Republicans in Utah to Curb Gun Suicides

Sometimes the Grand Old Party disappoints:

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A Utah lawmaker is proposing a bill that would encourage to gun owners to buy trigger locks and gun safes and give stores incentives to implement suicide-prevention programs.

Republican Rep. Steve Eliason of Sandy says the proposed legislation could help curb the state’s suicide rate and prevent young people from using their parent’s firearms to take their lives. His bill, which has not yet been introduced, would offer a rebate to gun owners who purchase the safety devices. Retailers would have to agree to implement suicide-prevention programs in their stores to be eligible for the program.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/1gcvrin ) that Utah has one of the highest suicide rates in the nation, with 10 residents taking their life each week, most often with a gun.

….

The idea has precedent. For example, about half of gun stores in New Hampshire now offer suicide-prevention materials and education.

The state would pay for the rebates with money from fees for concealed-weapons permits. Utah has a $2.4 million surplus in this fund.

The proposal has already garnered support, including from the Utah Shooting Sports Council.

“Representative Eliason came to us with a suicide-prevention bill, and we saw a perfect place where we could use that money and encourage safety in the home by giving back to the permit holders,” chairman Clark Aposhian told the Tribune.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/9/gun-safety-bill-aims-to-curb-suicides-in-utah/#ixzz2ss40Ykx4

This is absolutely ridiculous. If I want to kill myself and my gun is in the safe, I’ll open the safe and do it. How is this supposed to prevent suicides? We don’t need the State playing nanny with gun owners, and we certainly don’t need gun stores turned into mental health centers with a bunch of stupid pamphlets. Suicide prevention? Screw that, it’s an INDIVIDUAL CHOICE like an abortion, but unlike an abortion, you’re not murdering an innocent person when you murder yourself.

Here’s the reality, 99.99999999% of gun owners did not commit suicide last week in Utah. Furthermore, don’t give us “statistics” like “10 residents taking their life each week, most often with a gun.” Most often with a gun? What the heck is that? 7 out of 10? 6 out of 10?

The Utah Shooting Sports Council should be ashamed for supporting this, don’t they realize that this is a stepping stone towards greater gun control?