The following article was written by Timothy Wheeler, MD, Director Doctors
for Responsible Gun Ownership, a Project of The Claremont Institute, PO Box
1931, Upland, CA 91785-1931

Dr. Wheeler gives permission to reproduce this and distribute it to our
members and elsewhere. Please read this carefully and pass it on to your
family and friends.

Many doctors’ organizations are under the control of anti-civil rights
extremists and are actively encouraging their members to work against the
Bill of Rights. We need to AGGRESSIVELY fight this.

As Dr. Wheeler states in his article: “The last thing a doctor wants these
days, next to a malpractice suit, is a patient complaint alleging unethical
conduct.” That means the best way to fight back is to file a complaint
against the offending doctor.

Some of your friends or members of your family may be reluctant to file a
complaint against their doctor or pediatrician. Remind them that just
refusing to answer the offending question will not stop the doctor from
asking less informed patients these questions. Remind them we are fighting
to preserve our freedoms and our children’s freedom. Their complaint could
save a life. It will certainly eliminate one threat to our freedom.

Please spread this information to as many people as you can. With some
effort we can put a stop to this assault on our rights.

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Gun Politics in Your Doctor’s Office

Do you own a gun? How many guns do you have? Do your children have access to
guns in your home? Did you know that having a gun in your home triples your
risk of becoming a homicide victim?

These are questions your doctor may ask you or your children as part of
routine physical examinations or questionnaires. Gun-related questions in
doctors’ offices, especially those coming from pediatricians, are based on a
medical political movement against gun owners. That movement is led by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, although the AMA and other physician groups
have launched similar efforts against gun owners.

With a few rare exceptions, such questions about guns do not reflect a
physician’s concern about gun safety. Rather, they are intended to prejudice
impressionable and trusting children and their parents into thinking that
guns are somehow bad.

That political motive makes these questions ethically wrong. Any doctor who
asks them is committing a form of unethical conduct known as an ethical
,boundary violation. And any doctor who commits a boundary violation should
be disciplined.

Who can discipline the physician? You, the almighty consumer. That’s right.
If you, the patient or parent, file a formal written complaint with the
offending doctor’s HMO or medical group, your complaint will be taken
seriously. The doctor will be asked to respond to it. In any case, your
polite but firm protest will be a black mark on his or her record that will
likely make him or her think twice before repeating the offense.

Patients not enrolled in a health plan (HMO) might see a doctor in a small
group practice or solo practice. Boundary violations by a doctor in this
case can be reported to your county medical society. Although federal
anti-trust laws have mostly stripped medical societies of their enforcement
powers, they can still get an erring physician’s attention.

Medicine has become an extremely competitive service industry. Medical
groups are trying harder than ever to please consumers. The last thing a
doctor wants these days, next to a malpractice suit, is a patient complaint
alleging unethical conduct.

If the doctor persists or is especially inappropriate, you can send that
written complaint to your state medical licensing board. For instructions on
filing a complaint go to the web site of your state government or look in
the phone book for the board’s listing. This is a last resort, and it will
be a definite blemish on the doctor’s career. But it may be necessary for
repeat offenders. This step will apply enormous pressure on the offending
physician, even if the state board takes no official action against his or
her license.

To summarize: you don’t have to suffer in silence and you don’t have to
disclose personal information about your gun ownership to politically
motivated doctors. Most important, you can strike back at unethical doctors
who abuse your trust to advance a political agenda against law-abiding gun
owning families.

For more information contact Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership (DRGO), a
Project of The Claremont Institute, PO Box 1931, Upland, California
91785-1931. (909) 949-9971 [email protected] www.claremont.org, click on
DRGO