[Ed: Aging Today and AgeBlog, the American Society on Aging’s media, published an article, “Grandparents,Gun Violence and Gun Policy”, this fall. Teri Kennedy, a PhD grandmother with the School of Social Work at Arizona State University, advocated the straight gun restriction party line, from the claim that the Dickey amendment “barred”research to universal background checks, banning “assault weapons” and “high-capacity magazines”, and “gun safety technology”. OK, we have no disagreement with “promot[ing] safe storage of guns” (interpreted correctly) or “improve[d] access to and delivery of mental health services”. But, seriously . . .
DRGO correspondent Warren Lind, LCSW, a member of the ASA took enough interest to send the editor an extremely well- documented rebuttal. It follows here, with excerpts from the editor’s reply. His biggest may have been including my name as a co-author.]
To the Editor:
Dr. Kennedy’s article does not have anything to do with the goals and vision of ASA and as such should have never been accepted as an article. (See http://www.asaging.org/2015-2020-strategic-plan-summary.)
“Gun violence” is not a leading cause of death in America. The five leading causes are:
