Contributors

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Neighborhood Mental Watch

As more information comes out about Aaron Alexis, it's becoming very clear that we, as a nation, are falling short in terms of mental health. Someone that hears voices should not be allowed to own firearms. Period. Yet, as is usually the case now with these shootings, the gun community is falling all over themselves to make sure that none of our nation's gun laws are changed in terms of mental health restrictions. Since we've seen the piles of dead children's bodies won't move them, this latest incident won't either. Further, the Bloombergs and Bradys of the world will be equally as impotent in bringing about change. So, it's time to turn the whole debate on its ear.

I propose bypassing civil law (for the most part) and creating private, community based organizations around the nation that keep an eye out for mentally unwell people and raise a red flag if they own firearms, specifically focusing on young men as they seem to fit the profile of these spree shooters. We can use Bill and Tricia Lemmers, along with suggestions from Peter Brown Hoffmeister, as the models for how to intervene in such situations. Think of it as a Neighborhood Mental Watch.

The structure could be set up in a similar way to MADD or DARE (so we would need to come up with a cool acronym...NMW doesn't really pop...any ideas?) juxtaposed with a local militia. The gun community has their views on militias being allowed to protect local communities. Fine. So will we. It will be staffed by mental health experts, community leaders, retired law enforcement officials, teachers, ministers, and other concerned citizens who will keep on eye out for the next Adam Lanza. Like George Zimmerman patrolling his community for thieves, the Neighborhood Mental Watch will be ever vigilant and seek to keep towns safe.

Perhaps it's time to admit that the gun community is correct. Police are inadequate in terms of providing protecting from criminals. So is the law. It's time to take matters into our own hands.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Someone that hears voices should not be allowed to own firearms. Period.

I guess that means Mark should never be allowed to have access to a firearm. (See "Voices In Your Head")

</snark>

Nikto said...

It isn't really necessary to have neighbors rat on each other to Big Brother. The FBI just needs to keep track of incidents like Alexis' shooting through his floor into the apartment of the women below him while "cleaning his gun," or shooting out the tires of a car in an "anger-filled blackout".

Enter those data into the same database that we use to make firearms checks, and block all gun purchases for people who are either too incompetent or too violent to be trusted with guns. Adding people who have committed domestic violence to that list would also save thousands of lives annually.

I can't for the life of me understand why the NRA wants to protect the likes of Aaron Alexis. Guys like that give every gun owner a black eye. Violent, disturbed, and blind people clearly should not own guns.

Fear is a big motivator, especially for conservatives. Every time one of these nut jobs shoots a bunch of kids, it shocks all of us.

But this time, Alexis shot a bunch of old white men at a military installation. That's getting awfully close to home for a lot of these NRA members.

The fact that Alexis was an angry black man may be the last straw for many of the less doctrinaire conservatives.

Mark Ward said...

It's not close enough to home, Nikto, but your comments would certainly be helpful. Until there is a spree shooting at gun show or shooting range (bigger than the Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield deaths), the adolescent over reaction will trump common sense. Like any teenager, they need to learn their lesson. That's why we need to come with alternatives that don't involve the government.

It's not really big brother either, hence the reason why I put up the Lemmers and Pete Hoffmeister as examples of how to proceed.

And blind people? Really?

Anonymous said...

Until there is a spree shooting at gun show or shooting range (bigger than the Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield deaths)…

A) Shooting sprees are the result of a deranged mind. Such a shooting taking place at a range or gun show would not change that basic problem in the slightest. Heck, neither would rounding up every single gun and melting them down. The most expensive incidents in terms of loss of life from such deranged minds have not been the result of using guns to do the killing.

B) Let's think about this, even a little bit. A major shooting spree at a location where most people are armed. and. can. shoot. back? You know… that action (or threat thereof) that puts a stop to nearly every shooting spree? Duh!

I'm half tempted to suggest that you cut the final thread restraining your pathological hatred and try it to see what happens. But even one to three innocent people being shot is too high a price for you to finally understand. Don't even think about trying it.

Larry said...

Nobody I know condones Alexis' non-prosecution in Seattle. That should've been on record for background check purposes and a disqualifier for CCW. However, that falls (again) into enforcement of laws we already have, not a need for new ones. Nor is anybody I know saying that mentally ill people should be allowed free access to firearms. So just go stuff your strawman, ad hominem bullshit back up where the sun doesn't shine. Oh right, you can't do that 'cuz that's where your head is permanently installed.

GuardDuck said...

Why stop at just guns? Why not think of the children? Can anyone argue that protecting our most important people from the mentally ill isn't a priority?

With that in mind, we should do what Mark suggests and get those unbalanced individuals away from children.

Personally, I have witnessed an unstable person who is also a schoolteacher. This person really should have no contact with children.

I wonder if Mark would give me the power to ban such individuals?



Enter those data into the same database that we use to make firearms checks, and block all gun purchases for people who are either too incompetent or too violent to be trusted with guns. Adding people who have committed domestic violence to that list would also save thousands of lives annually.

Are you suggesting doing away with due process and innocent until proven guilty? As for domestic violence? Yeah, already in place. Perhaps you should have some knowledge about gun laws before commenting.

Larry said...

Please go ahead and carry out your plan. We will watch as you get sued into oblivion once you start violating the rights of people that don't seem "right" to you. They'll start with charging you with harassment, and once you "take the law into your own hands" you'll be facing jail time, too. Go ahead, fuckwit. Make our day!

Larry said...

Rather, "make the lawyers' day!"

GuardDuck said...

http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/21/aaron-alexis-and-the-gun-control-mental-health-dodge/