--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is another real cost to linking gun…" description: "\"“There is another real cost to linking gun violence with mental illness. Dr. Renee Binder, President of the American Psychiatric Association and hersel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/john-r-lott-jr-9603_gun-control_there-is-another-real-cost-to-linking-gu_155868.png" --- # There is another real cost to linking gun violence with… ![“There is another real cost to linking gun violence with mental illness. Dr. Renee Binder, President of the American Psychiatric Association and herself a strong gun control advocate, rightly points out that, “People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violence . . . the…” quote by John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/john-r-lott-jr-9603_gun-control_there-is-another-real-cost-to-linking-gu_155868.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/john-r-lott-jr-9603_gun-control_there-is-another-real-cost-to-linking-gu_155868.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/498/john-r-lott-jr-9603_gun-control_there-is-another-real-cost-to-linking-gu_155868.png) > ““There is another real cost to linking gun violence with mental illness. Dr. Renee Binder, President of the American Psychiatric Association and herself a strong gun control advocate, rightly points out that, “People with mental illness are far more likely to be victims of violence . . . the majority of individuals with mental illness will never be violent toward others.”” [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Linking gun violence to mental illness misrepresents data; most mentally ill are victims, not perpetrators. **In simple terms:** Mental illness rarely leads to violence. Key Takeaway Avoid stigmatizing mental illness. Themes gun policy mental health statistics stigma public safety Mood analytical concerned balanced Type policy social When to use this quote - legislative debates - media reporting - healthcare training Key Concepts public health policy analysis psychology Questions to Reflect On - What other factors contribute? - How to address stigma? A Different Perspective Complex causes of gun violence go beyond mental health. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Gun violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-violence/) [Mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-illness/) ## Related quotes > [A very tiny percentage of people with mental illness are also violent. We know this. The constant linking of the two together in national…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chirlane-mccray/a-very-tiny-percentage-of-people-with-mental-illness-are-also-violent/) [Chirlane McCray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chirlane-mccray/) > [“When President Obama addressed the country on January 5, 2016, about his latest push for gun control, Bloomberg-funded research provided the “facts” that Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/when-president-obama-addressed-the-country-on-january-5-2016-about/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“After the San Bernardino attack, Alison Anderman, with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, noted: “California is leading the way \[with stricter gun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/after-the-san-bernardino-attack-alison-anderman-with-the-law-center/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [And the reason I really appreciated this is because after the picture came out, I was invited by the American Psychiatric Association to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-steiger/and-the-reason-i-really-appreciated-this-is-because-after-the-picture/) [Rod Steiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-steiger/) > [“maybe the American Psychiatric Association had a crazy desire to label all life a mental disorder. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ronson/maybe-the-american-psychiatric-association-had-a-crazy-desire-to/) [Jon Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-ronson/) > [The NRA disgraced itself this morning with a self-serving press event in which they demonized the media and the entertainment industry for gun violence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/the-nra-disgraced-itself-this-morning-with-a-self-serving-press-event/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [We know we can't stop every act of violence, every act of evil in the world, but maybe we could try to stop one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-know-we-can-t-stop-every-act-of-violence-every-act-of-evil-in-the/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [There are certain things in gun control that have a certain public appeal, but when you're legislating you need to look at the research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-campbell/there-are-certain-things-in-gun-control-that-have-a-certain-public/) [Kim Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-campbell/) > [“We should change the name of AR-15s to 'Marco Rubio' because they are so easy to buy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-chadwick/we-should-change-the-name-of-ar-15s-to-marco-rubio-because-they-are/) Sarah Chadwick > [That the said Constitution shall never be construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press or the rights of conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/that-the-said-constitution-shall-never-be-construed-to-authorize/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [“Forget the National Debt Clock. We need an electronic billboard to track all the daily shootings in this country. I'm really sick of listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-r-bufogle/forget-the-national-debt-clock-we-need-an-electronic-billboard-to/) [Quentin R. Bufogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-r-bufogle/) > [To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-mason/to-disarm-the-people-was-the-best-and-most-effectual-way-to-enslave/) [George Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-mason/) > [“Why ban guns? Let's give everyone rocket launchers! What could possibly go wrong?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/why-ban-guns-let-s-give-everyone-rocket-launchers-what-could-possibly/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [“You don't need a weapon to protect yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/you-don-t-need-a-weapon-to-protect-yourself/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“When the NSSF fights against legislation designed to prevent mass shootings because it “won’t work and is a violation of rights,” we understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trae-crowder/when-the-nssf-fights-against-legislation-designed-to-prevent-mass/) [Trae Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trae-crowder/) ## More by John R. Lott Jr > [“For all the emphasis on assault weapons, 68 percent of mass public shootings did not involve any long guns (Figure 2). Eighty-four percent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/for-all-the-emphasis-on-assault-weapons-68-percent-of-mass-public/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“As to the “super destructive .50-caliber sniper rifle,” not only does the New York Times editorial get the law wrong, but it somehow neglects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/as-to-the-super-destructive-50-caliber-sniper-rifle-not-only-does-the/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“When President Obama addressed the country on January 5, 2016, about his latest push for gun control, Bloomberg-funded research provided the “facts” that Obama…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/when-president-obama-addressed-the-country-on-january-5-2016-about/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“None of these shootings, nor others that the president has mentioned, would have been stopped if background checks on private transfers had been required.4…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/none-of-these-shootings-nor-others-that-the-president-has-mentioned/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [Embarrassingly for Obama, it appeared that his administration had jumped the gun on banning the bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/embarrassingly-for-obama-it-appeared-that-his-administration-had/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“3.