“General Douglas MacArthur, a leader I deeply respected, is said to have written that no man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation and vigorous in its defense. Well, it’s all up to us now. We are the
heirs of MacArthur, Pershing, Jefferson, and Washington—and of those Americans who put their lives on the line from Bunker Hill to Belleau Wood, from Normandy to Khe Sanh. We will be vigilant in the preservation of freedom and vigorous in its defense because we will not let down those who came before us or those who will follow.”
-- President Ronald Reagan

Wow, this is a shock to me. I didn't think I would ever here of a doctor asking that question. I don't see how it is any of their business.

My father is a cop. So there were always guns in the house. He bought me my first when I was about 10 and I now have a pretty large surplus (for the zombie invasion that is) and I can find no good reason why a doctor would want to know this.

Douglas MacArthur

Sucked! I can't imagine why Reagan would respect him so much after the Korean debacle. Geez.

(for the zombie invasion that is)

haha.

I imagine its asked for the same reason doctors ask if anyone in the home smokes: for safety recommendations.

Caracarn: Blades don't need reloading.

The only time I can think of this being a legitimate question from a doctor would be if the doctor were concerned about depression in the patient. Otherwise it looks to me like the doctor is over stepping his bounds, possibly at the behest of child protective services, which seems like a violation of doctor/patient confidentiality and medical ethics.

My kid's Drs in several diff states usually ask me a list of questions at every physical. Sometimes they are written down, sometimes they are verbal. They almost always include, Is there a gun in the house? (I say yes, they say, are they locked up? I say yes. They say, good.) Do your kids wear safety belts? Does anyone in the home smoke?

They've always asked me, not my kids. Maybe the reason he asked the parents to leave was so he could ask her if she was smoking, or ask her about her periods. Some teens will lie if there is a parent present. Thirteen seems a little old to have mommy and daddy with you while getting a physical (as long as clothes are on).

I wouldn't read too much into it. I don't know who "they" are anyway. And if there were any "They" pressuring Drs to break confidentiality, I think we'd be hearing about it...because lots of them would refuse and then go to the media.

Well this was just a sport's physical which usually is pretty much the basics.

I'd say it's none of their business. Check her heart, check her BP, check her eyes and ears, check her limbs....but seatbelts and guns? I don't see how they would bear any significance to her playing basketball. At least I can't think of any. My kids had sports physicals for years since they were avid sports participants and they were never asked these types of questions.

This kind of reminded me a bit of the Nazi Regime where kids were telling on their parents. Some of this is still going on in communist countries even today.

I was wondering if there was a way somebody is somehow checking for illegal guns in the home and this was a way of finding out via the kids. If you check on my boss you'd find all his guns registered but if you check on somebody else maybe they wouldn't be. I dunno, just thinking that.