On gun control

I applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for it's passage of a bill today that would fix flaws in the national gun background check system that allowed a Virginia Tech student to obtain weapons despite mental problems. I applaud the NRA for endorsing the bill, and I applaud the fact that it looks like the bill will get passage in the U.S. Senate as well. That having been said, I have a major problem with concessions that were made to the NRA in order to get them to endorse the bill.

The NRA did win some concessions in negotiating the final product.

It would automatically restore the purchasing rights of veterans who were diagnosed with mental problems as part of the process of obtaining disability benefits. LaPierre said the Clinton administration put about 80,000 such veterans into the background check system.

So let me get this straight, you can be mentally insane and still purchase weapons, as long as you're an armed services veteran? Now, I have nothing against those who serve in the military, or those who have done so previously, but why the hell should anyone, regardless of military background (or lack thereof) be allowed to purchase weapons if they have been diagnosed with mental problems?

Not only that, but why aren't the background checks being extended to every single American wishing to purchase a gun, period! As some of you already know, I'm getting ready to move to Arlington -- and in looking for a new apartment, I was told I would have to have a background check run on myself at nearly every single place I was interested in. If having a background check run is almost always necessary in seeking a place to live, why isn't it a necessity when looking to purchase a deadly weapon?

[Cross posted at Daily Kos]