The National Rifle Association (NRA) has been a point of contention among Americans lately due to their stance on gun control and the influx of mass shootings. The NRA recently tweeted an article titled “Surprise: Physician Group Rehashes Same Tired Gun Control Policies,” on their official Twitter account.
The article tweeted was presented alongside the words “Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. Half of the articles in Annals of Internal Medicine are pushing for gun control. Most upsetting, however, the medical community seems to have consulted NO ONE but themselves.”
The tweet was publicized hours before the mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, where 12 people died before the gunmen turned the gun on himself.
Many people, including doctors, were riled up by the tweet and article. The NRA insinuated that gun control and guns are not doctors’ lanes, meaning doctors have no business in guns. Many doctors shared stories of patients who they treated for gun violence and how guns and effects of guns are very much apart of their job descriptions.
“After treating countless patients with life altering spinal cord injuries and brain injuries secondary to gunshot wounds, I would have to say this is my lane,” replied @DanaBussing on Twitter.
“I helped save a gun violence victim in med school. Those are my hands holding pressure on his femoral artery so that he wouldn’t bleed to death. The bullet is right by my fingertips. This is right by my fingertips. This is me in #mylane, @NRA,” added Twitter user @nurielmoghavem, alongside an X-Ray of the patient’s torso.
Not only are doctors having an opinion of the “same tired gun control policies,” many people, including students have strong opinions on the ideas. Gun violence has affected students and children a great deal as many schools have been victims of mass shootings.
There is an intense amount of anger behind the fight for gun control. It’s not entirely black and white, because of the rights to bare arms being an amendment. Many are tired of nothing being done about the constant gun violence, and the other side are fighting to preserve their given right.
The NRA stands for their argument and even then when they were faced in a live debate with students from the Parkland shooting in Florida. The NRA argues that there is little need for gun control and even stands by the right for people to be able to bare arms. Though, it is Americans’ right to arm and protect themselves, many ask, how far should gun rights extend to? What guns should be legal to carry? Considering the time the 2nd amendment was written, the technology and guns we have now were nonexistent for the time period.
This tweet also came days before the shooting in a Mercy Hospital in Chicago on November 19th. A doctor named Dr. Tamara O’Neal was shot and killed inside the hospital. The tweet was furthered ignited by this tragic event because doctors can be a victim to gun violence.
Gun control will be a continuous argument on both ends of the spectrum. Keeping in mind, gun violence affects many and the continuous help and care from doctors is important. Gun violence does affect doctors and caregivers. Doctors are affected by guns as well, and they feel that very much so is it “their lane.” Doctors say they are allowed to have an opinion on “the same tired gun control policies” and shouldn’t need to consult with anyone else on matters that do affect them too.