SENATE BILL: Firearms and Mental Health Act of 2013 (Law'd)

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I'd prefer a higher tax, but I'd still support this if a their aren't enough votes for it.  That being said, I propose the following amendment:

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[Chancellor Tanterterg]

No worries I withdraw my earlier amendment and introduce the following one:

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[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I propose the following amendment:

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[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Guns kill, and I think we need to stop pretending in this country that that’s always a good thing. Guns can be used to take innocent lives. While there’s no clear linkage between official psychological conditions and gun violence, there is a linkage between suicide rates and mental health. Unfortunately, I think the copycat phenomenon comes into play here—people with mental disorders  who would have otherwise killed themselves quietly in their basements now see that they can get much more attention by going into a public place, massacring innocent people, and then taking their own lives once finished. All it takes is one event, and if we can prevent that one event (in which the firearm plays no small part), I think it’s worthwhile to channel money towards mental health initiatives.

That said, I’m of the opinion that anyone who is willing to commit a murder has something working a little off-kilter upstairs. It may not qualify as a mental disorder, but it would still fall into the realm of mental health. Maybe it’s temporary stress from work or tensions within family. Maybe someone gets angry too easily. Maybe someone’s life is falling apart and they just need support. These occurrences aren’t going to be covered by a statistics about mental disorders, but maintaining good mental health could make all the difference. If someone has access to a gun, they can use it to kill someone. And all it takes is a bad day. But maybe—just maybe—with the right help, that bad day can be turned around before someone gets hurt.

I doubt the connection is good enough for you, but it is for me. I’m not proposing this for political expedience—I know people in my own party can’t be too impressed with this bill. I’m proposing it because I believe it’s something that could improve life for people in this country. I don’t believe in taking away the right to bear arms, so, unfortunately, I won’t be willing to take this bill further. Still, I think it’s awfully stubborn to pretend that guns aren’t even an issue. I’m willing to take a small step in what I hope is the right direction. I suppose my colleagues could overrule me and take this bill wherever they want, but it seems to me like this may be a rare opportunity to get a conservative on board with taking action. I hope my colleagues will stick on board as well.

I would just like to echo Senator HagridOfTheDeep's sentiments.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why would you echo that sentiment? If the guns are such a problem, we need to actually do something about it. A tax isn't going to keep guns out of the wrong hands.

I think a tax would be beneficial.  I also don't think this bill is the whole solution.  However, it will help and thus I'll support it.  I'd also support other measures, but I'm not going to vote against a good bill just because it doesn't include everything I'd like it to.  This is, in my view, a step in the right direction; it's not a solution by itself.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Why would you echo that sentiment? If the guns are such a problem, we need to actually do something about it. A tax isn't going to keep guns out of the wrong hands.

I think a tax would be beneficial.  I also don't think this bill is the whole solution.  However, it will help and thus I'll support it.  I'd also support other measures, but I'm not going to vote against a good bill just because it doesn't include everything I'd like it to.  This is, in my view, a step in the right direction; it's not a solution by itself.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I'd enthusiastically support this, but I too am a little uncomfortable with 2.2 F (although the rest of 2.2 is fine).

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I support this bill, as I said earlier. 

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I may have four beefs in me, btr I vote aye!

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

It only takes four to do this to you?

I didn't say that was all I had in me