Florida – The 2nd Amendment Negates The 1st Amendment

Filed in National by on May 11, 2011

I really feel sorry for Florida. They have a crooked governor and a crazy rightwing legislature. A new law is soon to go into affect there to prevent pediatricians from asking parents if they have guns in their house.

But now Scott is expected to soon sign a first-of-its-kind bill that does just that by forbidding doctors from asking their patients if they own guns. To prevent accidental injuries, pediatricians routinely ask new parents if they have guns at home and if they are stored safely. But the NRA and its allies in the Florida legislature see something more sinister at work — a radical agenda to curb the rights of gun owners.

“For decades,” the American Academy of Pediatrics has encouraged its members to ask patients about guns and how they’re stored. In an interview with NPR, Dr. Louis St. Petery explains that doctors have a responsibility to ask parents about everything from car seats to bike helmets to help them keep their kids safe…

Apparently the NRA thinks that parents have their feelings hurt by this or something? God forbid they get advised not to clean their guns in the baby’s room. It might give them feelings of uncomfortableness. I think it would probably cost the NRA less money to send fliers to their members to tell them to say “none of your business.”

I guess we really do live in a post-truth world now. The post-truth world requires that glimpses of other worlds be forbidden, lest it disturb the fantasy world.

Does anyone believe this law will stand up to court challenge?

About the Author ()

Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

Comments (17)

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  1. Jason330 says:

    Having utterly won the fight over wild west style access to guns for everyone at all times, the NRA is now searching high and low for ways to keep the membership dues flowing in.

    “What no guns on airplanes…? We’ll see about that.”

  2. anon says:

    Doctors might be one of the few lobbies capable of standing up to the NRA. I guess they got caught flat footed on this bill, but once it takes effect they will be pissed. And don’t forget about the nurses, they will be pissed too.

  3. MJ says:

    Does a MD get a cold stethoscope on his/her chest for 10 minutes if they violate this BS law?

  4. pandora says:

    I have always asked the parents of my children’s friends if they keep a gun in the house, and if they were offended… too bad.

    This is always where the NRA comes across as an organization I could never support. They never fight the good fight – they are never part of the solution – and obviously will accept any rube into their group.

    When a relative moved back to Delaware he brought a gun with him. He was staying with us due to financial difficulties, and I banned the gun in my home. The look he gave me was priceless, but I guess not bringing the gun in the house was preferable to paying rent somewhere else. Of course, he could have sold the gun and not live with us. He moved in without the gun. Gotta love those principles!

  5. socialistic ben says:

    sometimes i think the NRA has a brilliant long term scheme to give EVERYONE guns, let the idiots kill themselves, let the offspring of irresponsible parents get killed, then only responsible gun owners are left.

    I really dont understand the willful isolation of the Right wing. They dont want to be a part of any community bigger than their immediate neighbors…. unless those neighbors are gay, black, non christian, liberal, weird, off, new, too rich, too poor………..

    They want small groups of people exactly like them who all agree on the same stuff, and want to get rid of outsiders. If left to their own devices, Flyover Country would look like tribal Afghanistan in a matter of decades.

  6. mouse says:

    I don’t understand how a majority of folks in Fla or anywhere else would elect a group in congress that would pass such an absurd law. Who are they serving?

  7. delbert says:

    You think the law is absurd, but Med records can be a double edged sword. They are legally accessible in a wide variety of instances, and non-health issues should certainly not be included in them for privacy reasons as well as future legal issue possibilities. People are intimidated by doctors and will answer any question they ask. Gun ownership is a private issue that has nothing to do with health care. Last time I checked they don’t teach gun handling courses in Med schools. “MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS, DOC.”

  8. nemski says:

    Since firearms are the 4th leading cause of death among children (behind two medical conditions and auto accidents), it is a public health issue.

    Thanks for playing delbert.

  9. Jason330 says:

    Such BS from delbert. Since my first cup of coffee this morning a child was killed in a firearm-related accident or suicide. Another will be dead from a non-homocide related gun injury before I go to sleep tonight, and another before I wake up tomorrow.

    Live in your dreamworld all you want delbert, but pediatricians know that guns represent a childhood health crisis.

  10. socialistic ben says:

    it’s called doctor patient confidentiality.

    and that “mind your own business, doc” is just the kind of ignorant stance you teabaggers love to take.
    People become doctors to make people well and keep them alive. Pediatricians apply that goal specifically to children. So if souther meth-head A and southern meth-head B have guns all over their house, it is SOMEONE’S job to make sure the kid doesn’t decide to eat one. Doctors warn kids about all sorts of health issues, and if you are going to sit there and claim guns pose no danger to a child’s health, you really ought to be institutionalized. The only thing a doctor can do with information about guns at home is advise the parent about ways they might keep their child alive….. again, the loaw FORBIDS the doctor from doing anything else.
    If the conservatives are SO against the liberals that they are willing to KNOWINGLY put their own children in danger just to STICK IT TO THE LEFTIES!!!!!! then this country is past help.

  11. socialistic ben says:

    doctor “mr delbert, if you want to turn your health around and live a full life…
    Interrupting… Delbert “SCREW YOU, COMMIE! DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO!

  12. jason330 says:

    I think delbert’s comment here is just for fun. He likes being a dick and who doesn’t once in a while?

    Moving on, in addition to gun ownership, here is another pet peeve of mine that Pediatricians are all over.

    Backyard trampolines are not recommended by either the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; both warn against recreational use of them.

    “The potential for injury is higher than the potential for fun,” Shifrin said. “The amount of fun you’re going to have is going to be tempered by the fact that you will indeed at some point be injured.”

  13. Von Cracker says:

    It’s perfectly fine to be cynical, delbert, but that factually erroneous comment of yours (which is nothing more than NRA talking points, Google some of his phrases and you’ll see) goes way beyond cynicism and straight toward black helicopter-ish conspiracy blabbering gibberish.

    But that’s ok, you’re programmed to root for the home team, regardless of how idiotic they make you out to be.

  14. anon says:

    “The potential for injury is higher than the potential for fun,” Shifrin said. “The amount of fun you’re going to have is going to be tempered by the fact that you will indeed at some point be injured.”

    There is video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceWZ624wBVA

  15. anon. says:

    Wonder if they ask parents about swimming pools (drowning) or bicycles (killed by motor vehicles)?

  16. Jason330 says:

    Of course dummy. You have never been to a pediatricians office I take it.

  17. anon. says:

    No. Our youngins are born at home down here.