This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
More than enough, already!
Our right to bear arms never meant allowing anyone to bear semiautomatics, enabling them to kill innocent children, women and men. These weapons are "offensive," made for use on groups of humans.
We the people's right to bear arms has resulted in the best armed security forces in the world, with thousands of armed police, sheriff, security and troops walking among us. It allows weapons for hunting and for self-protection.
Addressing the proliferation of weaponry is key, but we must also address the harm from dismantling our mental health programs. It's a complex but critical issue of protecting and supporting our families, our social fabric and community stability, and becoming more serious about what matters in our collective lives.
This isn't about "gun rights"; it's about what is right about the role of guns in our society. It is not about mental illness; it is about promoting an environment of mental health.
Patrick Poulin
Salt Lake City