“We live in a society saturated with guns and need better ways of preventing harm from them,” says a doctor who believes the federal government must take a “public health” approach to gun ownership in the United States.
Dr. Garen Wintemute, director of the University of California’s Violence Prevention Research Program likens the dangers inherent in owning a gun to those involved in driving a car. “Highway safety measures, product changes and driving laws…slashed deaths from car crashes decades ago…” says the doctor. And just as it “…wasn’t enough…to curb [highway] deaths by trying to make people better drivers…it isn’t enough to tackle gun violence by focusing on the people doing the shooting.”
Rather, in the public health approach to “treating” gun violence, it must be understood that gun ownership itself is a “precursor” to that violence. It therefore becomes the role of science to forbid the sale of firearms to the “wrong sort”—that is, those most likely to engage in gun violence– by determining who that wrong sort is likely to be!
For example, one study found “…firearm owners were more likely than those with no firearms at home to binge drink or to drink and drive…” And as another study found that gun violence and alcohol are sometimes tied together, it becomes obvious that “…people with driving under the influence convictions should be barred from buying a gun.”
Also, according to health policy expert Daniel Webster, gun ownership “…can spread ‘much like an infectious disease circulates.’” ”‘There’s sort of a contagion phenomenon’ after a shooting,” continued Webster, “where people feel they need to have a gun for protection or retaliation.” This behavior reveals itself in the sudden, widespread purchase of firearms after multiple killings or the election of politicians believed a threat to the 2nd Amendment protected rights of American citizens.
It’s therefore likely that believers in the public health approach might occasionally prohibit the sale of firearms for some predetermined amount of time—a cooling off period—so as to allow wiser and clearer heads to prevail!
Naturally, the products most responsible for gun violence must not be ignored. Manufacturers would have to make certain that guns do not go off accidentally and that only the legal owner would be able to fire the weapon. Assault weapons and high capacity magazines would of course be banned.
So rather than focus the efforts of law enforcement on criminals, these masters of societal improvement suggest that a properly caring government should control the purchase of guns by pre-determining who the future criminals are likely to be; permit the American public to buy guns only when the time seems appropriate and allow only the purchase of those weapons considered safe enough to own!
No doubt there are many more “public health” features which would make any concerns about self-defense quite unnecessary by scientifically guaranteeing that only the right people may own nothing but the safest of firearms.
The mind of the left–there is no ground more fertile for unconditional lunacy.
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About Doug Book
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what all libs want is to regulate/control us to death. I know some mean well, but, ignorance is not something a free society can afford to perpetuate. When guns are criminal and outlawed only criminals and government will have them….we all know what societies that have outlawed guns does for the people. One only need to study some history and not even that far back, Germany 1940′s. nuff said.
Question, how many criminals does anyone think can march into their local gun shop and purchase a gun? The answer is none, that’s how many, absolutely none.. Flint Michigan has the highest crime rate in the nation followed by Detroit Michigan and Michigan does not allow their legal citizen’s to arm themselves, so if you can’t legally purchase a handgun in Michigan, how could so many gun related murder’s occur. Chicago is somewhat of a hot-spot for gun related murder’s there as well and they like Michigan have very strict gun laws. The only citizens in Illinois and Michigan that appreciate those two states gun-laws are the bad guys, that find way’s to get their guns no different than the way the druggies find way’s to get their fixes. The government can’t control the flow of drugs into the United States and they also can’t control the bad guys from not being able to purchase, steal or whatever to get their guns.
Gabor, I don’t know where your getting your information.. Michigan you can own a gun and Michigan is an Open carry state..
Here’s a food for thought. THEY DON’T HAVE TO TAKE OUR GUNS OR REPEAL THE 2ND AMMENDMENT!!! All they have to do is reclassify black powder and and any thing like it(Read: bullet propellants) as high explosives. That would give them the authority to back door the 2nd ammendment by “regulating” (ie banning) gunpowder. No bullets; guns become irrelevant. The 2nd ammendment leaves no provision for gun powder!!
Actually black powder guns aren’t regulated like smokeless powder guns. You can buy one without a background check or even filling out a 4473. Still, it would be a good idea to have all the ammunition and smokeless powder you’ll need on hand in case they regulate smokeless powder away, which Obama will likely do in a 2nd term along with black guns, semi autos, hi cap mags, etc. etc. al la Bill Clinton 1992 or so.
They tried banning high capacity magazines before. It was inconvenient but did nothing to stop sales. There were and still are too many high capacity magazines on the market for the law to make any difference. It didn’t work before and won’t work now. Two magazines of 8 rounds or one with 16. Not much difference.
