In a refreshing approach to resolving gun violence issues in the United States, the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma says gun owners are part of the solution, rather than part of the problem, when it comes to solving gun violence issues. Unfortunately, the solutions suggested run counter to those most gun owners would support, and for good reason.
The ACS on Nov. 14 published recommendations from its Firearm Strategy Team (FAST), which includes incorporating viewpoints and ideas from firearms owners on how to best curb gun violence. The report claims the 22 doctors who compiled it “realize that the community of firearm owners often [is] approached as a part of the problem, but less commonly approached as a part of the solution.” The report indicates 18 of the 22 doctors who compiled it and its recommendations are “passionate” owners of firearms. The group includes hunters and former military personnel.
“Preventable injury, disability and death from intentional violence related to firearms is unquestionably a major public health problem in the U.S.,” said lead author Dr. Ronald M. Stewart of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
The doctors advocate a “public health approach” to what they call an “epidemic” of firearms injuries and violence. A key component of the public health approach is to engage owners of firearms to address firearms violence.
The aim of the trauma surgeons is to:
- Increase firearms safety;
- Reduce the probability of mass shootings;
- Reduce firearm-assisted violence;
- Address mental health issues;
- Encourage federally funded firearms research; and,
- Preserve the right to own and use a firearm.
While the list of the surgeons’ aim is reasonable on the surface, the amount of reason employed begins to fade upon closer inspection.
Perhaps the most appalling recommendation is a call for creating an electronic database of all registered firearms. That means a publicly stored record of every firearm and its owner. Such a record likely also includes the home addresses of owners of every registered firearm.
Why would that be a concern? The Freedom of Information Act correctly makes all information collected and stored by public entities on public databases available to the general public. The chilling effect such a policy would have on Second Amendment rights is affirmed by the actions of a New York newspaper in 2012. The Journal News drew outrage over publishing an interactive map that listed the names and addresses of every holder of a handgun permit in two counties. Concerns over the published list include invasion of privacy, as well as informing every criminal in the area which homes have firearms that might be worth stealing.
Publishing the list also raises the potential for harassment of licensed firearms owners who have done nothing wrong. When coworkers and employers who might not support the Second Amendment can determine who does or does not own firearms by consulting a government-mandated list, firearms owners could face discrimination in the workplace.
One critic of the The Journal News compared the newspaper’s list to Nazi Germany forcing Jewish citizens to wear yellow Stars of David while in public. The newspaper’s publisher defended its actions, saying it was reporting publicly available information in the wake of the 2012 Newtown, Connecticut, mass shooting at a grade school.
The publisher, Janet Hasson, said she wanted to publish even more information, but was surprised to learn reporters could not access information regarding the types and numbers of registered firearms. In other words, Hasson wanted to let people know exactly what type and how many firearms are located in each home in the newspaper’s coverage area.
The surgeons’ recommendations also include background checks for all firearms transfers, including private transfers among family members. Want to buy your dad a new shotgun for Christmas? Better keep it registered in your name until after you reveal it, and then transfer the registration to your father after the big day.
The surgeons say they are in favor of reasonable measures and want to work with gun owners to curb gun violence. Yet, their recommendations are not ones most sensible gun owners would support. They are, though, the kind who would want to confiscate firearms prefer to have in place.
Meanwhile, criminals will continue stealing firearms and trading them on the black market without regards to registration recommendations by the group of trauma surgeons.
It is no business of media, doctors or anyone to know how many guns a person owns or has, that is a individual right of a person.
The Bible even talks about it.
You are not supposed to covet your neighbors, or what they have or don’t have.
Registration of gun is just that, especially if you publish their addresses and what they own or not own.
A good example of that is your SS numbers. When I got mine you were not supposed to give your SS number out then the politicians wanted it and was put on drivers license, military serial numbers and look at the shape SS is in now.
Do you hold the drunk driver responsible or the car if the drunk driver get involved in a wreck?
Guns are no different do you hold the gun responsible, or the person?
Guns don’t shoot people, people shoot people, take guns away and people still murder people either with knives, hands, rocks, ect.
You punish those that misuse guns, and hold them responsible.
The same as the difference between illegals coming into our boarders or the ones that come in legally.
The legal people are more willing to follow our laws, customs, religions, and not making demands.
The illegals are the ones that are making demands, refusing to obey our laws, customs.
Which one is better for the country?
I couldn’t agree more.
I am amazed by these groups that think they all have a solution to the gun violence and how to stop it. the ONE BIG question is HOW are they going to take the guns away from the criminal element of our society? Everybody has a solution to disarm law abiding citizens because they are LAW-ABIDING. Why not try working on taking guns away from the criminal element and let’s see how that works out first?
“Why not try working on taking guns away from the criminal element and let’s see how that works out first?”
