Is gun violence a public health issue?

29 Dec 2014 12:49 #1 by ZHawke
This is going to be a very touchy subject for some, I'm sure. That being said, I'd really like to keep it here in this Forum, if possible.

One of the things that's been on my mind for quite some time now is whether gun violence constitutes a public health issue. In doing some preliminary research, the majority of what I've found would support this assertion. In fact, I recently found this meme that lays it out in pretty succinct terms from my perspective:

File Attachment:


That being said, I also found this article from a respected contributor to Forbes saying gun violence should NOT be considered a public health issue:

www.forbes.com/sites/paulhsieh/2014/07/2...public-health-issue/

According to the CDC Foundation definition of public health , it's kind of a "complicated" issue. However, the bottom line is, after all, public health whether that be defined on a local, state, or national level from what I took away from their website definition.

With that, I'll back away and open this up for further discussion on the issue of gun violence, in general, as a public health issue.

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29 Dec 2014 12:58 #2 by Nobody that matters
No, it's not. Mental health is a public health issue. Gun violence and crime falls into Law enforcement areas. That's just my opinion, and how things would be if I ran the zoo.

"Whatever you are, be a good one." ~ Abraham Lincoln

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29 Dec 2014 13:16 #3 by cydl
If "gun violence" is a public health issue then so is "automobile violence", "knife violence", "fist violence", and "slippery bathtub violence". The term itself is offensive to me.

A firearm is a tool just as many other objects are tools and can cause injury/death if misused. And before someone jumps in to point out that firearms are designed to cause injury/death, yes they are; they are designed as protection from criminals and tyrannical governments as wells as for sport and putting meat on the table.

I lose patience with induhviduals blaming any misused object for the actions of an irresponsible operator.

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29 Dec 2014 15:29 #4 by Blazer Bob
Control the language, control the thought.

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29 Dec 2014 15:47 #5 by RenegadeCJ
The premise is wrong. Due to the ignorance of many people, this "language" as BlazerBob says, is attempting to make people believe in this premise.

We regulate every other product to attempt to minimize damages due to the product being used incorrectly or from product defects. Guns rarely are used in other than the means they were designed. They rarely malfunction, causing injury. People...evil people use the gun as a tool, and do bad things. It isn't the gun, it is the people.

We don't regulate hammers or knives. When used by bad people, they can do bad things, but it isn't the fault of the tool, it is again the fault of the person using it.

Too bad future generations aren't here to see all the great things we are spending their $$ on!!

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29 Dec 2014 16:44 #6 by HEARTLESS
From Wikipedia
Josh Sugarmann is the executive director and founder of the Violence Policy Center (VPC) and the author of two books on gun violence prevention. Prior to founding the VPC, Sugarmann was a press officer in the national office of Amnesty International USA[1] and was the communications director for the National Coalition to Ban Handguns
So as others here have stated, relabeling of agenda driven BS, is still just agenda driven BS.

The silent majority will be silent no more.

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29 Dec 2014 18:17 #7 by Blazer Bob

cydl wrote: If "gun violence" is a public health issue then so is "automobile violence", "knife violence", "fist violence", and "slippery bathtub violence". .


Exactly. That is the fallacy in the poster Z finds persuasive. ""health and safety perspective". First you conflate health and safety, then you white out safety and guns become a health issue.

It also states that guns are not regulated. Ever seen a gun made out of copper or soft iron.

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29 Dec 2014 18:30 #8 by ScienceChic
There's a flaw in this premise #1 right at the beginning of this article from Forbes:

Which of these things is not like the other?

Measles
Influenza
Tuberculosis
Murder

If you picked #4, “murder,” you’re right. The first three are medical diseases. Epidemics are caused by infectious agents transmitted between people, often without their knowledge.

If intentionally causing disease, such as in bioterrorism, that absolutely is murder and there are many laws, restrictions, and regulations on who can purchase, handle, and manipulate infectious agents. Malicious and negligent misuse of infectious agents can result in prison sentences, just ask the guy who mailed the anthrax-laced envelopes (scratch that, he committed suicide as authorities closed in on him as the prime suspect). There are restrictions and regulations on who can operate a vehicle, who can fly an airplane, and who can grow cultures of ebola, and the violation of those can result in punishment if it causes harm to another human.

I agree with premise #2: passing more laws doesn't necessarily reduce gun violence. There need to be more large-population studies, and unfortunately from what little I've read, attempts at that have been suppressed by those who fear their results. I sincerely hope that that is not the case, as one who believes their position is just and valid should never fear more data.

Premise #3 is I think entirely the fault of our sensationalist mainstream media. I think "gun violence" (I'm not a fan of that term either, but can't think of another that is better suited at this moment) deserves to be considered under public health. Death, via whatever means or categorization, must be studied, determined how and why it occurred, and attempts to minimize risk leading to that type of death. It's not much different than regulating carcinogens or pathogens if viewed in that light.

Premise #4: the author is stating that death by gunshot when justified is acceptable. That is a personal opinion and not one that supports his argument that it's not a health care crisis. Murder rates may be decreasing, but it doesn't mean that it's still not a problem that should be addressed.

Whenever anyone is murdered, it has an impact on society. Not to sound mushy and soft-hearted, but it seriously affects the mental and emotional health and well-being of that person's loved ones, may even cause financial and physical hardship. That cannot be discounted.

I think this topic deserves some further research and deeper thought. Thank you ZHawke for opening it up.

"Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.” -King T'Challa, Black Panther

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it. ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. ~Winston Churchill
The following user(s) said Thank You: ZHawke

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29 Dec 2014 18:32 #9 by ZHawke
Replied by ZHawke on topic Is gun violence a public health issue?
Perhaps I should have titled the thread "gun safety" as opposed to "gun violence". I really have no "agenda" here except to discuss whether, in fact, there is a public health issue. If there isn't, I guess I'd also ask why organizations like The American Academy of Pediatrics appears to treat it as such?

The fact automobiles are brought into the discussion so often by both pro and anti gun advocates as a comparison of sorts also then leads one to wonder how the two being almost equal in number of fatalities annually does not also equate to a public health issue, especially given that automobile deaths include things like drunk driving, careless driving, etc., etc. all of which have an effect on public health and safety and all of which are considered to be public health and safety issues. When alcohol and recklessness/negligence enter into the equation of fatalities as a result of gunfire, do those incidents also then not have anything to do with public health and safety? Especially when young children are involved?

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29 Dec 2014 18:43 #10 by HEARTLESS
The Violence Policy Center couldn't care less about gun safety, as in safe gun handling from proper training. They are the repackaged gun ban advocates, period. A huge number of gun deaths is from suicide which is almost never removed from their numbers on murder. Arguing suicide is self murder is wrong, it is mental illness or relief from horrible pain or some perceived unwinnable situation.

The silent majority will be silent no more.

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