From the National Weekly Edition of the Washington Times
newspaper May 14 - 20, 2001 edition, a letter to the editor entitled, “Propaganda
doctor” reads:
“I hope this letter will help me get the word out to
unsuspecting parents. I have spoken
with lawyers and found that the following is not illegal. The only way to stop
this at present is to inform parents before it happens.
My 12-year old son was given a routine physical exam last
week at a local doctor’s office. During that exam, my son reports that the
doctor’s staff asked several questions regarding whether we have firearms in
our home and how they are stored. A crucial point here is that these questions
were asked in the same breath as questions about cigarette smoking, drug abuse
and alcohol abuse. That is, invasion of privacy aside, this is a left-handed attempt
at indoctrination.
The next day I called the doctor, expressed my concerns
and asked him to give me the form that had been filled out with this personal
information. He said the American Academy of Pediatrics intended to include the
information elicited from our son in a database. He verbally agreed to return
the form to me, but when I arrived at his office his staff gave me only a copy.
I asked for the original, which prompted the staff person to go get the doctor.
When the doctor arrived I asked for the original form. He said, in front of
other parents and several small children, “I don’t give a damn what you want.
Now get the hell out of my office.”
These off-color words were repeated a time or two, after
which he turned and left.
I strongly object to a pediatrician being loud and vulgar
in front of children. I strongly object to the American Academy of Pediatrics
and the doctor having used a minor child to acquire personal information that
is no way relevant to the business at hand. I also strongly object to the underhanded
association of firearms with tobacco, drugs, and alcohol in young children’s
minds.”
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