gun violence as a healthcare issue.

[flamin lib]

The medical profession is beginning to discuss guns and their relevance to health.

What's Our Role in Gun Control?
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/842961

A registered nurse expressed displeasure at the new initiative while highlighting some of the profession's uglier faults:

The medical community should concentrate on medical-related deaths and injuries from malpractice [and also on] surgical and medical errors which far exceed the number of firearm-related injuries.

But a family medicine physician responded quickly:

Why should physicians not be allowed to discuss gun safety with parents, like car seats, household poisons and bike helmets? Or do you not believe in preventive medicine?

A pharmacist replied, "Most firearm deaths are from suicide, not use by felons. This is a public health issue."

An emergency medicine physician was unconvinced and drew a parallel:

Are you going to ban tall buildings with windows and deep bodies of water, because people kill themselves with those, as well? The second amendment ain't going away, comrade.

A family medicine physician then entered the fray with an impassioned condemnation and partial diagnosis of the gun rights movement:

The language of gun rights is the language of addiction: addiction to the power associated with the possession of lethal force. It would not be unreasonable to say that the biggest threats to American health and well-being do not come from terrorist organizations but rather from the National Rifle Association. We do need gun control and we need it now. Possession of assault rifles gives one the sense of invulnerability and that brings with it a brain rush of chemicals that is similar to crack, methamphetamine, and so forth.

Interesting discussion, worth the read. I'm struck by the NRA style language on the pro gun side. I've heard all that before word for word.

[Electric Monk]

1. The language of gun rights is the language of addiction, indeed

You can never have enough of something that you didn't really need.