Do You Own A Weapon?

[VACoastie]

So today the wife and I took out newborn in to the Pediatrist for her 6 day check-up. We filled out all the paperwork and the Dr. said everything looked great with the kid. Healthy as an ox. Before she let us go however she asked one question: "Do you keep guns in the home."

I paused and thought for a moment and replied with "what difference would it make?" Her reply actually went interesting in that she states she and her husband own guns and go trap shooting regularly, blah blah blah. Apparently this is a new question being imposed by a National Healthcare type thing. I told her: "My answer is I'm a Military member and 2A advocate. You can write down what you wish, but it would make no difference if I had one or not."

Apparently when you say yes, their response has to be in the form of "is it locked, stored away out of reach" things like that. I told her how I found it interesting how a government source finds it so intriguing to want to know who does and doesn't have a PDW. She concurred.

Quite an interesting run in with a question I knew was out there but have never been asked. She was thoughtful and insightful with our conversation on the vague answer I gave.

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[Palladin]

Answer - No. Guns are bad... especially the big black ones.

[MarcSpaz]

Agreed. I would say no.

Besides, I don't own any firearms anymore. Sold them or gave them all away. My M4 was heart broken when I gave her up. As I was walking away, she said...

[0ne5hot]

[skeeterss0]

so if I answer no, then my house gets robbed, seems the police would need to look into who had access to that information. Is it a crime to lie to a doctor?

[Reverenddel]

My response would be "WHY!? SHOULD I OWN GUNS?!?? WHAT DO YOU KNOW THAT I DON'T!?!? DO YOU HAVE ONE!??"

[dorminWS]

My answer would be:
"Why would you ask about that?".

My reply to any follow-up question would be:
"I just don't really understand that question."

I would be careful to remain polite and well-mannered, but always respond with an equivocation; being very careful not to become confrontational, critical of the question or offensive in any way.

[MarcSpaz]

so if I answer no, then my house gets robbed, seems the police would need to look into who had access to that information. Is it a crime to lie to a doctor?

It's not a crime to lie to anyone... including your investors or a judge and jury. Just as any of the politicians who passed the laws without even reading them. They'll tell you all about it.

[SHMIV]

Put your weapons in the shed before taking the kids to the doc.

"Do you have guns in the house? "

"Nope."

Or, perhaps, you could answer, "I have a hot glue gun and a caulk gun. I had a watergun, but I threw it away when it started leaking last summer. "

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[TacticalMom]

Being a chef I have many many many weapons of all sizes in the house. I have small stick ums, large stab ums, serrated cut ums, flexible and rigid take the meat off the bones, and many other things.

I would have said, "wow that is an odd question".

Just last week at my pediatricians the nurse asked do you need the immunization reports for school. I said no thank you. The nurse asked again, and I said no thank you not right now. She said "but your daughter is going to be going to kindergarten". I said yes I know. She looked puzzled. So I said, "I home school my children." She said "ohh ok". She was genuinely curious so I was happy to talk about. She was really nice and my pediatrician knows I do. He is totally in support of us home school families. He says "he wishes more parents would take more interest into their children's lives."

I have found that people think they get to have a say in what you do and don't do with your children. Get used to unwanted advice and people judging your decisions unfortunately. I try to take it all with dignity and decorum, and try to walk with God in my responses. When I disagree with a person I politely say I disagree and move on.

Here is hoping the rest of your appointments are better from hear on out.

[Chasbo00]

The answer I learned while in DoD... I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons (or firearms in my home).

[dorminWS]

Nah..... I think SHMIV has got it right. Turn the question aside with humor and don't treat it seriously. "I have a hot glue gun and a caulk gun. I had a watergun, but I threw it away when it started leaking last summer. " is the best approach. Acting offended or refusing (even benignly) to answer is likely to get you on the wrong list.

[Chasbo00]

"I have a hot glue gun and a caulk gun. I had a watergun, but I threw it away when it started leaking last summer. "

Saying gun three times will get you on the list for sure.

[Reverenddel]

"This is my weapon, this is my gun... this is for fighting, this is for fun"- R Lee Ermy , "Full Metal Jacket" Drill Sgt Hartman.

[dorminWS]

"I have a hot glue gun and a caulk gun. I had a watergun, but I threw it away when it started leaking last summer. "

Saying gun three times will get you on the list for sure.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Prolly so.

[WRW]

When I'm paying for a service and not paying for the opportunity to participate in a poll I'm not shy about letting the provider know that fact.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[VACoastie]

TM, that's very true. We've run into that kind of stuff where people think they know what's best for the kid when they've known them all of 10 minutes. I understand they may be concerned about this n that but until they live with the child as much as we do there's not much to say.

SHMIV, that's got to be one of the best ideas ever! Haha.

WRW, I'm under the same mindset. I'm paying for pediatrics not gun safety courses!

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[Swampman]

Yeah! You wanna see it? <reaches behind back>

[SHMIV]

Yep. Sidestep the question. I actually do have a couple of caulk guns, so I wouldn't be lying about that.

You'd want your tone of voice to suggest that the idea of actual firearms in your house is absolutely absurd, so that they don't press the issue.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[AlanM]

My doctor and pretty much all of his staff are well aware that I own a weapon.
Last time I went in for a checkup I arrived with my 1911 on my right hip under an untucked long sleeved shirt that I put on because it was a little cool outside.
I ended up having to take off the shirt for my doctor and also for the lab tech. that drew my blood.
I didn't bother to put it back on as I left and the receptionists asked me why I was carrying a gun.
I smiled and answered, "Because I'm not strong enough to carry a cop."
She giggled and I heard a laugh from one of the other ladies in the office.
We then had a fairly long conversation about 911 response times and the fact that most violent crimes are over in about 90 seconds.