Dr. John Lott On Pediatricians Stepping Over The Line

Scholar extraordinaire John Lott has an intriguing piece about pediatricians stepping over the line with intrusive, and inappropriate questions, of their patients -- kids -- about whether their parents keep a gun in the home. This is a significant "boundary violation" on the part of physicians. Their interest is not to show their concern about guns in the home, but to place doubt about their parents lawful ownership of firearms in the minds of impressionable youngsters. As Lott says in his headline, "Guns Don't Kill Kids, Irresponsible Adults With Guns Do."

Dr. Timothy Wheeler of Doctors For Responsible Gun Ownership, has some solutions if this ever happens to you. He has spoken and written on this subject numerous times on the issue of boundary violations. This will continue to be a problem, unfortunately, unless parents call the doctors on the carpet, so to speak, with local and state medical boards. Please note that Dr. Wheeler in his remarks also, as a last resort, speaks to writing to the California Medical Board. Obviously, we don't all live in California.

Author's Note: The last time my physician asked me if I had picked up any hobbies that are dangerous, like extreme motorcycling or extreme skiing, etc., I reminded him that I am still a shooter. He smiled and said, "oh that's okay . . . you wear hearing protection, don't you?"