It took me a couple of days to get the guts to write this column, both because of my experiences with involuntary commitment and the case of former Marine, Brandon J. Raub. If you don't know who Raub is, Google him. Raub, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has a Facebook page. Several of his posts are critical of the government; he believes the government was responsible for 9/11. One post included a lyric from "Bring Me Down" by Swollen Members ("Sharpen my axe, I'm here to sever heads") and another contained a vague line about an upcoming revolution ("The revolution will come for me. Men will be at my door soon to pick me up to lead it.") Well, men did indeed show up at Raub's door--the FBI and Secret Service, with an order for emergency psychiatric commitment. A cooperative Raub was handcuffed and taken away, without being read his rights (you can see the video on YouTube). The police questioned him about his Facebook posts, which the feds described as "terrorist", then obtained an order for a 30-day commitment at a Veteran's Affairs hospital. He is being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder. He has not been charged with a crime.

The recent shooting in Aurora, Colorado, raises several questions. Among them is "Was mental illness a factor?" It appears that the answer is yes. This leads to the question "Should a person with a severe mental illness have firearm rights?"

April 8, 2008, around one in the afternoon, was one of the worst experiences of my life. My borderline personality disorder (BPD) and other mental illnesses basically derailed my life. I agreed to go to the state hospital voluntarily, and did not contest the court order. The transfer began with 10 minutes notice.  A Marion County Sheriff's Deputy put a chain around my waist, handcuffed me to the chain, and snapped shackles on my legs. She escorted me to a paddy wagon, and so began the longest 90-minute trip of my life.