The Politics Behind CDC’s Involvement in Gun Research: Debunking the Misconception

Why did most politicians vote against the CDC researching the scale and scope of the U.S. gun crisis? The answer lies in the intersection of politics and public perception. Let's explore the reasons behind this controversial decision and the implications for public health research.

Understanding the Controversy

Probably because the CDC’s expertise is primarily in medical research, and gun control involves more complex policy and social issues rather than infectious diseases or communicable diseases. This perception stems from the belief that expertise in public health does not necessarily translate to expertise in matters of gun control. In a perfect world, one might argue, the medical community should focus on understanding why people engage in particular behaviors, rather than prescribing policy solutions.

Other Analogous Scenarios

What if NASA announced it was going to investigate communist influences in the Democratic Party, or if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced they were studying which religion was true? Would you support such studies? Similar to these hypothetical situations, the CDC's proposed research into the gun crisis could seem misplaced and politically motivated.

Why Focus on the FBI?

The Department of Justice, through the FBI, already gathers, compiles, analyzes, and publishes yearly data on homicides and other major felonies. A majority of D.C. politicians do vote to fund the FBI's mission. This situation highlights a misalignment between the CDC's mandate and the public health issues it should be addressing.

The CDC in Atlanta must focus its efforts on researching, treating, and preventing diseases. Their mission is not to study in detail the various tools involved in human deaths, such as knives, clubs, ropes, and stones. So why target guns specifically? The question remains: what scientific hypothesis should they be studying year after year?

Mental Health: A More Appropriate Focus

The medical community should focus on understanding why people do what they do. Mental illnesses, while peculiar and not easily fit into the study of communicable diseases, should be a major priority. If mental illnesses have been added to their mission, conditions such as Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) involving millions of people should top their list.

The Concept of a Civil Right

The ability to own a gun and use deadly force to protect oneself, one's family, and possessions is a Civil Right and not a medical or health-related crisis. Gun ownership is not a disease, and its regulation should be handled by appropriate legal and law enforcement mechanisms.

Further Context

Similarly, people were upset when Barack Obama redirected NASA resources toward "Muslim outreach" or when the EPA and Department of Transportation resources were used to implement economic policies under the guise of environmental and transportation safety regulations. The Department of Education was also used to impose social policies in schools.

These agencies are established and funded with specific tasks, duties, and mandates in mind. The political left frequently tries to misuse and abuse their resources and authority to advance their political agenda. When they cannot achieve this through legitimate means, they use these agencies out of principle.

The Reality of the Gun Debate

Most people understand that there is no "gun crisis" in the U.S. Despite this, the political left persists in advocating for increased gun control measures. Even if such a crisis were to exist, it would not be under the purview of the CDC to address it.

In reality, the overwhelming majority of the 330 million people living in the U.S. never had and never will have a negative encounter or issue with firearms. These individuals do not feel compelled to have their right to self-defense taken away to avoid facing the real problem: a violent crime issue concentrated in a few major Democratic-controlled urban centers.

Conclusion

The real issue is a matter for law enforcement and the judiciary to deal with. Allowing that to happen causes significant problems for the Democrat Party, which is desperate to avoid scrutiny of their failure to address the root causes of violent crime.

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