My heart goes out to all the victims of the Sandy Hook school massacre last week.My little grandson Airik is too young to understand or even know of this tragic event but this image of him seemed to say what I cannot.
Yes I believe gun control laws need to be addressed but the bigger problem is the treatment issues of the mentally ill.To have to wait for these people to commit a crime to get them help is too late.Our family,like many others,have had to try to deal with getting help for our loved ones suffering from mental health issues.We know that getting that support is almost impossible with our current laws both in Canada and in the U.S.The families of the mentally ill go through years of trying to get treatment for their untreated family members suffering from a psychosis only to be turned away at the door.When they finally do draw the attention of authorities by committing an offense they then become part of the prison system,still untreated.
It is not enough to not allow gun purchases to the mentally ill,they have to somehow get treatment.
Mental illness needs to be dealt with the same way cancer or heart disease is....a treatable condition.The stigma should be and needs to be removed.
Thank you for reading this and be safe this holiday season.