Current Event for the Week of 4/16/07
Anthony LaCalamita III, denied handgun permit had no problem buying a shotgun a few weeks later, allegedly opening fire at former office.
Read the article here.
While FBI background checks are used, should his sentencing be lessened due to his history of depression and mental health problems? Should gun licenses restrict those with "severe" mental health problems? Would this be discrimination? Should the government even allow gun ownership?
Read the article here.
While FBI background checks are used, should his sentencing be lessened due to his history of depression and mental health problems? Should gun licenses restrict those with "severe" mental health problems? Would this be discrimination? Should the government even allow gun ownership?
posted by phs_sociology at 1:00 AM
5 Comments:
If LaCalamita has legitimate mental health issues, his sentence should be adjusted to reflect them. I think background checks should be much more thorough for both handguns and long rifles. If an applicant has severe mental issues his gun-ownership privileges should be restricted.
i think the guy got what he deserved. i mean yes he has a mental health problem. but if someone is that sick then they need help and i think in a way going to jail will help you. i think the people selling the guns should check for mental health issues.
Gunsellers should check mental health issues and they should be very strict about it. The checks should be very thorough so that they won't give a gun to a person who is more likely to use it harmfully. This is a little discriminative though against people with mental illness but it would mean a much safer environment in the community.
No, I dont think his sentence should be lessened. Personally, I find a lot of the "plea of insanity" cases to just buy your way out of a harsher punishment. If the person is that insane, then they should have been put in a psyc ward long before the incident occured. Yes, gun licenses should restirct those with 'severe" mental problems because if they have mental issues, then who knows if they will shoot whenever; however, whose to say that someone that doesnt have "severe" mental issues wouldnt shoot whenever. I think there should be stricter rules on everyone, not just people that have mental issues. It is discrimination because it's targeting those who have mental issues, when in reality we all have our own issues. SOme are just more severe than others. I'm undecided on weteher or not the government should allow gun ownership. I see both the positive and negative sides to both.
I find it unbelievable that he was denied a handgun but instead got ahold of a shotgun. That just shows how completely ridiculous some of these gun restriction laws are. I figure all guns should have the same restrictions, after all guns are made to hurt living things...or possibly a shooting range target.
Post a Comment
<< Home