This weekend we were reminded that our nation is facing a crisis. With shootings in El Paso, Chicago, and Dayton killing 33 and harming dozens more within a matter of hours from each other, Oklahoma lawmakers are answering calls to action by their constituents with pleas for “thoughts and prayers” and mental health care reform. I have mixed feelings about this.
As the owner of an Oklahoma handgun license and Ruger LCP II (a gun), I am taking this time to reflect on my own values. I cringe at how easy it was for me to get a license, and gun for that matter. But I can honestly say I've never had a need to carry in public, so I’ve never carried my weapon with me outside of traveling to the range. So, as a gun owner, I am sad, remorseful, and reconsidering my own gun ownership. But as someone with a Master’s Degree in Psychology and thus a pretty good grasp on the subject, I am pissed about our lawmakers blaming the epidemic on mental health. So, buckle the f%*k up for this article, ya'll.