Hi Docs-
This has been a time- from beauty of upper Michigan winter slopes to the sadness and shock of Kalamazoo shootings all in a short space.
I had been invited to speak at the Snow Conference for MiACOG two weeks ago. Thanks to Dan McMurtrie for sending me to Jodie Jones. Jodie and Matt Allswede made me welcome at Crystal Mountain and after my presentation 20 new OB doctors joined PPGV. I also was introduced to Sam Bauer (through Tim Johnson) and Cheryl Gibson-Fountain from Beaumont Hospital. We want to become part of Detroit’s approach to gun violence and they may help. Mac Whitehouse sent our new OB members a warm welcome!
Mac and I also met 2/19 with Chris Mitchell, a VP for Government Affairs for the Michigan Hospital Association. He’s a friend and we will work together.
Then comes this shooting! What a devastating story and seemingly so senseless! Random deaths from another guy who “just lost it”? And our lawmakers in Michigan are bringing in new laws to make put guns in hospitals and schools! And the latest is a “Constitutional Carry” bill to exempt concealed carry gun owners from needing to get any license. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Runestad said “Bureaucracy and fees do not make people better drivers. Requiring a special permit to carry a concealed weapon just forces inefficient spending and inconveniences responsible gun owners.” Wow!
Finally, after giving testimony recently at a Michigan House hearing on a bill to punish local entities like the Ann Arbor School Board for defying state law and insisting on no guns in schools, we got invited by the Guardian to do an Op Ed piece. More on this SOON!
Jerry