The most common type of gun confiscated by police and traced by the ATF are .38 special revolvers, such as this Smith and Wesson Model 60 .38 Special revolver with a 3-inch barrel. LaPierre, Wayne (1994). Guns, Crime, and Freedom . Regnery Publishing. p. 58. ISBN 0895264773. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The terrible events in Newtown sent my mind racing this weekend. I kept coming back to where we in Montana stand on preventing gun violence in our state. It was clear that we’re not just moving in the wrong direction on preventing gun violence in Montana we’re racing in the wrong direction.
The best way to illustrate this point is by looking at the work of Sen. Dave Lewis (R-Helena). Last session, Sen. Lewis chaired the Senate Finance & Claims Committee (the primary Senate budget committee), and, as chair, he slashed funding for crucial services- including mental health services. He and his Republican colleagues maintained that the state didn’t have enough money to pay for treating and providing support for those with mental illness (and some other issues as well).
While Lewis was busy slashing services for Montanans, he sponsored a bill that would have given tax cuts to gun ammunition manufacturers to “ensure availability.”
So in Sen. Dave Lewis’ world, we have enough money to give ammunition manufacturers tax cuts, but we don’t have the money to provide mental health counselling for Montana’s most vulnerable people.
While I do find Lewis to be one of the most detestable political figures in Montana history, this post isn’t about him. It’s about the fact that through their decisions, Montana’s elected officials are making our communities more vulnerable to the types of gun violence we’ve seen throughout the country over the past few years.
In the 2011 legislative session, there were 13 bills introduced related to guns and firearms. Only 2 of these bills could be construed as gun control measures. The rest would have done things to allow guns in banks, bars and other buildings. These bills would have allowed people to carry concealed weapons (simply by telling themselves they were allowed to), and would have even allowed students in public schools to bring guns on campus.
We as a state, much like the country, have to get beyond partisan dogfights over guns and gun violence, and have an honest effort to pass policies that will keep our communities safer. These policies must deal with not only rules about who, when, and where you can carry guns, but they must also deal with ensuring adequate mental health services for all Montanans.
I’ll be honest, I don’t expect our elected officials to display the courage to push responsible gun control laws. But I do think we have an opportunity to tackle the mental health aspect of the puzzle.
The Medicaid expansion that is part of the Affordable Care Act is our best chance to expand mental health coverage to tens of thousands of currently uninsured Montanans. This expansion is the part of the Affordable Care Act(ACA) that the US Supreme Court ruled states had the option of whether or no to implement.
Unfortunately, this expansion is sure to get marred by political games by Republicans who refuse to vote in support of anything related to the ACA. While Republicans may hold majorities in the legislature, Democrat Steve Bullock will hold the Governor’s office, and its bully pulpit and veto pen. He should use this bully pulpit and veto pen to ensure the Medicaid expansion is implemented in our state.
Governor Schweitzer accounted for the expansion in his final budget proposal, but thus far Bullock hasn’t said whether or not he’ll push for the expansion.
I hope that the horrible events of Friday will provide Bullock with a little more incentive to champion the expansion of Medicaid as a means of preventing gun violence in our state, without taking on a battle over gun control laws that he almost certainly cannot win with the legislature. If Bullock does this, we’ll begin to finally take small steps towards preventing gun violence in Montana.
Related articles
- CNN Anchor: It Doesn’t Matter That Gun Violence is Down – Katie Pavlich (gds44.wordpress.com)
- Do Gun-Free Zones Work as Planned? (reason.com)
- Bob Costas’ gun violence comments draw controversy (metronews.ca)
- Guest Commentary: How we can reduce gun violence and suicide (denverpost.com)
From Eternity To Here 
An estimated 800+ children in Missoula were exposed to the chemical glyphosate during the four high-risk days following the pesticide spraying of ten local parks. Bonner Park and Caras Park were the highest exposure sites. More young people will see their lives foreshortened by cancers and pulmonary issues than will ever experience gun violence. Medicaid expansion with Affordable Care? Yes! And Yes! again. More mental health services? Yes! More stepping up to the microphone at Missoula City Council meetings and decrying this unauthorized pesticide attack? Probably not. With great…and characteristic…irony, Ward 1 alderman David Strohmaier (co-sponsor of Missoula’s equality ordinance) refuses to make a public statement about the pesticide.
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Has anyone listened to the reports of what those little bodies looked like after they were slaughtered by high capacity magizine fire? I dare the NRA and advocates go face the parents of the murdered children and tell them that this is “the price to pay for freedom” [sic].
Has anyone listened to the idiot Governors’ (Virginia and Texas) response when asked about this butchery? The first said “not enough is known yet” and the ultimate assaholic response from Texas is to require all teachers to be armed. Pardon me while I puke.
The GOP, as a whole, finds mental health issues too obtuse.
Don’t forget that the Pilgrims thought if you had $$, you were favorable in God’s mind. If you were poor, you musta done somethin’ bad and God frowned on you. Our Pilgrim forefathers (mothers had no rights) were a miserable bunch of fanatics. They could spoil a good wet dream at 50 paces. Mental health issues usually mean you were possessed by the devil and then the fun began.
Christians indeed!
gg
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