Whose rights are being violated, and under which Amendment?

I served in the Marine Corps to defend ideals like citizens' right to defend their homes against invading forces (whether that be British redcoats or escaped convicts). But I sure as hell wasn't doing it to defend a child's right to kill himself playing with a gun his parents forgot to secure. Nor to allow special interest groups to interfere in how doctors interact with their patients.

Have you heard about an idiotic new law in Florida that bars pediatricians from asking whether patients' parents have guns in their home, and if so, are those guns properly secured? Supposedly, the National Rifle Association is concerned that such questions invade patients' privacy. If that's the real reason, then they have completely missed the whole point of doctor-patient confidentiality. But just in case, let me state it: it isn't so doctors can blab your personal information to their friends; it's so they can ask questions directly relevant to treating or preventing diseases.

Or maybe this is just the NRA flexing their muscles to see how far they can take things. I don't see the pool manufacturers' lobby demanding that doctors don't ask about pools at home. Nor the bike manufacturers' lobby. And so on and so forth.

Another consequence of the new law might be that now pediatricians can't suggest parents turn to the NRA for information on securing their guns. However, the bill is not actually a law just yet. If you live in Florida, let Governor Rick Scott know what you think of this law before he signs it.