How would you choose to help?

Two people are suffering from personal anger, depression and fear, which they have not chosen for themselves. They seek help from experts in different areas. One of them is told that help is not available without a mandatory waiting period, parental permission, a doctor's exam, interviews with the police department and a mandatory video on the effects of treatment. Treatment is available only out-of-state and is expensive. The decision must be made soon.

The other one simply buys an automatic weapon.

The first person will despair over the treatment, lose their job and their partner, but benefit from the effect of the treatment for the rest of their life. The other one will kill more than four people in a grammar school and most likely spend years in jail, depressed, angry and fearful.

Should we help them both by making health care easier? By making it harder to buy guns?

NANCY GERTH

Sandpoint