Doctor's In: On Sensible Gun Control
As a follow-up to my most recent post concerning the need for adequate mental health resources (see prior blog), I now suggest the need for serious gun safety legislation. It has never been a valid argument to claim "Guns don't kill people, people do."
That has long been the rallying cry of gun rights extremists. I'm sorry - guns do kill people! I do argue that mental health services is the elephant in the room relating to violent tragedies like Newtown, CT. However, there are simply too many guns in the hands of unstable and untrained people and restrictions are necessary to make our communities safer.
This is not about our rights this is about saving serious injury and lives. I suggest the following:
- No person should have any firearm without a comprehensive background check.
- No person should have a firearm without an approved certificate from a gun safety program.
- Assault rifles should be banned from public ownership.Penalties should be severe for anyone having weapons without meeting the above requirements.
Gun lovers can gnash their teeth and whine about the second amendment but that's the way it should be for the safety of the general public. There simply have been too many preventable tragedies. Enough is enough!
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
11:45 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012
In addition: Every firearm should be registered and purchased from a licensed dealer.
Mark S. Hankins
12:44 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
We as a society are willing to sacrifice 20,000 a year so that 315 million may have liberty, just as we are willing to sacrifice 35,000 a year so that they may have mobility. Guns are already controlled. Adam Lanza tried and failed to purchase one himself.The UN's goal is to have no guns in private hands. The UN also has a lot of other unpleasant goals that will be easier to attain if they can get that one first. Giving up guns will trade a relative handful of individual tragedies for a societal one we can hardly imagine except for the fact that it has happened eventually to some sizable minority in each and every society that disarmed its citizens, whether that is the USA (Native Americans were disarmed before near-genocide was committed on them), Germany, Russia, Turkey, China, Cambodia or what-have-you. People who retain their guns are not marched into pits and shot in the back of the head. If they go out, at least they go out on their feet.
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
12:53 pm on Thursday, December 20, 2012
Mark - You listen to Glenn Beck and Rush too much. I sense, a little bit too much of the cool-aide. I feel so much safer with people like you around for protection. My suggestions stand. There are too many guns, too many horrible tragedies, and too many extremist ideologues whose delusions havce replaced common sense.
Mark S. Hankins
7:12 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
When I see solid evidence that human nature has changed I will happily adopt your viewpoint.
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
8:12 am on Friday, December 28, 2012
I appreciate your comments. We see things a little differently but I respect your views. It is sad that we must feel so threatened in our communities. Unfortunately, such concerns are warranted.
Michael Lewis
10:02 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Marc J is Another Anti Gun Liberal Wack Job......
We will keep our Guns......No thanks to Wackos Like Piers Morgan and Mark J
Michael Lewis
10:06 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Not Every Gun Owner Listens to Rush or Beck.......I certainly Don't....and if I were to Listen to Them , They Don't Control My Thoughts.....That's a Liberals Favorite war Cry......Beck -- Fox News -- Rush
Get a Life Liberals......Educate yourselves a little
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
8:06 am on Sunday, December 30, 2012
Michael: My recommendations do not take guns away. I have guns myself. It sets up reasonable policy to determine the stability and history of who owns them and along with shored up mental health services may reduce the risk of horrible tragedies that no one wants. Not even you!. As for me being a "wacko liberal" - you don't know me. Your extreme rhetoric defines you as a person not looking for solutions. Just another irrational gun rights spewing 2nd ammendment defender with few facts and poor judgement. I appreciate your comments..
Eddie
12:30 pm on Monday, December 31, 2012
Interesting. You are a gun owner. Have you one who has gone through those provisions? You're a Doctor, so we are to just assume that you are not one who is an at risk person having a gun. Doctors in Florida have committed felonies and abused patients. Even you can be u8njustly accused of being a risk. "No person should have any firearm without a comprehensive background check." Already done, with the exception of individual sales, but, if a person knowingly sells to a person who is not legally taking custody of a gun, it is a felony. If you want this for person to person, make the cost not so cost prohibitive that you have to go through a gun dealer, or is that you goal, assist the gun dealer in making a little bit more money.
"No person should have a firearm without an approved certificate from a gun safety program." I think that would be a violation of a little pesky thing called
"THE CONSTITUTION." We don't keen a certificate for a "RIGHT" in our homes.
"Assault rifles should be banned from public ownership.Penalties should be severe for anyone having weapons without meeting the above requirements." Already did this for 10 years and Columbine occurred. It did nothing. Over 100 laws violated. Those laws really scared the little killers. Lanza violated at least 180 state AND maybe more Federal felonies. He was really scared? I am a FREE THINKING retired cop, gun owner, life member of NRA and REPUBLICAN, who has shot a MENTAL criminal, IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
12:57 pm on Monday, December 31, 2012
Eddie: I appreciate your comments. My views stand.
Eddie
11:34 pm on Monday, December 31, 2012
Oh yea, since you seem to assume I am a danger due to my gun ownership without your strigent rules, I will also ask you please don't shoot anyone tonight. Under your views, you are just as much a risk as any other gun owner. Remember folks, this DOCTOR is a risk because he owns guns. So lame Doc, SO LAME AND IGNORANT. But I respect (?) your opinion!
Marc J. Yacht MD, MPH
12:12 am on Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year Eddie!