Right on schedule, here come claims that doctors may have an actual generalized legal duty (not just a right) to ask about guns in the home [Elisabeth J. Ryan, Petrie-Flom Center “Bill of Health”]
Right on schedule, here come claims that doctors may have an actual generalized legal duty (not just a right) to ask about guns in the home [Elisabeth J. Ryan, Petrie-Flom Center “Bill of Health”]
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And we can lie to doctors.
The new Hippocratic Oath:
First, do no harm;
Second, you are The Stasi.
Stick to medicine. Leave social engineering to the busy bodies.
In the linked article, they point out that so called “firearms violence” kills 36000 a year in the US. They then go on to point out of said “firearms violence” 22000 are suicides, 13000 are homicides and 1000 are accidents.
A few points on that breakdown, and how irrelevent having doctors pester people about guns:
1) The US suicide rate, as tragic as it is, is below or well other countries with strict gun control laws (e.g. Japan) or those without the US “gun culture” (e.g. New Zealand, Germany, Norway). Ref http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/suiciderate.html
The point being, those that are going to commit suicide will do so regardless of the availability of firearms. Guns aren’t the problem. 36000-22000 = 14000 remaining.
2) As to the 13000 who die of homicides, the vast majority are criminals killing criminals (Chicago gang violence is typical). Calling the presence of firearms in the home as a risk factor for homicide is a patent lie. The presence of a prior felon or current gang member is the real risk factor for homicide. Deer Hunter Dan’s rifle and Duck Hunter Don’s shotgun or Pistol Target Shooter Pete’s arms do not make them more susceptible to homicide – Gang Banger George’s “gat” on the other hand…well, its not the “gat” that’s the problem, but its the fact that George is a drug running gang banger that’s going to get him killed.
So, Doc, lets talk about these 13,000. Do you really think talking to Gang Banger George is going to do diddly squat about the kill-fest that is Chicago or any other gang infested city? I didn’t think so, so why don’t we drop the charade that you can do anything about most of those 13000.
I don’t think docs can do anything there, so 14000-13000 = 1,000 remaining “firearms violence”.
3) Accidents, the last 1,000. Well, I for one hope the docs focus on the ~30x as many annual auto violence deaths on the highway (see how I re-branded that?). But back to guns. Here’s where the docs could actually be helpful. They might actually be able to get the libs to buy into NRA safety programs. Those programs actually work and could make a meaningful difference. Additionally, if the NRA is telling people to “do” safe storage, it’ll be listened to a bit better.
65% of Americans are overweight or obese. 300,000 people/year die from obesity-related ailments. 80% of people with Type-2 diabetes who are overweight or obese would be asymptomatic if they got down to a healthy weight.
But let’s make doctors ask about guns!
Does Harvard Law really believe that citing a large enough number will induce people to check their wits at the door?
I rolled my eyes at the concept — and at the ridiculous references to “gun violence.” But when you read it, it’s not quite as bad as portrayed. She wasn’t talking (necessarily – though I certainly don’t think she ruled it out) about a generalized duty for doctors to ask about firearms ownership. She was talking about in situations where the patient’s mental health is at issue. A patient who tells his psychiatrist that he’s suicidal is a different case than a guy who visits the orthopedist because his knee hurts.