The staid American College of Surgeons (ACS) has mostly kept out of the culture wars against American gun owners started years ago by other organized medicine groups.  But now they want to push gun prohibitionists’ political goals, including banning America’s favorite firearms.  And although they will deny it, they don’t want any back talk from freedom-loving Americans. Surgeons deal with the immediate damage of gun crime, treating victims of gunshot wounds in the emergency department and...

[Editor's note: The ACEP recently hosted a Pro-Con Advocacy Debate about gun violence in ACEPNow, its publication of record. In that discussion, Marco Coppola, DO, ably spoke against blaming guns for their misuse as if that were a "public health epidemic".  Our Dr. Wheeler left a comment reminding readers that Congress banned political advocacy by the CDC, not violence research. Dr. Margulies responds to the moderator's question, "how far should emergency medicine go in advocating for or aga...

Doctors are problem solvers. Thanks to our training, that's how we approach patients.  And problem solving, done well, requires a thoughtful process.  That applies to social and public policy matters like firearm issues as well. The essential first step when approaching any problem is to define it. Not just in general terms, but as specifically as possible, because the next steps (determining causes, identifying strategies, establishing action plans, implementing solutions, assessing resu...

[Editor's Note: Originally published in Concealed Carry Magazine, July 2016, and is republished here by permission.] With the increase in terrorist activity by ISIS around the globe and the influx of Syrian refugees and ISIS cells into North America, we have to ask ourselves: What will be their targets and how will they attack? (more…)

One of the recurring themes of the American gun control movement has been the need to conceal their eventual goal of making firearms illegal for everyone but the police, the military and the bodyguards who protect the political and economic elite. A recent article at Politico.com, Dems urged to retool their gun message, reports on a meeting last week in which gun control leaders were reminded once again to hide their real aims behind bland, inoffensive, and comforting language.  I’ve been...

In case anybody missed it earlier this month, amidst all the national heartache, finger-pointing, drama, and lies, the American Academy of Pediatrics decided again never to let a tragedy go to waste.Yes, the AAP announced yet another "New Initiative". Go ahead, read the whole thing—I'll wait. As if they hadn't already stepped far enough outside their professional lane in advocating against Second Amendment Civil Rights, now the AAP wants to "Confront Violence in Children's Lives".  And...

I’ve often joked with friends out here in California about the difference between our capital city of Sacramento and Las Vegas. One is full of hustlers, whores, and lowlifes.  The other is located in Nevada.  The few gun owners who have been paying attention to the foaming lynch mob that the California legislature has become know these truths well.  The rest will find out, to their shock and disgust, in due time. Only a handful of California gun owners know the ordeal their pro-gun rights...

It was a peaceful demonstration that day in Dallas, enacting a right recognized in the first amendment to the Constitution.  Then one hateful, violent person shattered that peace.  One person ignored the rights of those demonstrating, police officers, and everyone else involved, to carry out a heinous crime against society. The police officers who were there and quickly responded are heroes.  They are heroes every day no matter what the call, no matter how dangerous the situation.  Those ...