CDC suppresses data on self-defense gun use after private meeting with GUN CONTROL advocates
04/23/2024 // Ava Grace // 760 Views
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reportedly removed figures for self-defense gun use following a private meeting with gun control advocates.
According to Law Enforcement Today (LET), the public health agency's purview "encompasses the study of factors contributing to injury and mortality, including incidents involving firearms." It added: "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."
But recent revelations have disclosed the CDC's deliberate deliberate suppression of data concerning defensive gun use (DGU), in turn raising concerns about transparency and the potential politicization of research. This suppression was brought to light through correspondence obtained by means of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, which uncovered a lobbying effort aimed at influencing the public health agency's messaging on DGU.
According to the correspondences, the CDC commissioned the National Academy of Medicine and the National Research Council for several studies on the matter. While the resulting papers acknowledged DGUs as a "common occurrence," the CDC notably opted to omit references to DGU statistics from its public materials. This move drew scrutiny after evidence of pressure from gun-control advocates to diminish or remove mentions of DGUs emerged.
Notable gun control advocates were involved in this effort to suppress the CDC. They were supported by introductions from the White House and from the office of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). Some of the advocates were as follows:
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- Mark Bryant, co-founder of the Gun Violence Archive (GVA)
- Devin Hughes, founder and president of GVPedia
- Po Murray, founder and chairwoman of the Newtown Action Alliance
With Murray facilitating discussions, the gun control advocates 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. (Related: State of Washington Democrats propose “overreaching” bill prohibiting self-defense weapons in public areas such as bus stops.)
CDC yields to censorship demands despite second thoughts on GDU numbers
Bryant, among the vocal attendees firmly criticized the 2.5 million figure. The GVA co-founder staunchly advocated for its removal.
"That statistic needs to be killed, buried, dug up, killed again and buried again," Bryant bluntly stated in an email to CDC officials following their meeting. "It is highly misleading, used out of context and holds zero value even as an outlier in honest discussions surrounding DGUs."
Despite its initial hesitation and an acknowledgement of varied estimates regarding DGUs, CDC officials ultimately agreed to remove references to DGUs from its publications. According to LET, 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," the police-owned media outlet reported.
Gary Kleck, a professor emeritus of criminology at Florida State University, denounced the CDC's decision to remove DGU figures from its publications. His research on DGU that spans decades has consistently demonstrated a minimum of 760,000 annual incidents.
"CDC is just aligning itself with the gun control advocacy groups," Kleck emphasized. "It's just saying, 'We are their tool, and we will do their bidding.' And that's not what a government agency should do." |
