Ian Parkinson does not speak for me

March 12, 2013
Ian Parkinson

Ian Parkinson

OPINION By ALLAN COOPER

Ian Parkinson is my sheriff but he does not speak for me when he opposes gun control. He argues that the problem does not lie with the over-preponderance of guns in our society but rather with the untreated problem of the mentally ill.

Though I fully agree society has not fulfilled its obligation in the latter case, I am almost certain that teenagers with too much time at their disposal and an oversupply of guns and testosterone engaging in gang killings are not mentally ill.

I am convinced that accidental killings committed by minors are not committed by the mentally ill and I am convinced that momentary fits of rage on the part of those who possess and use guns against their loved ones are not acts committed by the permanently mentally ill but rather by those who need classes in “anger management.” Go ahead Ian, “pass the buck” and do nothing in the area of gun control.

But the rest of society is “fed up” with this obscene gun fixation that presumably began with TV cowboy westerns in the 50’s and remains to this day a “sacred cow” among conservatives.

 


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Zoooom! right over your head, Cooper. He does speak for you…rather YOUR 2nd amendment. Check history, wnat happens FTER gun laws.

What, you have faith in gov’ts.?? Another mistake.


Simple solution ,Allen put a sign in your yard that states you are unarmed and will not call 911 because you don’t believe in it.Problem solved!


CalCoastNews.com provides ample evidence of why our Sheriff should be issuing LTC permits to all law abiding citizens who aren’t otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms: http://calcoastnews.com/2013/03/slo-county-outlaw-motorcyclists-arrested-for-carrying-concealed/


These types of people can be anywhere at any time. You will have mere seconds to defend yourself when the time comes and there is no way for the police to help you.


So how about people that are otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms? What do you suggest they do? Ha Ha Ha


I think that a majority of what is said in this article is true, and bringing mental illness up brings a very valid point to the table for discussion. I agree that allowing mental illness to go untreated or unrecognized is inviting disaster. Weather its a troubled individual with severe anger problems, or a senile elderly person making false allegations of elder abuse, the consequences for ignoring the issue everyone can be catastrophic. However the amount of blame given to guns as the sole or primary cause of the violence problem is purely selective ignorance. Based on my education and experience with abnormal psychology, if a person deluged by mental illness decides to take another life, they will use whatever tools are available to carry out their intentions weather it be guns, knives, explosives or whatever. Taking guns away will have absolutely zero impact on violence and homicide, and it may even have an adverse affect. The only proven effective deterrent for a potential burglar for example, is the fact that he does not know if the owner is armed or not.


I believe that once you compromise one right, the rest will be compromised too and I simply do not want to lose any of my rights because of a minority that cant just pack up and move to another country better suited to accommodate people afraid of gun violence. Last time I checked, this was still the home of the brave and the land of the free.


I think Parkinson has proven much better and more interested then most Sheriffs prior. Cortez would have been good too, But right now, Parkinson shoots straight and that is more than I can say for anyone else in charge in this county.


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