In the last several years our Second Amendment rights have been coming under attack because of violence with firearms. Everyone including the government is blaming firearms. Firearms are not the problem; human beings are the problem. Firearms are an inanimate object. They do not load or pull their own triggers. People load firearms and pull the triggers, not the firearms themselves. Firearms are not the problem in this country. The mental health system is one problem, as are sales on the black market are (on the rise) and proper safety once guns are purchased.

We have a  mental health crisis due to mental health facilities being closed due to lack of funding. I believe in order to get this problem under control we must start placing the blame where it needs to go: on the lack of mental health care.

Also, we need to start holding irresponsible gun owners responsible for allowing access of their firearms to children or someone that is mentally ill. We need to find a way to stop firearm sales on the black market that get shipped into the U.S. Also we need to start holding facilities responsible for letting patients out of the hospital after 14 days when they have told medical personnel they want to harm others or even themselves.

No matter how many laws are on the books criminals or even the mentally ill will find a way to get their hands on firearms. Finally, again I repeat the problem is not firearms, the problem is the mental health system, and human negligence.

Carole Clowes

Sidney