Back in May, we reported on an organization called Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws. The group was fighting against the American Medical Association’s nationwide jihad against gun ownership. A slippery slope deal that took the initial form of a “guideline” telling family physicians to ask their patients with children about guns in the home. When my RI kids’ doc raised the subject I told him to mind his own damn business. As did a Florida woman when her pediatrician broached ballistics. Only in this case Dr. Chris Okonkwo told new mother Amber Ullman to piss off, or words to that effect. Ocala.com takes up the story . . .
“Whether I have a gun has nothing to do with the health of my child,” said the mother of three girls . . .
Ullman said Okonkwo – medical director of Children’s Health of Ocala – didn’t explain why he was asking the question.
“All he asked me was, ‘Are you refusing to answer the question?’ and I said, ‘Yes, I’m refusing to answer the question,'” she said. “The questions stopped at that point.”
Ullman said she called her husband from the doctor’s office and threatened to call a lawyer over the incident.
Okonkwo told the Star-Banner he asked Ullman about whether she had a gun in her home because of the safety of her children, and told her so.
He said he asks such questions of all his patients so he can advise parents to lock their guns away from children.
“I don’t tell them to get rid of the guns,” he said. “The purpose is to give advice.”
He said that more than half the families he treats have guns.
So whats the Doc’s beef then? Apparently, when it comes to his patients, it’s in Okonkwo we trust. Or f-off.
Okonkwo said the issue was not about whether the parents owned a gun.
He said the doctor and patient have to develop a relationship of trust and that if parents won’t answer such basic safety questions, they cannot trust each other about more important health issues.
He said he respected a patient’s right not to answer questions, but it was also his right to no longer treat them, and he isn’t required by law to do so.
I’m not buying it. And well done for the newspaper to point this out:
The American Association of Pediatrics urges pediatricians to ask questions of parents about gun ownership when they get children’s medical histories and to suggest that parents remove guns from the home.
To which I’d add that firearms accidents involving children in the U.S. are statistically insignificant. Better the good doctor should ask his patients if they put a bath mat down on the floor. Seriously.
I won't take gun advice from my doctor any more than I'll take medical advice from my local gun shop owners.
His degree is a Medical degree, NOT a degree in gun safety or handling or even gun smithing.
== “I don’t tell them to get rid of the guns,” he said. “The purpose is to give advice.” ==
So, how much training has he had in firearm safety? What qualifies him to give advice?
Thank you Jeff … I do not give medical advice, that would be wrong, unprofessional and even ilegal!!!. I teach firearm safety!!
People should stick to what they know..
Ms. Ullman should go back, with several copies of the NRA Eddie Eagle woorkbooks in hand and ask if the good doctor will keep them on display in the waiting room for patients to read, and offer them to all the other parents since he is so interested in gun safety. Afterall, teaching children what to do in the event of themselves or friends finding or playing with a gun may very well save their lives. "Just keep the gun locked and away from children" completely ignores thier curious nature and deprives them of learning the proper handling and use firearms, which are common tools used by common people everyday in this society.
This is a Professional Boundary Issue, and the MD's should be reminded of that.
JUST SAY NO! I don't own any firearms. They're evil, and kill people.
then, when suspicions are dead, you may pursue changing policys, laws, etc…
GREAT! That is your right! Mine as a law abiding citizen is the right to own one and as a responsible owner and parent to educate and take precautions. Firearms do not kill people…People kill people! People who are irresposible and don’t follow safety precautions kill people. Ignorance kill people. The firearms in my cabinet will never kill anyone! Lighting strike, cancer, fire, carbon dioxide, strokes, nicotene, heart failure, obesity, etc, etc….kill people. MALPRACTICE kill people!
Since the JAMA 2001 report identified that the 700k doctors in the US killed 44k-98k people each year, of which between 7k-12k were children 0-18 yrs of age, we should demand that the good doctor answer the same question in return. How many children has he killed as indeed, by the hard data, doctors are 14,000 to 31,000 times more likely to kill a person that a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
Maybe the doctor also convieniently forgets that 80% of all violent crime committed in the US is committed by career criminals/gang members (USDOJ National Gang Threat Assessment annual report 2009).
Such a hypocrite with a hypocractical oath!
This "doctor" should be reminded he is opening himself up for devastating lawsuits. If he is not a qualified, certified safety expert, he can be sued into poverty by offering advice on a subject he knows nothing about. David Codrea has a form on his website for "doctors" like this to fill out before a patient answers any questions about firearms.
THANK YOU!
Bet he'll defend OBAMA to his last breath too. corrupt Ba%@#*ds.
REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER!!
Sounds like the good Doc got some bad advice. The Baby Doc Association is giving bad advice, but what do you expect from EDUCATED IDIOTS today? Today, some Physicians and the maggot's from the Brady Bunch think pretty much on the same thing, Disarm citizens and make them dependent on the government and law enforcement for their needs and safety. That type of thinking will get you killed and that thought makes me angry. So, those who would like to remove my guns, just fill in the blanks ___________ _____________.
I am a Healthcare professional and a Certified Firearms Instructor
I know both worlds and I will be more concern as to how many medical errors happen than who owns a gun or not. The views of these doctors enhances their ignorance. Guns do not kill people…PEOPLE kill people and though I do agree that all gun owners are resposible for their firearms I also agree is no ones business if we own one, and how or where we store it unless you are dirrectly affected by it…in another words if you live or visit the home.
Instead they should promote safety courses and offered such courses in-office if they are so concerned…put your money with your mouth is.
I train scouts of all ages, their parents and all who are willing to listen and even offer safety courses FREE so I can promote safety instead of invading others privacy!
I offer free advice to my patients and NEVER ask questions that are not directly related to their healthcare. If they volunteer information then I volunteer mine. My rights end where there’s begin. People need to learn common sense and to respect others.
Education is the way to approach this matter and right now it seems physicians are the ones that need to be educated.
It seems that in todays society everyone is on everyone else’s business….stick to caring for the health of the patients and let parents PARENT!!
FIREARMS owners BE RESPONSIBLE!!!
Henrik, thank you, Beachie. Am copying your comments to include in a short post linking to this post by the Baron. I am not a scholar and know these things on only a superficial level. All I know is that Islamists following the Koran want to kill us or dominate us.
Indian thought, in so far as I understand it is not activist either.Traditional Aryan, Indo-European thought, which shares roots with Indian thought, was/is not activist either.The progressive, activist ideologies depart from traditional I-E thought. It's obscuring to say that they are purely European in origin. There is something else there.
Jon Gilchrist · yeah…you are DEF a runner….and I ahve that same problem with pacing….it's tuff..but youy have a healthy attitude about it. Dooooooo eeeeeeeet….I like that…stay on it!!
I loved Xander's speech in Potential, but here not so much. It's what leads Buffy to run after Riley.I also wonder, given upcoming events and the way he always treats her, whether Xander did really love Anya, or whether Riley leaving caused him to try to hold on to what he had.Now Xander in Triangle? Him I love.
CarlaNovember 4th, 2012I really wasn’t into nail polish until I started getting my monthly Julep collection. NOW I’m a nail polish Addict! Looooove all the polishes and the add ons. Just got the November scrub & frpsting….Loved it!!!!