My Dad - gun toting murderer?

[jorno67]

Last edited Sat Dec 15, 2012, 01:14 PM - Edit history (1)

A few years ago my Dad got into an argument with one of his neighbors. She hit him with her car while he was riding his three wheel bike (pedal) and then blamed him for it. Her son was the sheriff so they wouldn't even fill out a report. He was so mad and felt he wasn't getting justice and after the son showed up in uniform and yelled at my Dad to drop the whole complaint against his mommy...my Dad snapped. He decided he was going to buy a gun and kill that evil woman ans her corrupt son. So he rode his tricycle (pedal) to the local hardware store and picked out a hand gun.
He filled out the forms and then the cashier said that he had to wait the federal waiting period in order to purchase the gun. He was furious! But he went back home and counted the days.
Another note about Dad...he has never committed a crime but has a long history of mental illness.
So the day came and he went back to the hardware store - again on his tricycle - and guess what? He was approved!
As he was making his purchase he had a change of heart and purchased a pellet gun (air rifle) instead.
So the system failed twice - once with the currupt sheriff and again by approving a mentally ill person for a hand gun.
But it succeeded with the waiting period.
I am so happy that there wasn't a gun expo at the local baptist church that week - its a small town in Arkansas and yes that happens there - or another private sale opportunity. Had Dad been able to buy a gun that day...he would've killed someone. I know that as fact.
Any way - that's my personal story with gun control.

[slackmaster]

1. Let me clarify the law. There is no law that prohibits all mentally ill people from buying firearms.

Only people who have been adjudicated by a court of law as mentally incompetent, or who have been committed involuntarily to a psychiatric hospital.

That is federal law, and every state has statutes that parallel it in order to allow states to enforce it.

Some states have stricter laws.

[jorno67]

2. I realize that the law only covers so much...

But allowing Dad to have a gun with his history of mental illness is a system fail in my book. Law or no law.

[slackmaster]

3. I don't know about your dad's personal history, but most people with mental illnesses...

...do not pose a threat to themselves or others.

Stigmatizing ALL mentally ill people serves no useful purpose.

[jorno67]

5. I am personalizing my feelings about my Dad

Being approved with the issues he's had. I don't think mental illness is a automatic no for ownership. But would I feel better about the guy who got caught buying weed having a gun or the guy who suffers from manic depression and schizophrenia....

[politicaljunkie41910]

4. I hope your dad got the help he obviously needed. Also, just because the neighbor's

son was a member of the sheriff's department, doesn't mean that had to be the end of the story. Everyone answers to someone. Good luck with your dad.

[jorno67]

6. it was all small town politics

In the south. They were threatening him so he wouldn't report it to anyone else. He's fine....he lives with me now. Thank you.

[Fumesucker]

7. Eh, look at what happened in the Trayvon Martin case

The only reason the killing by Zimmerman wasn't completely swept under the rug is that the case finally hit the national news media, otherwise Zimmerman would have walked.

Local sheriffs are godlike in their powers in much of small town America, they really don't answer to anyone.

[jorno67]

8. that is

Especially true in small rural communities.

[jorno67]

9. oh yeah...I forgot to mention one other thing

He had to ride the tricycle because since 1995 he has been legally blind and does not have a driver's licence. But still fit to own and operate a hand gun...