A bill by U.S. Sen. Richard Burr would prevent veterans from being declared mentally unfit to own a gun.
Since the Virginia Tech shootings last year, Congress and several states have sought to tighten rules on who can legally buy a gun, but Burr's bill would prevent the federal veterans agency from declaring veterans "mentally defective" on its own.
Instead, judges, magistrates or other judicial authorities would have to do it.
Burr said that some veterans were added to the list not because they were a risk but because the Department of Veterans Affairs assigned them guardians to oversee their finances.
"This is a constitutional issue," he said. The database is for criminals, "not for folks who have trouble handling their own affairs."
The National Rifle Association and several veterans groups back Burr, but gun control-organizations argue that veterans have higher rates of suicide than non-veterans and might be more at risk. (N&O)
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Re: Burr bill would ease gun limits for vets
This is the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. Judges and magistrates are not medical experts they can only rely upon the words and opinions of individuals who work and operate in the mental health field.
Furthermore, to state that people who have a sever mental impairment as having "trouble handling their own affairs," does a great disservice to the people in the world who are struggling to overcome their demons and shows that Richard Burr has no idea what he is talking about.
Burr, by introducing this bill, insults America's veterans. This bill is tantamount to saying veterans are incapable of suffering mental disabilities and only further maintains the stigma soldiers in the armed services face when suffering from a mental disablity.
Also, Seung-Hui Cho was not a criminal until he violated the laws by killing people, which is why Congress and a myriad of states are working to close that loop-hole, while Burr's law only works to exacerbate the loop-hole.
This is just further proof that Richard Burr has no intentions of helping America's veterans or helping the mentally disabled in this country. He is more intent on getting quick political boost from organizations like the NRA.
I just hope people do not fall for this ruse.