Message to the members of Southern Indiana United for Change.Longtime NAC readers will recognize this medical practice as that of Healthblogger, who formerly blogged about medicine, and now generally (and very often with outright virulence bordering on malice) savages Barack Obama to gleeful applause from the right.
Subject: URGENT: Thursday Morning
Tomorrow, Thursday September 3rd, Republican National Chairman, Michael Steele will be in Floyds Knobs speaking against health care reform. Let's welcome the Chairman to Southern Indiana with a smiling group a health insurance reform supporters.
When: 9am--Sept 3rd
Where: Physician's Association of Southern Indiana
800 Highlander Point Dr
Floyds Knobs, IN
I know this is 12 hours notice so if you're seeing this touch base with your friends to make sure they're aware of this before they turn in tonight.
Thanks!
Bethany
I offer this information with a sense of bemusement ... and profound sadness. Those of you who know me well will understand what I mean by it. I'm standing at a crossroads, and to be honest, the proper path isn't clear.
Gee, who'd ever think that an atheist like me could be suffering through such a profound moral quandary?
16 comments:
This didn't happen overnight. It has been building.
I can't comprehend which of these are the most difficult for me to phathom.
The apparent fact that there isn't a Republican on the plant who doesn't have a family member or close acquaintance that has a medical condition which treatment for they can't afford without selling off their soul.
Or the even more apparent conclusion that there are physicians (and professing Christian's at that) who don't see patients in that dilemma on a daily basis.
They have in mass resisted the concept of a national health plan every time it has been proposed regardless of how it was formulated.
Yet they've never missed an opportunity to send me a bill at the end of the month!
It causes one to wonder just how exspansive Hell has to be to accomodate that many front row seats!
While I would never say that physicians are the only problem with the high cost of health care, they are part of the problem.
My evidence? I wonder how much money you have to donate(or have been donating)to get the national chairman of the GOP to come to your business?
Yet, I have read this same physician "cry" about not making as much money as he thought he would when he became a doctor.
I rest my case!
Thanks for the interest in the topic. The meeting went very well this morning.
I'd be happy to have a civil discourse on this topic over a beer with any or all of you at some time.
Civil as in civilized or civil as in death panels?
We haven't seen a civil discussion from conservatives yet on this issue. It normally degrades into them calling those for health care reform socialists, commies, etc..
Does Healthblogger regard the tone of his postings on the topic of health care, and especially Barack Obama's role in the topic, as "civil"?
If no, then my charges hold true and there has been willful disinformation.
If yes, then there's a major disconnect between his definition of civil and the one I find in the dictionary, and if so, this makes me wary.
I'm up for the beer. Always am, always have been.
As a corollary, I think it would be helpful to know which local docs support substantial health care reform, public options, etc.
Is there a working list anywhere?
If a doctor supports substantive health care reform and public options, is he a traitor to his oath?
Can I offer my perspective as a 20 year Gold Club Member at Brighams and Womens in Boston, as well as a 50 year with many years of seeing many doctors all over the country? I’ve never met one who didn’t support reform. It doesn’t surprise me that Healthblogger, an evangelical Christian, would continue to confuse science with faith.
You go girl!
[Disclaimer: healthblogger is my physician].
That aside, I have to say, while I often strenuously disagree with healthblogger on a number of points (see my post on his blog today), I think that the personal attacks on his character (i.e., his christian views) are a bit over the top, and in all honesty, rather petty. And its not because I'm carrying a bible in my pocket either, Lord knows (pun definitely intended).
There is no doubt that he often feels very strongly one way about many things, while I feel very strongly about the other view. [As does our esteemed blog master on this fine site]. And I agree that HB's blog was more interesting and relevant when it was more related to health care topics and and local information than now, in its present Obama-bashing. Most days, I just shake my head and move on.
But in the end, he and I can still debate and/or discuss things civilly, and without personal disparagement, which given what I do for a living is a testament to him. For a physician to sit down with a malpractice lawyer and chat about our respective professions is not easily undertaken. Heck - my own physician-brother-in-law wont discuss such things with me. HB and I have even shared a beer in one of the New Albanian's brew houses while discussing such things...and amazingly, we weren't hit by lightening.
My point is simply that personal attacks & name calling take away from the credibility of one's position. Its like profanity...which always sounds tough coming out of one's mouth, but in the end, its really just the language of the ignorant. [A point to remember, Roger, when taking the microphone in a public forum]. Sadly, I utter my share of bad words too, although usually just when driving.
I've often thought the same thing of the petty name calling about our local city ouncil. They may be lousy council people - I dont know. But some of the posts are too juvenile to take seriously, which disinterests folks like me who are trying very hard to learn more about the issues in forums such as this. Roger, I truly admire your passion and energy towards improving this town. You could certainly spend more time on your already successful business and personal interests and less time trying to effectuate change. However, sometimes, less venom might give more credibility, at least with folks like me who are sick of all the namecalling and other BS on the c-span and the evening news. I cant even watch Rachael Maddow or Keith Olberman any more (and I used to enjoy both of them) because its just too over the top.
I doubt we'll all sit down and sing kumbaya any time soon, but at the same time, cant we all shed these labels and find just a little common ground? And that goes for people on HB's side of the row, as well as our own.
Just my two cents.
By the way, nice post Christopher D on the HB blog today - it was well articulated.
Point taken, lawguy, but if it's not the quality and content of Roger's writing that provides appeal, why would those working hard to understand the issues choose this forum over the firsthand, local experience that is so readily accessible?
Oh, I never said that Roger's writing lacked quality and content - I find his wit and viewpoints to be intriguing, thought provoking and entertaining. My remarks were meant more as comment on our society as a whole, with this blog as a small sampling.
I'm guilty of a lack of energy to attend many of these events firsthand, but still have the interest to try to stay informed and involved.
"By the way, nice post Christopher D on the HB blog today - it was well articulated."
Thanks Lawguy
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