him from killing?

I have no idea why you ask me if i have served my country. The answer is yes, in many ways. But, i didn't not need to justify myself to you over that!

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samueltyler2 · 80-89, M

@masterofyou as I said, I served, and have no desire, or need to explain that to you.

Why did an 18 year old "need,," any arsenal?

And now "masterofyou" unable the handle my comments, blocked me! Good riddance!

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Pitchblue

@CopperCicada Republican conspiracies. Local Stations owned by companies like Sinclair with a steady feed of lies for Red States. "You should hate the Liberals, the Black, the Brown People, the Women because they won't have your baby."

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