Armed and mentally ill

Again, someone with known mental issues legally obtained firearms that he later used to carry out a massacre.

The story of murderer Elliot Rodger includes videotaped public statements, in which he expressed his frustrations with women in general because they did not pay attention to him. That hatred toward female students at the University of California at Santa Barbara culminated in the killing of six people, in addition to the gunman’s death.

Reactions in social networks have reflected the level of harassment and violence that women are subjected to, because men feel privileged and refuse rejection. That is why it is so disturbing that there are men who, without justifying Rodger’s actions, have identified with his frustration and resentment against women.

What has become way too common is for someone with a long history of mental issues to be able to legally buy in California three semiautomatic handguns and hundreds of rounds of ammunition without any problems.

If Congress had passed a bill expanding background checks for weapon purchases after the Sandy Hook school massacre happened, it is likely that Rodger would not have been able to buy the guns. Of course, that is speculation.

However, there is no doubt that 32,000 gun deaths per year is an atrocity in a civilized nation.

Even more so when the National Rifle Association has such power in federal and state legislatures that it can defeat bills banning the selling of firearms to the mentally disturbed, shielded behind questionable interpretations of the constitution and using tons of money to support or defeat politicians.

What happened in Santa Barbara has occurred in many cities. It will continue to happen as long as lawmakers consider the right of a person with a mental illness to carry semiautomatic handguns to be more important than another person’s right to live.