The surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has overstepped his role as a public health official. On Tuesday, he declared gun violence a public health crisis.
“Our failure to address it is a moral crisis,” Murthy said. “To protect the health and wellbeing of Americans, especially our children, we must now act with the clarity, courage, and urgency that this moment demands.”
Murthy is not only speaking beyond his authority, but he has misdiagnosed the cause of the increase in gun-related deaths.
The surgeon general said he was particularly concerned that gun violence has become the leading cause of death among minors. This tragic statistic points to a trend that is not related to the ownership of guns but instead to failed progressive policies in recent years. According to the Pew Research Center, gun deaths among U.S. children rose 50% from 2019 to 2021. What accounts for the…
