So much of the discussion over these shootings has been **redirected once again to mental health, when that is not the problem.**

Instead of focusing on damaging, hateful ideologies. Right wing groups with fascist and racist tendencies, directives, and beliefs. With **[59%+ of mass killings in 2017 being perpetrated by right wing individuals.](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/white-supremacist-murders-2017-report_us_5a5f59b0e4b0ee2ff32c4bea)**

*[source 2](https://www.vox.com/world/2017/10/2/16396612/las-vegas-mass-shooting-terrorism-islam)*

*[source 3](https://www.adl.org/education/resources/reports/dark-constant-rage-25-years-of-right-wing-terrorism-in-united-states)*

*[source 4](http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2017/aug/16/look-data-domestic-terrorism-and-whos-behind-it/)*

*[source 5](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/u-s-sees-300-violent-attacks-inspired-far-right-every-year)*

*[source 6](http://abcnews.go.com/US/majority-2017-extremist-murders-us-committed-wingers-report/story?id=52436886)*

*[source 7](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/white-supremacists-committed-most-extremist-killings-2017-adl-says-n838896)*

*[source 8](https://theintercept.com/2017/05/31/the-numbers-dont-lie-white-far-right-terrorists-pose-a-clear-danger-to-us-all/)*

*[source 9](https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/17/gun-violence-masculinity-216321)*

This is further exaggerated by the fact **[Neurodivergent people are no more likely to be violent than the average population and more likely to be victims.] (http://www.amhca.org/blogs/joel-miller/2017/10/03/gun-violence-and-mental-illnessmyths-and-evidence-based-facts)**

 *[source 2](https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/trump-said-mental-illness-leads-to-gun-violence-heres-why-doctors-disagree)*

 *[source 3](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/minding-the-mind/201802/mass-shooting-and-the-myth-the-violent-mentally-ill)*

 *[source 4](http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/374913-stop-blaming-violence-on-mental-illness-its-a-dangerous-assumption)*

*[source 5](https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/mental-health-myths-facts)*

*[source 6](http://time.com/5162927/mass-shootings-mental-health-apa/)*

*[source 7 -pdf-](http://www.apa.org/advocacy/gun-violence/misperceptions.pdf)*

*[source 8](http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/183/3/233)*

*[source 9](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-thing-feathers/201802/mental-illness-didnt-make-him-do-it)*

**So why does this all matter so much?** Well, as a neurologically diverse individual (ASD, Depersonalization, Social Anxiety, Clinical Depression) I am of course personally vested in this, as already without this discussion I have faced much discrimination in my life. The prospect of being banned from weapons is concerning for me and not for the reasons you may assume.

First off, being banned from owning a weapon in a country where such is considered a right is essentially a removal of a basic human right. If I am to be discriminated against in this way, it opens the door for other rights to be stripped.

Secondly, as someone who has never been violent- Never assaulted anyone, not even in self defense and who despite taking part in many different neurodiverse communities has never known someone who is neurodiverse to be violent, the situation is very concerning. We need less of the completely wrong assumption we are violent and anything of the sort. The opposite is true and in fact we are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence and abuse.

Third, as someone who is a marxist leninist, I feel it is actually very much important for the proletariat to be armed, for a multitude of reasons. You may not agree and that is alright- But that doesn't give reason for you to unfairly target people due to being neurologically diverse. Instead maybe we should focus on the ideology on the right, and the tendency to not blame the mindsets and organizations responsible because officials are typically part of those groups, or have vested interests.

**As far as the discussion goes within our county and the facts lie, we need to address right wing violence, ideology, and groups instead of turning focus onto those already vulnerable.**

Thanks for your time.