I enjoy shooting my guns. I believe in the value of responsible gun ownership and support the 2nd Am. 

Still, I recognize that we have a serious gun problem in this country. We have too many guns in illegal circulation and access to ownership is too damn easy. I found it more difficult to (legally) hunt, fish, and drive a car than to own a device which was created to end human life. 

This makes no sense. 

Compunding the problem is the fact that this country has a serious mental illness problem and does little to nothing to deal with that problem. If anything, we stigmatize mental disease to the point that people don't even want to seek out the help that they need.

These two problems create a perfect storm for gun violence. 

Instead of addressing this storm head-on, we've actually moved in a more dangerous direction...a direction oppossed by just about every law enforcement agency and the CDC (among others) by increasing gun access and use through campus carry bills and by ending gun-free zones in many states.

One reason for this is that we have a small, but dogmatic population of gun zealots who prioritize guns over safety (and common damn sense).

Sadly, I see no easy fix to any of our problems. And honestly, I don't think there will be any real movement on these issues UNTIL groups like the NRA start working with politicians in fashioning tighter gun restrictions. One constraint on this movement is in how places that have been more proactive in addressing America's gun problem have not enacted restrictions that actually work. I do believe that to pass meaningful reform, the anti-gun faction needs the expertise of the pro-gun faction. 

As long as we are tribed up and unwilling to work with each other on common sense reform, nothing will be solved. 

Oh, and GOP-driven changes to the ACA will further exacerbate our mental health issues in this country rather than work towards fixing them. 

But I feel for your point.  We don't go after gun crimes. Gun crime has been on a LONG decrease in the US, even as guns in circulation has exploded.  Again, it is typically not the law abiding citizens committing these horrific incidents.  Your point about folks with mental health issues is spot on, but unfortunately many in the gun control camp see this as a way to leverage a MUCH MORE BROAD prohibition and frankly I don't trust them.  The term "nudge" is always on my mind when talking concessions or common ground with political activist/strategist (or sales people).  I too am a gun advocate, well maybe more of a personal defense advocate, and I fully agree that there are folks who shouldn't own a weapon, much less carry.  There are also people who shouldn't drive either, but they do.

80%+ gun murders/assaults is gang related, which unfortunately often breaks down along racial line (AS DESIGNED), so policing and particularly strong enforcement/taskforcing is often portrayed as racial bias behavior.  Exactly how much of the remaining 20% or so leads to violence by the mentally challenged? Maybe 1/2  if you use a very liberal definition of mental health issues.

I have personally seen these items play out in the last two weeks as a very good friend attended the funeral of the woman slayed in the Orlando shooting early last week. It was her cousin who died.  I took over a HOA picnic for her on Saturday at our community park so she could attend the funeral mass and graveside services. 

Two of the victims had left guns in their cars (as allowed by FL law) because the business was posted  as a no gun zone.  Of course that doesn't make the news, because it doesn't fit a narrative.  You can't stop crazy violence driven people from doing violent things, unless you are personally willing to do so. And for that, I reserve that right.

Maybe you think that this line of thinking makes ME crazy...and by some definitions I have heard proposed, that would make me ineligible.