Friday, August 01, 2014

Gun Violence is NOT a public Health Issue

Which of these things is not like the other?

1. Measles
2. Influenza
3. Tuberculosis
4. Murder

If you picked #4, “murder,” you’re right. The first three are medical diseases. In contrast “murder” is not a medical problem, although it is a tragic cause of death. But in recent years, anti-gun organizations (and some physicians) are seeking to blur this distinction by declaring “gun violence” to be a “public health” problem.

Like many physicians, I’ve seen numerous unfortunate gun-related injuries and deaths over the years. I understand the perspective of fellow physicians who are appalled by gun violence. After the 2012 Sandy Hook murders, ER physician Dr. David Newman wrote a moving piece for the New York Times entitled, “At the ER, Bearing Witness to Gun Violence.” He recounted tragic tales of innocent children injured by firearms. He called gun violence an “American epidemic” that posed a “threat to public health.” Dr. Newman also declared, “I have sworn an oath to heal and to protect humans. Guns, invented to maim and destroy, are my natural enemy.”
To read the rest, click on the title to be taken to the full article.

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