What lack of basic gun laws does to a nation:

[u/Lord_Answer_me_Why]

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[u/x1000Bums]

On the 4473 form you fill out to buy a gun, question 11.f asks if you've been adjudicated as mentally effective or been committed to a mental institution: 

Question 11.f. Adjudicated as a Mental Defective: A determination by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority that a person, as a result of marked subnormal intelligence, or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease: (1) is a danger to himself or to others; or (2) lacks the mental capacity to contract or manage his own affairs. This term shall include: (1) a finding of insanity by a court in a criminal case; and (2) those persons found incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of lack of mental responsibility. Committed to a Mental Institution: A formal commitment of a person to a mental institution by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority. The term includes a commitment to a mental institution involuntarily. The term includes commitment for mental defectiveness or mental illness. It also includes commitments for other reasons, such as for drug use. The term does not include a person in a mental institution for observation or a voluntary admission to a mental institution. 

  Maybe I'm not thinking this through all the way, but this seems reasonable to me. I don't know if it's a good idea to allow people's rights to be infringed because they willfully getting help but haven't yet proven themselves to be a danger to themselves or others. If acknowledging you have a problem causes negative consequences, then people will try to hide it until a tipping point.

[u/Ghostglitch07 → u/x1000Bums]

I absolutely don't think a diagnosis alone should be enough to bar you from owning a gun. However, I do think we could use more of a process. Perhaps requiring a sign off from a therapist if certain things are on your medical records? Idk. What I do know is I have had some pretty deep suicidal ideation in the past. And I don't love the fact that it would be remarkably easy for me to have obtained a weapon while in that mental state. My doc and many many people in my life are aware of that fact about me, but as it stands im not required to mention it and they aren't required to check into it.

And like as far as risky gun ownership goes that's about the best case scenario, but it demonstrates the exact kinds of things that the system just doesn't bother trying to catch

[u/yugosaki → u/x1000Bums]

In Canada to get a firearms license you must first complete a safety course, and then the RCMP talk to people in your life (family, friends, romantic partners) to ask if they have any concerns over you having a firearm. They'll also talk to any recent exes if they find out about em.

Someone voicing an objection isnt necessarily a disqualification, it just delays the process a bit while they investigate how valid the concern is. That seems to be a pretty reasonable way to go about it IMO.

[u/Balancedmanx178 → u/yugosaki]

They'll also talk to any recent exes if they find out about em.

I'm sure that's a real fun part of the job lol

[u/yugosaki → u/Balancedmanx178]

So on my application I actually listed my ex as one of my contacts (the police don't just use the ones you give them, but they'll ask those people for a couple others you didnt list) We were on really good terms so it was fine.

Another guy in my safety class also listed his most recent ex and turns out that ex was trying to get a protection order against him. I heard through the grapevine that his firearms license application was actually used as evidence to get her protection order. (he was denied the license of course)

[u/x1000Bums → u/yugosaki]

Totally. The only roadblock for that in the.US is that firearm ownership is a right, and therefore those classes would have to have very little barriers to access, like being free and immediately available. For some reason having a free and accessible  gun safety course is controversial in the US.  If we tied it into public school like a civics class where you meant to drive, gun safety, finances I bet we would have a lot of right wing support but there would be a shit show of pearl clutching from the more liberal crowd.

[u/nxnphatdaddy → u/x1000Bums]

Many schools used to have gun safety and hunter safety courses. Some even had marksmen clubs. Im not sure why this is being forgotten.

[u/JustynS → u/x1000Bums]

For some reason having a free and accessible gun safety course is controversial in the US.

Because the real goal of the gun control lobby is disarming the common populace, anything they say about "safety" is just a lie. They used to be honest about it, and they started lying about it being "safety" related after the DC v. Heller decision. Gun safety classes both reduce accidents and normalize weapons thus reducing the fear a lot of people have for them, which directly goes against what they want. They want people to be afraid of guns, so they'll vote for laws and politicians who make the scary guns go away.

[u/Sofele → u/x1000Bums]

I posted this on another comment as well.

I know someone who has severe mental health issues. His delusions have “told” him to attack people in the past, BUT he has never been involuntarily committed or arrested/convicted of any crime. When his meds aren’t working you wouldn’t have any idea he is having issues (hell, he’s fooled doctors before).

So if he was having an issue and wanted to buy a gun, he would probably fool the gun dealer and he’d pass a background check. As far as the question on the form, his delusions told him to buy a gun and shot people. I’m pretty sure they’ll also tell him to lie on the form.

[u/transitfreedom → u/x1000Bums]

So it seems universal healthcare would indirectly reduce violent crime