[JennysCool]

We don’t have a gun problem, we have a mental health problem.

That's precisely right. But the Libs would rather it be a gun problem because (a) they can demonize an inanimate object to disarm their opposition and (b) mental health problems hit uncomfortably close to home.

[USNBandit]

Can we not face the problem straight on because it is more difficult, because the left just wants to eliminate guns, or because people don't want to show compassion to the mentally ill?

A lot of these people have substance abuse histories. It doesn't really matter which one is the chicken and which is the egg. They definitely do worse when they are abusing drugs.