I feel this way - I had the opportunity to blow my brains out last year, and I was close. It was there, and convenient, and I knew would be effective. Should I have had access to it -- absolutely. It's my life, as Bon Jovi says, and I am NOT property of the state, to be told when to live, when to die. Mental illness or not. It's my life and my choice, and I won't give that up. That DOES NOT MEAN I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE ONE. It's not, I don't now, it went bye bye via a responsible method. Where it won't hurt anyone - frankly, it was old and kinda sad, from the 1920's, I don't know if it would even have fired, I know NADA about guns.

Now, to agree with Webgoji, I am absolutely terrified of being lumped in with criminals, predators, sex offenders. What have I done wrong -- like another person commented, my entire "criminal record" also consists of going 32 mph in a 25 mph zone back in 1994, with a $100 fine and no points on my record. Tough rap sheet, eh, puts me right up there with gang bangers and Mexican drug smugglers I guess.

I haven't done anything wrong, and I enjoy having civil rights. That being said, there are SOME people who should have their rights limited, but only as long as they are legitimately proven in the legal system to not be able to handle them. It should NEVER be open-ended, and it should NEVER be discriminatory or arbitrary based on "future crime" - only if someone actually does something and is properly put through the legal system.

As far as some blanket "ban" on people with mental illness having guns, fine ONLY if there is a blanket ban on people, all people, having guns.