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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the Editor, Oct. 6 MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am Posted Oct. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Identify mental illness I am feeling deep sorrow and compassion for those killed and injured at Umpqua Community College and their families. The vast majority of individuals committing mass murder and injury have serious mental health problems that have gone undiagnosed and untreated. As a nation we are pro-active about identifying and treating cancer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes etc. — why not mental/emotional illness as well? I have received unsolicited checklists in the mail on how to identify stroke symptoms or heart attack signs — why not similar checklists on identification of concerning behaviors in children, adolescents and adults? I know some primary-care providers are now administering checklists for symptoms of depression, often a significant factor in heart patients and others. As a society, we can study the key behaviors, emotional reactions, and thinking patterns found in those who have committed mass murder, delineate the characteristic features at each age, and train family members, primary-care providers and teachers regarding symptom identification and when/how to make a referral for effective intervention. Mental/emotional dysfunction is just as significant as other illness, and deserves the same effort to diagnose early, as we do for successful treatment of cancer. Susan D. Elsom, Ph.D., retired clinical psychologist Ashland The real agenda Not surprisingly, Sunday's MT Editorial joined, in lockstep, with Obama’s recent statements on the progressives' favorite canard, "gun control." Just like Obama, the MT offered no solutions and jumped on the bandwagon blaming the NRA as the bogeyman for the tragedy in Roseburg. Such thinking tortures logic. Missing from the editorial, and Obama’s statements, was any mention of what kind of proposed "law," that is not already in place, would have prevented the incident. ATF reported that the guns involved were purchased legally and the person that committed the murders appears to have done so because of a vendetta against his classmates or Christians. Neither Obama nor the MT editorial made any mention of the daily murders that occur in progressive run cities like Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, Detroit, New York, etc. Is the NRA responsible for that mess? Are law-abiding gun owners responsible for this criminal behavior? Of course not because criminals don’t conform to murder laws, let alone simple gun laws. The stark reality is that no new "gun control" legislation, either on the federal or state level, is going to prevent evil individuals from committing these acts. Obama and the MT editorial board should have the guts to say what your agenda is really. The "new gun law" you seek is confiscation and a ban on any future ownership of all firearms. I say good luck with that plan. Ted Krempa Medford An issue for all Americans Only 24 hours after the shooting rampage at Umpqua Community College, already there was political dissension over gun control. To me this is not a Republican or Democratic issue but an issue for the American people, regardless of political affiliation. In June, my husband and I were on the way home from Salem and stopped for dinner in Roseburg. It was prom night, and there were many graduating seniors dressed up and celebrating at the restaurant. Yesterday, we sadly wondered if any of those young people were at the college and maybe even victims. I believe in gun ownership for protection but I do not think it would hurt to have stricter laws for the purchase of guns. I do not feel anyone is trying to take guns away from American citizens but rather trying to stop senseless murders. Stricter gun laws may not help but it would be a start. The politicizing of mass murder hurts all Americans. Anyone one of us could be a future victim. We need to work together. It is not a time to be divided. Margaret Bradburn Eagle Point MailTribune.com Writer Posted Oct. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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