Today, CNN’s lead story is entitled the “Loneliest Club”. The article introduces us to a new activist group called “Everytown for Gun Safety”, described by the authors as “Americans bound by grief. From bullets.” Each club member has lost a loved one to what they are calling gun violence; the most recent member is the father of the newswoman killed on-air last month by a mentally ill former co-worker.
Of the eight featured stories in this article, six of the murders were committed by mentally ill individuals. Three quarters of these horrible tragedies were perpetrated by sick people! The two other murders were committed by individuals who acted against laws that were already on the books. Criminals, in other words.
All of the stories in this article are terrible, horrible, and senseless, no doubt about it. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one through violence–any act of violence, involving guns or otherwise. At the same time, I cannot understand the urgent call for more gun control at the instant a fatal crime is committed with a gun.
How many more of these tragic stories about mentally ill persons committing murder will the public be able to endure, yet continue to conclude that the only solution is MORE gun control, without any attention being paid to the mental health crisis we have in this country? How much longer will the main stream media keep playing this same record that more laws are needed, even though criminals don’t obey laws?