Mental Illness and Gun Control: My Take on how we could regulate the issue of mass shootings

From my personal aspect, I believe that a solution that could be conceived in order to address and prevent future massacres, based on the information displayed in class, could perhaps be the use of implementing rules or regulations that would open doors towards having control over any weapons. Obviously, it’s not an easy method: not everybody who suffers from mental illness should have to additionally carry the weight of society stereotyping them as “criminals” or “crazy” any more than they already are by some. In order to prevent this, I feel as if perhaps all individuals who look towards investing in weapons, should prove their authority towards being held accountable for owning a gun. Perhaps by conducting an exam that would help conclusion as to whether or not one is physically and mentally stable enough to be held responsible for such a powerful tool. Sure, there may be individuals who would most likely oppose to this new regulation, however I feel that it would provide easement between the topic of guns and those who have authority over them in our society and who do not. Surely, people would find any type of contradiction in any type of settlement but I feel that it would be an even more cruel approach if we were to only settle this exam based on how one looked, acted, or their previous, and present medical diagnosis. Despite whether or not you have had any type of association with mental illness, it is critical to recognize the position in which we place those who have or do suffer. It is vital to keep in mind that mental illness can NOT be simply determined by physical factors such as the way one dresses or looks, neither should their actions or behavior. Sure, in some cases, illnesses can tend to be transparent but this is not usually the case for the majority of those who suffer. We must not forget to place ourselves in the shoes of those who struggle with their inner demons every day and honor those who continue to make effort in pushing through their illnesses. Just because, as a society, we are taught that since symptoms of mental illness are not always transparent or talked about often, we should still treat these disorders just as we would with physical illnesses/injuries as well. By doing this, we increase the likelihood of raising future generations to recognize the importance of mental health just as we would with our physical health, as well. Perhaps this could lead to even greater advances in our society within the sticky subject of gun control/use and help decrease the rate of these mass shootings that cultivate the issue of gun laws in our nation today.