I'm a gun guy and even I think this is bullshit!

[The Grand Nudger]

We have taken those steps.  Those laws are already on the books.  It's a -federal- offense to sell crazy a gun. There are further, un-neccesary and non-uniform regulations, at the state level. That's how they got around the potential challenge of the 2nd..the legislation is aimed at sellers, not purchasers...and that's why we see misleading headlines like "state has no law against crazy owning a gun". There's no need, there are laws surrounding and confining the entire situation at a federal level, about which we are completely unawares. Crazy can't legally buy a gun, and crazy's already owned guns can be confiscated. Effectively, federally, crazy can't own a gun.

I don't see how assuming everyone is crazy will help keep crazy's hands off guns, he doesn't possess or aqcuire them legally in the first place, and he already passed a test to see if he'd ever been diagnosed, and if he is, in future, his passing then won;t mean shit anyway. The steps we need to take are to enforce those laws which our government lazily ignores. It's -their- job to confiscate crazy's firearms and make sure that sellers are compliant with federal and state law - they just don't feel like doing their jobs. Probably has to do with DA's and Sheriffs being elected officials, and the issue of crazy people with guns being so minor that it isn't worth the political capital spent...all feeding off of our need to resist diagnosis or keep mental illness private.

[Chas]

Doctors are supposed to make recommendations for the safety of their patients (and in cases like these of others.)  Especially in cases of mental health.

But no, we can't have anything even REMOTELY anti-gun because that would go against the second amendment.  It's ridiculous that a doctor isn't allowed to advise people not to have a gun in their household if someone in that household is mentally ill.

That's not the issue.  The issue is asking if there are any guns in the house.  The doctor is free to mention risks.

Sometimes I find myself hoping that a bunch of NRA members get shot up next time, instead of school kids or people who are at their place or some mentally ill person who kills his wife, his kid, then himself.

That's certainly comforting.

[Chas]

OK, so the doctor asks whether there are any firearms in the house.  Then what?  
What does the doctor do about it?
What is the doctor supposed to do about it?  
What do you suppose the doctor can do about it?

Open a discussion regarding gun safety, especially if there are children around.

You are assuming the doctor is qualified to discuss gun safety.

[Chas]

In this country, if you're deemed to be a danger to yourself, you may lose your belt and shoe laces and be given a room with padding .. but they'd damn well better not take your guns!

But they will and do.  People who have been adjudicated mentally unfit, people with a restraining order out against them, people charged with domestic violence have their guns removed from their possession.

[The Valkyrie]

In Florida, physicians are restricted from asking patients, or the parents of patients, about gun ownership under threat of professional discipline or loss of license to practice. This law is just wrong.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/battl...h-37241355

Holy fuck.

Seriously?

[The Grand Nudger]

Yup, it's an absurd,  politically charged reaction to equally absurd, politically charged busy-bodying...... pushed through the halls of government in a largely senile state.   It's not surprising, it's Florida....same state that hosts "shoot a carjacker" day every day..nevermind that it's just a bum trying to clean your windows...probably deserves to be shot for some reason or another.  I bet he hopped the turnstiles at Disney and pooped on Clearwater Beach.

It probably wasn't all that common of an occurrence;

Doc
"Well, Mr Rosenthal..we're going to start on your open heart surgery in just a few moments and I wanted to take the time to ask you whether or not there's a gun in your home."

Patient
"You planning on giving me a reason to shoot you?"

[Gawdzilla]

Call the county sheriff and bring a statement of diagnosis.  They'll confiscate the firearms for destruction.  If the gun shop -knowingly- sold him firearms in spite of his dementia (and this can be proven), the sheriff will call the ATF.  They'll scrutinize his permit....they might assess fines, pull it entirely, or..if they dredge up other violations, he could be looking at felony charges.

It don't work that way in rural Indiana.

[KUSA]

Doc;

Mr. Kusa, do you have any guns in your house?

Kusa;

Umm, certainly doc. Why do you ask?

Doc;

I wanted to give you an anatomy chart so you know where to put the bullet. You are a lot safer if you can put the bad guys down with the first shot.

Kusa;

Thanks doc. I was kind of concerned about that because I carry a little 380 sometimes.

Doc;

Make sure you empty the mag in the guy then. Don't forget to stagger the rounds too. Hollow point, FMJ, hollow point, FMJ. Sometimes you need the extra penetration to reach the vitals in a fat ass.

Kusa;

Will do doc. How much is the bill.

Doc;

Don't worry about it Kusa. I'll bill Obama.

[brewer]

Open a discussion regarding gun safety, especially if there are children around.

You are assuming the doctor is qualified to discuss gun safety.

And you are assuming they are not.

[Chas]

You are assuming the doctor is qualified to discuss gun safety.

And you are assuming they are not.

How am I doing that?  You are the one advocating them discussing gun safety, the burden of proof is on you.