Pediatricians are taking on the gun lobby by seeking to reframe the debate as a public safety issue and by trying to make it less difficult to collect data on gun violence.
As part of their lobbying push, they’re also championing robust gun control measures that Congress has shown no appetite for — including an assault weapons ban, a high-capacity ammunition limit and waiting periods for gun purchases.
NBC News reports:
The American Academy of Pediatrics has begun a renewed push to try to get Congress to pass gun control measures, sending more than 100 pediatricians to Capitol Hill earlier this month. But others who have taken on the issue over the past decade have a warning for them: they can run afoul of the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun groups that are quick to paint anyone who advocates for gun control as a political extremist. …
“I think we can be honest brokers,” says Dr. Lolita McDavid, medical director for child advocacy and protection at University Hospitals, part of Case Western Reserve University’s school of medicine in Cleveland.
