Physicians are pushing back on social media after the National Rifle Association of America said “self-important anti-gun doctors” should “stay in their lane.”
The NRA tweeted the comment last week, in response to an American College of Physicians' position paper that outlined a public health approach to reducing gun-related deaths and injuries.
The paper called gun violence a "public health threat in the United States that must not be allowed to continue." It also outlined recommendations to reduce gun-related deaths.
Someone should tell self-important anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane. Half of the articles in Annals of Internal Medicine are pushing for gun control. Most upsetting, however, the medical community seems to have consulted NO ONE but themselves. https://t.co/oCR3uiLtS7
— NRA (@NRA) November 7, 2018
In response to the tweet, doctors have been sharing stories about victims of gun violence, as well as photos showing extracted bullets and blood-soaked hospital scrubs. The NRA tweet prompted the hashtag “#ThisIsOurLane” to start trending online.
#ThisIsOurLane has been tweeted more than 70,000 times in less than a week.
First patient, first day of residency: gunshot wound to the head. Tried saving him as his mother cried into my shoulder pleading for us to save him. He didn’t make it. He wasn’t the last one either. #ThisISMyLane #ThisISOurLane #NRA pic.twitter.com/n820f6LvQq
— Brent McCaleb, MD (@brentmccaleb) November 12, 2018
.@AnnCoulter and @NRA, you both know #ThisISOurLane.
— Chris Bennett, MD (@cleebennett) November 11, 2018
Since the first drop of blood, the first chest tube placed, and since the first mother on the floor crying, for us, it has ALWAYS been our lane. pic.twitter.com/nQPgXuqXk7
Dear @NRA,
— DrWolfe_Forensics (@DrWolfeMD) November 10, 2018
This is what a GSW to the heart looks like. This is not survivable. This could be the heart of anyone; man or woman, the innocent or the guilty, young or old, the god-fearing or the secular.
But no matter who it is, it’s preventable. That’s why we speak.#ThisISMyLane pic.twitter.com/eWIsAMgvUZ
I don’t have much experience pulling gummy bears or vines out of patients. Unfortunately I have dealt with gunshot wounds quite often. Like any other public health problem it should be properly studied and dealt with @AnnCoulter19 #ThisIsOurLane pic.twitter.com/YsKHJZ1gI1
— Fernando Joglar MD (@fernandojoglar) November 12, 2018
Dear NRA, until thoughts and prayers or more bullets actually heal gunshot wounds, #thisisourlane. https://t.co/t797d49JHw
— Dr Nadia Hashimi (@HashimiForUS) November 9, 2018
Dear @NRA,
— Linda Girgis, MD (@DrLindaMD) November 11, 2018
What should I tell my patient who has severe daily headaches for the past 9 years from the bullet lodged in her head. Doctors were unable to remove it because of the location. She had a restraining order against the shooter.#ThisISMyLane #ThisISOurLane
She got off the school bus and walked into the house
— Anne Talbot, MD PhD (@annetalbot_MD) November 9, 2018
Dad was napping and thought she was an intruder
She died of her gunshot wound
She was a middle schooler
We’re all in the SAME LANE when it comes to preventing #gunviolence #Docs4GunSense #ThisIsOurLane https://t.co/v5B1h60s4Z
A recent report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that gun-related deaths in large U.S. metropolitan regions are increasing, reversing years of decline.