Guns and Politics: Why I Cannot Stay Silent

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Commentary — October 2016

By Lauren Gambill, MD

Tex Med. 2016;112(10:11.

"How are you sleeping?" It's a simple question, one that I ask all of my patients. 

"Well," my soft-spoken teenaged patient went on to explain, "a boy in my class shot himself. I saw it happen, and now I'm having nightmares." 

These are the stories we hear as physicians.

Recently, I was asked to join a group of pediatricians in Washington, DC, to talk with my legislators about firearm injury prevention among children. Having seen the devastating consequences of firearm injury countless times in the hospital and clinic, I readily agreed. But honestly, I was terrified. 

Given how controversial the topic of "gun control" is in Texas, I was certain my message would not be well received by my conservative legislators. I am not a gun owner, nor do I consider myself "anti-gun." Prior to this, I had stayed silent regarding the topic, eager to avoid potential conflict.

Despite this, I knew the sobering facts. Firearm injury is one of the top three causes of death among youth, according to a 2013 New England Journal of Medicine article titled "Preventing Gun Deaths in Children." The article cites firearms as the cause of twice as many deaths as cancer, five times as many as heart disease, and 15 times as many as infections. I also know firearm safety legislation can save children's lives.

As I walked to Capitol Hill, I passed a large group wearing shirts that read "Protect My Guns." I knew I had my work cut out for me. 

When I arrived, I had honest and heartfelt discussions. I did not talk about gun control. I talked about my area of expertise: children's health. And more importantly, I talked about my patients. 

As I shared these stories, I realized the things I see as a pediatrician are not the same things our legislators see every day.

At the end of one of my conversations, my legislator looked me in the eye and said, "I've had dozens of people come into this office to talk about guns. I have hundreds of voicemail messages and even more emails, all about guns. You are the first person to talk about firearm injury in children."

I realized then the importance of sharing patient narratives to advocate politically for my patients. No matter how controversial the topic, child health has no party lines.

By sharing my patients' stories, I provided a new perspective for my legislator. We all have powerful patient encounters, and it is important to share them to advocate for our patients. Each one of these stories brings us closer to a world where our patients can sleep more soundly.

Lauren Gambill, MD is a pediatrician from Austin. She serves as chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Medical Students, Residents and Fellowship Trainees and can be followed on twitter @renkate.

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Last Updated On

October 03, 2016

Originally Published On

September 13, 2016