John Oliver Takes on the Pro-Gun 'Mental Health' Hypocrisy

[billh58]

What's the GOP really mean when they shift the discussion away from guns?

Whenever a mass shooting occurs in the United States you can count on the right wing and the gun lobby to try shift the focus of the debate away from guns to mental health. Although mental health is obviously a key ingredient in America's mass shooting epidemic, the idea that it's the most important discussion to have after a shooting doesn't exactly hold up under scrutiny.

John Oliver took this defensive approach to task. “The aftermath of a mass shooting might actually be the worst time to talk about mental health,” said Oliver. “Because, for the record, the vast majority of mentally ill people are non-violent. And the vast majority of gun violence is committed by non-mentally ill people. In fact, mentally ill people are far likelier to be the victim of violence rather than the perpetrators.”

Oliver then tackled the policies surrounding mental health, breaking down how congress has failed to fund the problem which has resulted in millions of mentally ill people behind bars. “If we’re going to constantly use mentally ill people to dodge conversations about gun control, then the very least we owe them is a fucking plan,” said Oliver.

http://www.alternet.org/video/watch-john-oliver-takes-pro-gun-mental-health-hypocrisy

Just like all of the NRA/ILA/GOA right-wing gun lobby talking points, the "mental health" argument is based on nothing more than an attempt to scape goat people who are not a part of the problem. If anything, the gun lobby and its apologists should have their obsession with and fetish for guns examined.

[flamin lib]

1. Here ya go . . .

[billh58]

2. Thanks... n/t