I have to agree with Eugene Volokh on this one. I think NRA is being supremely stupid by pushing this nonsense. This is a private problem. We do not need a government solution. I don’t expect the NRA to defend the whole constitution, but it would be nice if they wouldn’t defile other parts of it. I would not be happy if a bill like this gets pushed in other states, and will continue to speak out against it as a member.
13 thoughts on “Felony For Doctors to Ask About Guns”
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This is the sort of thing that makes me wonder who is running things at NRA. They tend to be focused on short-term politics–and relatively unconcerned with long-term problems. A while back, they were at least mildly interested in whether we should be doing more about the involuntary mental illness commitment issue, but that doesn’t fit into a neat little soundbite to put into a fundraising letter, and they seem to have lost interest. The feeling is becoming mutual.
The problem is that they aren’t asking about guns just to spread anti-gun propaganda. Their intent is much more evil than that. They intend to put the information into a person’s medical record–and then, when everyone’s records are in a universal database, they will have a list of most of the gun owners in America, all ready for confiscating. So yes, send these evil gun control weirdos to prison!
I have 4 kids, and I have taught them to respect people. when we went to the pediatrician she asked my 11 year old if “Mommy and Daddy” have any guns at home?”while I was right there. My son looked right at me. I was caught by surprise and said, why that question? She said they just collect those things and went right to another subject. I was to stunned to follow up. Shame on me.
If Doctors do ask about guns, just how truthful are people? As it is, I know people who are not truthful with their Doctors about health related issues.
Yeah Doc, I rarely drink. *hick*
I can easily think of dozens of more important things for NRA to be doing with their time, money and political capital than getting involved with this.
“They intend to put the information into a person’s medical record–and then, when everyone’s records are in a universal database, they will have a list of most of the gun owners in America, all ready for confiscating.”
Yes, that’s a really effective strategy for producing a list of 40% of American homes. If gun owners were 1% of the population, this might make sense.
Never assume conspiracy when stupidity is an available option, because conspiracy requires intelligence.
Commie lib doctors ask the gun question and lose gun owning patients to other doctors as a result.
Nice doctors don’t nose into their patients’ private political matters, and keep their patients.
What’s the problem? If my doc is a commie wonk, I want to know about it! Let him ask! Quit trying to shut him up and deny me the opportunity to hurt his practice by dumping him as my doctor and telling every gun owner I know about him!
We have the First Amendment for a reason – it encourages our enemies to tell us who they are, so that we can screw them all to hell! It works! Don’t mess with it!
Why cannot we use the power of the positive law?
Let us smash our enemies and enjoy the lamentations of the women.
How about a free market solution? If your doctor asks about guns, then don’t go to him/her.
I just leave that questionnaire answer blank. I’ve never been asked verbally.
What worries me is if and when the school district starts asking my kids questions. THAT would be worth fighting against.
Actually, I have to side with the NRA on this. What benefit is it to the patient, for the physician to know? If there isn’t a clear need for the doctor to know, it is a violation of medical ethics to ask and yes, a doctor should lose their license for violating the trust of their patient. As a parallel example, a doctor could reasonably ask a child if the child is exposed to second-hand smoke. A doctor has no business asking if the parents smoke when the kid isn’t around.
As a separate issue, imagine people losing certain medical coverage, or have to pay more for nothing back, because they admit to owning guns. The police/DA/attorney suing you would have an easier justification for getting access to your medical records, if there is more relevant information (your response to the gun question) and they might as well look at everything else while they are at it.
I echo dustydog, it’s a boundary violation and should be treated as such.
And to the extent that doctors are or are becoming agents of the state (AKA Obamacare or its logical and intended end point) we very much want and need to control things like this.