(no subject)
Look, I think some restrictions on gun ownership is a good idea. I don't think the second amendment gives everyone in the US blanket rights to own whatever gun they want, to purchase it instantly and without background checks, or to freely trade and stockpile guns and ammo. I don't have a perfectly worked out solution to balancing rights and restrictions to maximize utility, but who does?
Anyway, my point here is that when anyone in a gun control discussion starts throwing around the cliche that mentally ill people shouldn't have guns, I go a bit rabid. All mentally ill people everywhere are not the same! Someone who has depression, someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder, people with phobias, in general these are not the people you need to worry about having guns! Oh, what you *meant* was "dangerous sociopaths," not "everyone with a mental illness ever?" THEN SAY THAT! It has ONE more syllable than "mentally ill people" and is a lot more precise.
Anyway, my point here is that when anyone in a gun control discussion starts throwing around the cliche that mentally ill people shouldn't have guns, I go a bit rabid. All mentally ill people everywhere are not the same! Someone who has depression, someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder, people with phobias, in general these are not the people you need to worry about having guns! Oh, what you *meant* was "dangerous sociopaths," not "everyone with a mental illness ever?" THEN SAY THAT! It has ONE more syllable than "mentally ill people" and is a lot more precise.