Beside the fact that facing the real issues is beyond their combined thinking capacity, it would also very likely reduce gun-related crime, which would not fit the political need to disarm law-abiding citizens. It’s quite obvious to me that gun control advocates have no real desire to reduce violent crime committed with a firearm. They need these illegal acts to be committed to bolster their cries for more gun control. Left-leaning politicians need high crime rates to help them create a society that is more dependent upon the government. If they can disarm us, then we need them for our protection. They can raise taxes to pay for more law enforcement with each new violent crime that hits the news; wash-rinse-repeat = socialism.
We do not have a “gun violence” problem in the U.S., we have a “human violence” problem that stems from mental illness. A firearm simply cannot think or feel, or plan or carry out anything – violent or otherwise. The sick minded, violent thinking human is in complete control of whatever tool he/she decides to use to attempt to intentionally harm or murder the innocent.
LMAO, Gun control is KNOWING when and how to use a firearm. Breathing, sight picture, trigger squeeze, etc. are the mechanics of controlling where the round will go, knowing WHEN to use one is essential to Gun control. Removing firearms from people is NOT gun control but soviet style disarmament, under the guise of public safety, which is total BS since in the majority of gun violence, a stolen or illegally purchased firearm is used. The anti gunners NEED to remove our firearms so they can usurp the country from us to make us like Russia, China, and all the little totalitarian governments. The left is loaded with useful idiots that will piss and moan when they lose everything, including personal freedom, to the same a-holes they now support. I will NEVER surrender my 2nd amendment rights, nor any others as given to me by the worlds GREATIST CONSTITUTION ever written. Those of you who don’t like it, well Russia and China need more slaves go join them.
Couldn’t have said it better. And thank you for your service to our country, it is truly appreciated.
If they really wanted to save people, mainly young people, they should be concerned about texting and driving. There are more fatalities and trauma from crashes, then any gun related injuries.
When there are less gun deaths than dui deaths, it might be acceptable. Until then, they can kiss frogs.
LOL, they can try, ain’t gonna happen…..DR.s can stay in the medical profession and STFU……….Are you stupid enough to tell a Dr. something like that??? If so you don’t need a gun either……
These physicians would better serve their industry, if they would address their own industry’s death rate! More people die at the hands of physicians or in hospitals than by gun related issues
Fine. Then these surgeons won’t mind providing their information. Education, years experience, places worked, operations performed, operations successful, operations that caused complications, number of lawsuits involved in resulting from surgery, number of times found negligent or guilty of not following protocol. That is much more important and needed than a list of guns that someone owns.
Before these holier-than-thou doctors get up and start preaching, lets take a real look at the facts. Doctors kill more people through mistakes and malpractice each year than are killed by firearms. Before you try to pull a fast one in support of your favorite leftist cause, deal with your own problems.
It should naturally follow that the NRA should regulate doctors’ licensing. It should also keep a registry of all complaints and malpractice settlements which the doctors should be required by law to report to them.
Every one know that news involving gun is news. Not so much if the reporting is short on facts. A couple of years ago an incident here in NC led to the media reporting how many guns were removed from a person’s home. Something like 21 or so firearms. Big news item for reporting. Made the guy look like a terrorist, of sorts. What wasn’t reported was that all the guns were bought legally and registered as should be. A small blurb later was that the guns were illegally removed by state authorities and had to be returned to the owner. I questioned the TV station that carried the “21 weapons” part at first, and why was that part so emphasized. Their response was they were just reporting what they were told. So much for “Getting the Facts Right” as one local TV likes to boast. You could almost apply the “don’t bother me with facts, my mind is made up” to media and surgeons as well.
All this chatter is entertaining, but the fact remains……the Constitution is the only legal gun law on the books. Gov’ts can write up all the statues they want but they don’t mean a thing and will not be followed. My Constitution says that I can carry what I want, where I want, and how I want. Most street cops I’ve worked with and know agree. Enough said.
I should also remind all that the Supreme Court has ruled that criminals do not have to report or register their guns due to the 5th Amendment. So what good would registration do?
I checked some “real” numbers on DUI’s, malpractice, and firearms related deaths. First, I consider suicide by firearm a separate issue from firearm homicides/murder/etc. So, firearm related deaths per year in the US is about 11,000. About half of the approx 44,000 suicides involve firearms. But the suicide rate per 100,000 in the US is far less than that of European nations and Japan (source – CDC and WHO) where there are strict gun control laws. Getting up on a soapbox about gun control preventing suicides as justification for more intrusion into our personal lives and more unconstitutional laws is BS. There approx 11,000 DUI related car deaths per year (source CDC). Total alcohol related deaths per year is approx 88,000 according to the CDC. Let’s keep doctors in their own lane – from a John Hopkins’ study “Johns Hopkins study suggests medical errors are third-leading cause of death in U.S.” – about 250,000 per year. I’d say they have to clean up their act before infringing on law abiding citizen’s rights as protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Anyone with issues with these numbers are welcome to verify them.