Biden's surgeon general: Gun violence is a 'public health emergency'
Vivek Murthy, Joe Biden's pick as America's surgeon general, says gun violence is now a public health emergency.
The announcement problem drew harsh criticism from the National Rifle Association, which explained the statement was nothing more than "an extension of the Biden administration's war on law-abiding gun owners."
The organization said, "American has a crime problem caused by criminals. The reluctance to prosecute and punish criminals on the part of President Biden and many of his allies is the primary cause of that. That's a simple fact."
Murthy had claimed, in a long series of statements on social media, "Today, for the first time in the history of our office, I am issuing a Surgeon General's advisory on firearm violence. Firearm violence is a public health crisis in America that poses a serious threat to the health and well-being of our country."
The facts are that leftist prosecutors, often elected with the financial backing of far-left Second Amendment opponents, have dropped or reduced charges against thousands of felony suspects, including those suspected of gun violence.
Murthy said 54% adults say they or a family member have experience a "firearm-related incident," and the impact on children is devastating.
It's now the "leading cause of death among children and adolescents – more than car accidents or drug overdoses," he said.
Then, too, he said, there's the "elevated stress levels and mental health challenges" involved.
And he pointed out that a disproportionate amount of the danger falls to black communities, where individuals "endure the highest rate of firearm homicides."
Calling for immediate "steps to prevent and minimize the risks," he said there are strategies being developed.
Specifics were not immediately outlined, but under the description of a COVID-19 health crisis the government shut down schools, churches, businesses and even some government operations, spent hundreds of billions of dollars now added to the national debt and more.
NRA Statement on the Surgeon General's Advisory https://t.co/UotMVmE7D1 pic.twitter.com/DoU8mVHEqU
— NRA (@NRA) June 25, 2024
The Washington Examiner reported Murthy does call for violence prevention programs and making mental healthcare better.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., had charged recently, "While we’re recognizing the two-year anniversary of the historic investments and reforms in our bipartisan gun law, the American people are demanding more—especially as guns are now the leading cause of death among children. To my Republican colleagues: Come to the table and work with us to pass additional legislation to help save lives."
In fact, while statistics reveal that children left dead in gun violence have increased in recent years, so have deaths from overdoses, car accidents, diseases, fires, slashings and drownings.
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