​Background checks as de facto registration. It is not just other countries that use gun registries as a tool for mass confiscation. People in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/3-background-checks-as-de-facto-registration-it-is-not-just-other/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“Of course, the New York Times will never run a news article on studies that find that guns save lives. Even when they write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/of-course-the-new-york-times-will-never-run-a-news-article-on-studies/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“In my third edition of More Guns, Less Crime, I provided the first published, peer-reviewed, nationwide study on Stand Your Ground laws. I found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/in-my-third-edition-of-more-guns-less-crime-i-provided-the-first/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“The infamous 2015 Charleston, South Carolina church shooting was originally going to be a college shooting. But Dylann Roof changed plans after realizing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/the-infamous-2015-charleston-south-carolina-church-shooting-was/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“After the phone call from Daley, the University of Chicago presented me with my two termination options. I wrote back to Dean Fischel—whom I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/after-the-phone-call-from-daley-the-university-of-chicago-presented/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“The Army psychiatrist who last saw Ivan Lopez found no “sign of likely violence, either to himself or to others.”42 James Holmes’s psychiatrist warned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/the-army-psychiatrist-who-last-saw-ivan-lopez-found-no-sign-of-likely/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“Of the four worst K-12 school shootings in history, three have occurred in Europe. Germany was host to two of these—one in 2002 at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/of-the-four-worst-k-12-school-shootings-in-history-three-have/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [ “Former Prime Minister of Australia John Howard wrote in the New York Times in 2013, “\[T\]here is a wide consensus that our 1996 reforms… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/former-prime-minister-of-australia-john-howard-wrote-in-the-new-york/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“Democrats are unwilling to admit that their gun control regulations are disarming poor Americans. President Obama characterizes Voter ID laws that offer free IDs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/democrats-are-unwilling-to-admit-that-their-gun-control-regulations/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) > [“On December 10, 1998, Daley had organized a conference with four other mayors to discuss suing the gun makers. Because of my book More…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-lott-jr/on-december-10-1998-daley-had-organized-a-conference-with-four-other/) [John R. Lott Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) [Explore all 71 John R. Lott Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-lott-jr/) ## More Gun control quotes > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [When personal freedom's being abused, you have to move to limit it. That's what we did in the announcement I made last weekend on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-personal-freedom-s-being-abused-you-have-to-move-to-limit-it/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [“But for a younger generation of conservative operatives who would soon rise to power... They were true believers who meant what they said, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/but-for-a-younger-generation-of-conservative-operatives-who-would/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [John Lott has done the most extensive, thorough and sophisticated study we have on the effects of loosening gun control laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kleck/john-lott-has-done-the-most-extensive-thorough-and-sophisticated/) [Gary Kleck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kleck/) > [I did not join the resistance movement to kill people, to kill the nation. Look at me now. Am I a savage person? My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pol-pot/i-did-not-join-the-resistance-movement-to-kill-people-to-kill-the/) [Pol Pot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pol-pot/) > [If, in the opinion of the people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/if-in-the-opinion-of-the-people-the-distribution-or-modification-of/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were exterminated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-wurzelbacher/in-1911-turkey-established-gun-control-from-1915-to-1917-1-5-million/) [Joe Wurzelbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-wurzelbacher/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [In a recent attack ad, the NRA claims that President Obama cares about his own children more than he cares about other children. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-fallon/in-a-recent-attack-ad-the-nra-claims-that-president-obama-cares-about/) [Jimmy Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-fallon/) > [The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to permit the conquered Eastern peoples to have arms. History teaches that all conquerors…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-most-foolish-mistake-we-could-possibly-make-would-be-to-permit/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/what-country-can-preserve-its-liberties-if-its-rulers-are-not-warned/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [A sword by itself does not slay; it is merely the weapon used by the slayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-sword-by-itself-does-not-slay-it-is-merely-the-weapon-used-by-the/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The Second Amendment has no place in modern society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/the-second-amendment-has-no-place-in-modern-society/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [People who believe in gun control are ignorant, superstitious or stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charley-reese/people-who-believe-in-gun-control-are-ignorant-superstitious-or-stupid/) [Charley Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charley-reese/) [Browse all 594 Gun control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“There is another real cost to linking gun violence with mental illness. 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