Michelle Malkin: More nosy doctors who don’t like guns

Michelle Malkin.com ^ | 07/08/2008 | Michelle Malkin

[Oyarsa]

I’ve noted the phenomenon of Big Nanny pediatricians quizzing parents about whether they own guns before.

The AMA, of course, is notoriously filled with gun-grabbing activists.

Read Shawn shares another example via the Raleigh News and Observer. He e-mails: “No longer satisfied with just making sure the kids are in good health, the doctors now see fit to pry into your personal life to see if you have guns in the home.”

[goldstategop]

I'd tell my doctor its none of his frakkin' business if I own a gun. And he will no longer be my doctor if he pries his nose into my private affairs.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[capt. norm]

There was a post on this forum a couple years ago that had the stats: Doctors kill more people than guns.

Wish I could locate it.

[antiunion person]

Next time a doctor ask me about having weapons, I’ll just say I have an arsenal at home. It just may take his mind off his nosiness for a few seconds.

[silentreignofheroes]

Has anyone seen my scissors.

[Oyarsa]

My guess is your doctor is smart enough to leave well enough alone. :-)

[darkangel82]

No, then they’ll just report you and send the goon squad after you.

[Oyarsa]

Would this be the post, Capt. Norm?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1310481/posts

[latina4dubya]

whenever they ask me i say, “i would never let anyone know that i positively have a gun in my home, and i would never let anyone know that i positively do not have a gun in my home.”

[driftdiver]

when replying keep in mind that doctors can declare you mentally unstable and therefor unable to possess a firearm.

[Vigilanteman]

Factoid from the article:

Doctors: (A) There are 700,000 physicians in the U.S. (B) Accidental deaths caused by physicians total 120,000 per year. (C) Accidental death percentage per physician is 0.171.

Guns: (A) There are 80 million gun owners in the U.S. (B) There are 1,500 accidental gun deaths per year, all age groups. (C) The percentage of accidental deaths per gun owner is 0.0000188.

Statistically, then, doctors are 9,000 times more dangerous to the public health than gun owners are.

[jabchae]

Factoid from the article:

I have no trouble believing those statistics. I don't think it's a factoid.

Our former pediatrician was an excellent doc, but she always did ask the gun question, also about smoking and pets. If you answered yes about the gun, she showed you some safety doohickeys and told you about keeping it locked away from children.

One of my friends had a pediatrician who didn't ask about guns, etc. I told him about our pediatrician. He said his answer would be, "Come around my house sometime around 3 am and find out."

[Graybeard58]

My insurance company (home owners) want to know if I have guns in my house. Since I only have one and it's valued at less than my $500 deductable, I tell them no.

[yarddog]

My Dr. has The American Rifleman plus Field & Stream and a couple of other outdoor mags in his waiting room so I am not concerned about him but this is a very disturbing situation.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Tell them that it’s none of their business. Simple, direct and final. No problem.

[Tammy8]

I was talking to a daughter of a friend of ours that just had a baby 6 weeks ago. She told me that when she and the baby were being released from the hospital she and her husband were asked if they had firearms in the home. She said they answered honestly that they did. I cannot imagine this, and would not answer if I was asked that question- none of their business!!!!

[elk]

My standard response to the almost inevitable gun question from the pediatrician is, "well, first, you need to ask whether I have toilets, bathtubs, or a swimming pool, since those are statistically WAY, WAY, WAY more dangerous to children than firearms." That tends to shut them up.

I could start up on the several doctor mistakes I've survived, for which I never sued... but I don't want to stress these folks out. Unforunately, in the teaching hospital we go to, everyone thinks inside the box.

While I appreciate our medical care, I don't worship the medical profession.

[Graybeard58]

Everyone should just tell their doctor that they are very aware of gun safety and print out the following and show it to him/her:

[PowderMonkey]

I had to fill out a survey at my Doctor's office a while back which was heavily slanted towards establishing the dangers of firearms in the home. It didn't ask about seat belt use, or if I smoked, engaged in sky diving, rode a motorcycle, or owned chain saws. The survey’s purpose was patently obvious. I politely folded it up and returned it to the receptionist, recommending that it be thoroughly lubricated before inserting...

[tips up]

I wonder if the insurance companies require the doctors to ask patients about guns? Like requiring them to counsel against smoking, for exercise, etc. They may audit charts and penalize the docs if they are not asking.

Just a guess on my part.