Regulate gun powder or black powder all they want. It’s easy to make and relatively inexpensive. Vote the democratic socialists out of office.
Black gun powder is not allowed in large amounts in most states, so there are laws against it…so what your are saying they need to sell cars with out motors and tires and that will outlaw cars……no more than it will guns…I don’t leave home without my 9mm, or my car.
What a crock of crap. It has long been shown that Doctors kill more people than guns do. Your analogy of the beer drinking bubba boy being the most likely to use guns is bull. They are however, the most likely to come to your aid if you need it. Most of your cold killers are people with no record, no friends, no life, and no reason not to sell a gun to. These are the killers that threaten society. I’m not afraid of the guy who drinks and owns guns and says I’ll defend myself – I’m afraid of the quiet sociopath wtih a gun who says nothing.
I think we should stop gun owners from drinking beer. Fat chance!
Here’s a thought: The total number of gun owners in the USA would make up the largest military force if they were all led and trained as a military unit. That said, doctors cause many more deaths by accident in one year than legal gun owners accidently shooting someone.
Maybe we should ban doctors?
If a doctor ever asks you if you own a gun, tell them it’s none of their business!
Just tell them you hate guns and would never own one. If you tell them off, they will mark that down as a “yes”.
If a Doctor asks if you own a gun, tell them hell no its dangerous to criminals health On the other hand tell them you have some free signs they can place in their front yard. “They say “this is a gun free home”. You can bet that will be that last time they bring up that subject.
I doubt it, that will probably get you put on some kind of watch list for DHS.
This is another Left wing lie. The people have guns , and will not give them up.
They must think people are dumb to believe this left wing crap.
Same as the Homosexuals´Syndrome. Would humanity exist if there only should exist homosexuals?
It used to be medically defined as a “disorder”, and the sexual act as a consequence of the “reproductive instinct”. One cannot blame them for what they are; but letting them “getting married” has had a terrible consequence, because they have achieved the right to adopt children. And children copy most anything, most of all their “parents”, so they get brainwashed into believing that being homosexual is “Natural…It seems that I am being @monitored@ while writing.. **so I’ll sign off for now(. Anyway, they should have stayed in their closets, so nobody could have said anything. As for guns, same saved the lives of my whole family, not once. It is same as a hammer, a car or knives. Those who use same wrongfully, are a minority of minorities and in the US, especially with a madman like the Kenyan in the WH, and with all of the powers granted to him by the Senate, the American Americans must have the guns that their forefather used to gain their freedom and create America, the Beautiful. Does anyone in the US believe that the Military will abstain from following the orders emanating from their Commander in Chief, if the moment comes to that_ *no question mark( + NOW WE HAVE ACHANCE TO RECOVER THE LOST FREEDOMS and create business, without presidents accusing one of @you didn’t achieve what you think you did@
I submit to all that more have died as a result of signing a piece legislation than pulling a trigger.
Amen Brother! Absolutely!
I’m often amazed by these self-proclaimed “experts” who aren’t experts at all. Some of the biggest idiots I have ever met have had PhD and ThD after their names. No wonder Jesus chose fishermen. This moron only proves my point.
So I got a grand that says old mr. doctor dude has a 357 in his night stand. He also does not consider himself that sort! Because hes the one making the rules and making the determination of who should and who should not be a gun owner. Hmmm,I think he has enough money to hire security personnel and therefore has no need to own a gun. He must be one of those doctors holding deep seated anger with his mommy just waiting for the day he can kill a bunch of people. Doctors should not own guns. I say we all take them all away from them so they dont go whacko!
“First do no harm” or something to that effect.
Someone should ask this quack, how many unborn babies are murdered by doctors? Should I dare say more innocent unborns are killed by doctors in one year then people killed by guns. And doctor, I would bet you believe that someone found guilty of murder, even with DNA results as proof, you would feel they should be allowed a life sentence over being put to death. Mmmmmmmmmm the innocents doctors can kill, didn’t you and all doctors take an oath doc? Something about doing no harm? All your years of school and your an idiot. Gun laws only work for people that follow laws, do the bad guys follow the laws? Are you and the gun grabbers really that stupid? If you are that stupid, then please abort yourself and those that think like you. Oh, before you do that, please don’t have kids, there are way to many stupid people now, we don’t need anymore.
The claim that guns are a “public health issue” isn’t new. A previous US Surgeon General tried to make that case and fell flat on her face. It’s typical of the leftists to demonize inanimate objects like guns, SUVs, etc., but none of their sophistry convinces anyone except for the ignorant youth and the drug-addled aging hippies.
