Gun Control and Mental Health

By Mark Eati

The Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida on Feb 14th, 2018 inspired me to write the below article

I am a twenty-year old with autism which is a mental health diagnosis. I am so simple I would never arm myself with guns. I question the impact of guns on humanity. I am writing on this topic because it caused so much pain and fear in our country. I was never thinking of gun topics before but this time around it was too much to ignore especially in light of the recent news article saying mental health is one of the reasons for violence.

I am trying to understand why it is so hard to control gun violence. In addition to other factors, it was blamed on mental health. Personally, I cannot even button a shirt, let alone pull a gun trigger. My worry is that so many are escalating an issue I cannot even fathom doing. In fact, I fail to understand why so many people like a gun when it can kill the most precious thing on earth – “life”.

I draped a very interesting topic around myself not in fear but in service to others with disabilities. I prayed for a lot of strength and courage to write on a topic like this. I love addressing such big emotional issues only when it helps others. My biggest fear of putting this online is a lack of support from gun lovers. I am treating them with respect and expect the same in return. I never try to disrespect people even when I am not in support of their opinions.

No one in this world is as loving as my family. I may be biased but how else am i supposed to feel? Imagine someone having to primarily wait on my disabled body all day. So, I try to improve myself to make their life easier, but not to kill others. I know the value of a pain free life. I am not interested in lifting a gun against others.

I am trying to call out the danger of saying mental illnesses are a cause of violence. A much bigger issue is the lack of many positive human traits including empathy for other humans. Why else are some people saying Florida victims are conspiracy actors?

I tremble that I am in a school that is unprotected but not because I am in a school with disabilities. I strolled in my classrooms many times and majority of us cannot hold a gun. I matured in how I view the world but I still cannot hold a gun.

So, how about those who have a mental condition and can operate a gun? They need help in my opinion but mental health is not an umbrella issue here. I refrain from going into more details on that small group of people who are dangerous to society. I am more watching out for the bigger group of disabled people that will never hurt anyone in their lifetime. Please do not use the word ‘mental health’ loosely. There are too many of us that need to feel accepted and understood.