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Abstract
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Whatever else physicians may disagree on, I know with certainty that every person reading this editorial would agree that preventable injury is a bane and preventable death is a tragedy. This is equally true regardless of whether the instrument is an automobile, a beer bottle, or a firearm.
Because mistrust runs deep on this topic, I'll lead with my disclosures: I'm a US Army veteran, I'm a handgun owner who trains regularly with firearms, and I possess a concealed carry permit that I do exercise. A few years ago, the National Rifle Association tweeted, "Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane" [16]. I'm not an NRA member, but I'm not one of those anti-gun doctors, either [14].
I am, however, a physician, which means if I can help reduce the number of preventable deaths and injuries, I'd like to do that. I trust you would, too. Statistics on firearm-related deaths are staggering and worsening [21], but also generally well known to this audience [11], so I won't reprise them here. Partisans from the left and right have offered thoughts, prayers, and policy suggestions with approximately equal impact--which is to say little discernible impact at all. Congress is AWOL on this topic and not coming back anytime soon, and given that most representatives and senators don't read CORR® anyway, there's little sense offering policy prescriptions here.
Language: en |