Stop Scapegoating people with psychiatric disabilities!

People with psychiatric disabilities should not be scapegoated in the gun control debate. Mental illness has become the topic of intense scrutiny by our nation's policymakers because of a misplaced connection between mental health and violence. Legislating restrictions on people with psychiatric disabilities is an easy way to avoid the real issue: gun control. The NRA and its allies want to make the debate about limiting the rights of people with psychiatric disabilities in order to avoid the real and important issues surrounding gun control. 

If we, as a nation, want to get serious about ending gun violence policy makers need to work with us-mental health advocates, people with psychiatric disabilities, gun control advocates, civil rights advocates, and the disability community- to stop making mental health the issue and work together to develop robust gun control legislation.