TALAHASSEE, FL- In the domain of gun policy and public health, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hold a pivotal role,
tasked with informing evidence-based decision-making.
However, recent revelations have brought to light the CDC's deliberate suppression of data concerning defensive gun use (DGU), raising concerns about transparency and the potential politicization of research.
The CDC's purview encompasses the study of factors contributing to injury and mortality, including incidents involving firearms.
Over the years, the agency has commissioned research aimed at shedding
light on various aspects of gun violence, seeking to inform prevention
strategies and public health interventions.
Despite its comprehensive approach, recent events have cast a shadow on
the CDC's handling of DGU data, unveiling patterns of concealment and
censorship.
Notably, the CDC opted to omit references to defensive gun use
statistics from its public materials, despite commissioning a study by
The National Academies' Institute of Medicine and National Research
Council that acknowledged DGUs as a "common occurrence."
This decision drew scrutiny after evidence emerged of pressure from
gun-control advocates to diminish or remove mentions of DGUs.
Correspondence obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests uncovered a lobbying effort aimed at influencing the CDC's messaging on defensive gun use.
Notable individuals involved in this effort included Mark Bryant, who
manages the Gun Violence Archive (GVA), Devin Hughes, the founder of
GVPedia, and Po Murray, who facilitated discussions.
These advocates, supported by introductions from the White House and
Senator Dick Durbin’s office, engaged with top CDC officials to
challenge the depiction of studies estimating DGUs, ranging from 60,000
to 2.5 million occurrences annually in the United States.
Mark Bryant, among the vocal attendees, firmly criticized the 2.5
million figure, advocating for its removal as he deemed it misleading
and devoid of value.
Bryant bluntly stated in an email to CDC officials following their
meeting, "that statistic needs to be killed, buried, dug up, killed
again and buried again. It is highly misleading, used out of context,
and holds zero value even as an outlier in honest discussions
surrounding DGUs."
Despite initial hesitance and an acknowledgment of varied estimates
regarding DGUs, CDC officials engaged in discussions with the advocates
and ultimately agreed to remove references to DGUs from its
publications.
The CDC's compliance with external pressure underscores the delicate
balance between scientific inquiry and ideological influence.
By prioritizing political ideals over academic rigor, the agency risks
compromising its reputation as an evidence-based research institution
and eroding public trust in its findings.
Additionally, the CDC's own research has previously acknowledged the
prevalence of DGUs as a "common occurrence," as highlighted in studies
conducted by The National Academies' Institute of Medicine and National
Research Council.
However, the recent suppression of this data raises concerns about the agency's commitment to transparent and unbiased inquiry.
Gary Kleck, Professor Emeritus at Florida State University’s College of
Criminology and Criminal Justice, stands as a notable figure in this
debate. His research, spanning decades, has consistently demonstrated a
minimum of 760,000 annual incidents of defensive gun use.
Despite attempts to discredit his work, Kleck remains steadfast in his
commitment to rigorous methodology and empirical evidence.
In the aftermath of these revelations, critics say there is a pressing
need for greater transparency and accountability within the CDC's
firearm research efforts.
Gary Kleck emphasized, "CDC is just aligning itself with the gun-control
advocacy groups. It’s just saying: ‘we are their tool, and we will do
their bidding.’ And that’s not what a government agency should do."
1 comment:
"Should" and "does" are not even remotely the same when the Democrat-Socialist party is in charge.
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