IL does NOT have a death penalty any more so its OPEN season on its GOOD people because the bad guys know they won’t fry.
The anti-gun nut jobs just watch too many movies- Hollywood likes to paint gun owners as sickies. It just fits their nanny-state agenda.
As a resident of a Chicago suburb let me tell you that I don’t drive into the city at all for safety sake. I will take the commuter rail into the city but at dark we are gone.
The gangs are still running wild and causing collateral damage to people every day. Its been the same for my entire 65 years. It ain’t never gonna change.
You would think that doctors would know that inanimate objects, fire hydrants, rocks, transmissions, etc. are unable to think and then act on their thoughts. Inanimate objects, including guns, never feel anger, sense danger, or seek revenge. I have never heard of a gun commiting a crime. People use guns, knives, prescription medicines, surgical instruments, and all kinds of inanimate objects to commit crimes, violent crimes – including tearing babies to shreds just as they are being born. Any rational, honest person will admit that nearly all gun violence is committed by criminals. As American society is becoming more and more like ghetto Chicago, gun crimes are becoming more common. In places where honest, hard-working citizens are allowed to carry arms, gun crime is becoming rare. The cowardly criminals are afraid to pull a gun on anyone.
I think these doctors might profit from a walk down a dark alley in Chicago.
Why don’t Doctors do something like heal someone with a broken leg or something. This is just Goverment sticking their nose where it does not belong. If I have a problem with my weapons I will take it to a gun smith not a Doctor. Americans have own weapons since they were first invented. We don;t need a Doctor to treat either.
This is just Goverment intervention into people’s lives to take away your 2nd Amendment rights.Once a Goverment takes away that right .Your 1st Amendment rights will soon follow.
All your rights will be moot at that point.
I agree with stricter gun control! I believe that a law needs to be enacted! This law shall read as such!
“Every Native Born American citizen is obligated and has the right to purchase any weapon that is available on the public market! No individual citizen shall be forced to act upon these rights and can turn down these rights at any time! The quantity of weapons stock piling by any individual citizen shall not be inhibited unless it is determine that it is for purposes that are to be carried out against the public’s inhabitants! Every individual citizen is entitled and obligated to receive training that will be provided by the government. This training will be provided during the freshmen year of schooling! At the successful completion of this course, a single handgun with a single case of rounds will be issued and paid for by the government, to each citizen who is then liable for the care and possession of that weapon! Every citizen 18yrs or older are encouraged to apply for a concealed weapons permit and to maintain possession of a hand gun at all times! Training for the concealed weapon permit will be provided in the senior year of schooling as the permit can be attained on the day of their 18th birthday! All training shall cover safety, proper use and care for their weapon, legal condition and times when a weapon may and may not be used, and all legal consequences for the misuse of this right! Any citizen that is undergoing mental health treatment for illnesses associated with mental instability or is to receive medication that may cause mental instability will forfeit their weapons until such time that the patient is deemed as no threat and determined to be completely and fully mentally stable and safe to regain possession of their weapons! No charges shall incurred by these patients for the storage, care, security and handling of their weapons while receiving treatment! Any individual citizen who has been convicted of any violent crime, including but not limited to domestic violence, will forfeit their legal rights to bear arms! No Naturalized Citizen will be eligible for possession of any form of weaponry! No weapon shall be seized by any government representative unless misuse or abuse has been verified as set forth in the training stipulations! Any government representative, who fails to abide by this law, shall forfeit their right to bear arms and will forfeit their position as a government representative! This law shall be enacted and set in place to ensure every American their right as stated in the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution! This law shall be enacted and set in place to ensure every citizen the right of self-defense! This law shall be enacted and set in place to defend and protect our fellow humans and property! This law shall be enacted and set in place to equalize the forces of the American citizenry and the public service group known as “The Government” forces in order to allow for the defense of the public in the case where the government turns against the public in part or in whole of this country! This law shall be enacted and set in place to provide for security in the home, businesses and public locations within the borders of the United States! No government representative, agency, group, board or body has the right to infringe upon this law in any way including executive order! This law shall be enacted and set in place to ensure all Americans the ability to defend this country from invasion or attack by internal or external enemy forces that would act against the sovereignty and freedoms of these United States of America!” Get a legislator to write this up in a bill and get it passed now! Give every citizen a gun and see how many arrogant, stupid, or wacked out individuals will have the gall to attack people anywhere for any reason! The only reason they will act against under these conditions is if they wish to die! In that case, American’s will be happy to oblige!
This is real gun control! Guns in the hands of every American with the ability to control their own action and provide discouragement of the lawless! Any other method allows the lawless to be the only holders of illegal weapons that they will use against the law abiding!