Should Doctors Have Guns?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

The author, a doctor, makes the case that in our climate of daily random violence and desperate drug addicts, a doctor would be wise to have a gun in his office. He brings up the example of emergency rooms having metal detectors and bullet proof glass because shootings have actually occurred there. So he asks:

Would you not see a doctor if you knew he had a gun in his office?

To those who would fear ....... I ask you this, why would a doctor having a gun bother you? Do you live in fear that your physician is trying to kill you? I mean if he really wanted you dead, he could stab you with a scalpel or inject you with something lethal. He could do so with the tools of his profession in a much more efficient manner than with a gun.

http://brainblogger.com/2008/05/09/should-doctors-have-guns/

NZL has some pretty strict gun laws and while gangs are making a mint sneaking in some "pistol" type guns, usually people can only legally get farm and hunting rifles and guns. Its easy to get a gun license and a 202 depending on where you go, but I"d like to see a doctor hide a 202 under his coat.

The reality is people don't really need a gun to do any damage, we don't have "drive by shootings" here we tend to have "drive by, jump out of your car, and take a machete, chain and cricket bat to the guy's head" bys. Its kinda endeering really.

Anyway, while I want a gun and am planning on getting one for clay bird and target shooting, I wouldn't really carry it around - my awesome ninjaness would protect me from any wayward maniac antics. But America is a totally different culture to the one I was raised in - where you don't **** about locking yoru doors at night.

If the doctor feels a true need for one, is legal to carry and can conceal it, then I don't see why they can't - as long as whatever poopies hit the fan they're ready to take the heat.

Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

If they can have one, I want one.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

So, let's imagine that every single citizen decided to obtain a liscense to carry a concealed weapon. I'm talking theoretically. I happen to live in a state where it's relatively easy to obtain a permit to carry a gun, so I know what the reality is, but I'm talking 'let's imagine'.

So, in this imaginary world, 95% of the citizenry is packing a gun. Would you feel safer?

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I personally would feel more nervous knowing that everyone was carrying a loaded gun and I think you would have an increase in gun deaths.

So, in this imaginary world, 95% of the citizenry is packing a gun. Would you feel safer?

Luckily we don't have to rely on an imaginary world. The evidence clearly shows an armed society is a safer society. The evidence also shows that an unarmed society is not only unsafe, but powerless as well.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Then why is the violent crime less in, say, the UK? The Western nations with stricter gun laws also have less violent crime. I'm not saying I'd want restrictive gun laws like there, but I do think those are more peaceful societies.

The United States has a higher crime rate, more people in prison, more violent crime, more gun deaths. THAT is a fact.

Specializes in home health, peds, case management.
so, let's imagine that every single citizen decided to obtain a liscense to carry a concealed weapon. i'm talking theoretically. i happen to live in a state where it's relatively easy to obtain a permit to carry a gun, so i know what the reality is, but i'm talking 'let's imagine'.

so, in this imaginary world, 95% of the citizenry is packing a gun. would you feel safer?

only if i was part of that 95%....

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

So, you feel that you would be ready to draw your gun fast enough? You think that carrying a loaded gun has not inherent risks? No little kids are going to get their hands on Gramma's pistol? No teenager will slip Dad's handgun into his backpack?

Everyone is walking the street with loaded guns, and no one ever misbehaves again out of fear of getting their head blown off?

Sounds like a utopian paradise to me ;)

"licensed to care and licensed to carry..."

That's good,can I borrow it? I like it for a bumper sticker on my car,LOL.

When I was in Austin, TX I had a bumper sticker made that said: "Road Rage? (in red) I've got your cure" No one ever even honked at me after that! The lady at the shop that made them asked for a couple...and showed me the pistol she was packing, lol!

Specializes in home health, peds, case management.
then why is the violent crime less in, say, the uk? the western nations with stricter gun laws also have less violent crime. i'm not saying i'd want restrictive gun laws like there, but i do think those are more peaceful societies.

the united states has a higher crime rate, more people in prison, more violent crime, more gun deaths. that is a fact.

if were as easy as ban guns, reduce crime, i'd be all for it (well, probably not, but i'd be less against it.) unfortunately, it's not that simple. to date there are no studies that indicate that gun bans reduce violent crimes, nor any studies that rink gun ownership to increased crime.

i do think you are right tho, their societies are more peaceful than ours. but i think it has to do with a lot more than gun control laws...

Then why is the violent crime less in, say, the UK? The Western nations with stricter gun laws also have less violent crime. I'm not saying I'd want restrictive gun laws like there, but I do think those are more peaceful societies.

The United States has a higher crime rate, more people in prison, more violent crime, more gun deaths. THAT is a fact.

Some of that may be true - though I would question the bit about the UK, where knives have taken over where guns left off (so much so that knife bans are being debated).

But the more important issue is that there's no evidence to suggest law abiding gun owners have ANYTHING to do with the crime, prison population or gun deaths you mention. So why relate gun ownership with such things?

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

Hey, I'm talkin' myself into swinging to the gun control side of this debate. I challenge myself here to reevaluate my former stance advocating for gun rights.

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