There is a legal definition for mental illness just as there is for felony. If you've been adjudicated as mentally defective by a court and committed to a mental institution for your own protection and that of others, you're considered unfit to bear arms.
We already have laws in place to prevent such people from buying or possessing firearms. This is about enforcing laws that are already on the books and that almost everyone agrees with, not about creating new laws and restrictions.
“There is a legal definition for mental illness just as there is for felony. If you’ve been adjudicated as mentally defective...”
I wrote about how the term “mentally disturbed” is not well defined. You came back with the terms “mental illness” and “mentally defective”. Are those two terms the same as “mentally disturbed” as rexthecat used it? Would rexthecat agree? Would enough people agree that “mentally disturbed”,” mental illness” and “mentally defective” mean the same thing that we can have a discussion without more confusion?
The Mayo Clinic says “Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.” ( https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968 )
Should someone with an eating disorder be denied the right to keep and bear arms? How about an addicion to nicotine? Or Twinkies?
You write that “There is a legal definition for mental illness just as there is for felony” so please provide a source for the legal definition for mental illness. And note that while there may be a definition for felony, what’s included or excluded as a felony can be changed at the whim of the lawmakers. Also, if I recall correctly, homosexuality was once included as a mental illness/defect/disorder (whatever) by the American Psychriatric Association but they changed that. My understanding is that body dysmorphia still is...unless you think you’re a different gender.
The whole thing needs to be tied down tighter if we are going to take action to deny rights based on it. If it is already tied down tightly enough in strictly legal terms we need to discuss it in those terms, not in generalities.
“This is about enforcing laws that are already on the books and that almost everyone agrees with, not about creating new laws and restrictions. “
I’m not sure everyone understands or agrees with that.