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Mitch Albom is a great writer and people person. FYI., he wrote "Tuesdays with Morrie" and "The 5 People you meet in Heaven." ----- Original Message ----- From: "K. F. Etzold" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 5:48 PM Subject: Albom article (Referred to by Lorraine Jeffe) > MITCH ALBOM > > > When this doctor was in, he was out > > July 15, 2007 > > BY MITCH ALBOM > > FREE PRESS COLUMNIST > > We can be a pretty lazy nation, but one thing that gets us riled up is > our health, right? > > When a baby is sick, look out. When a father or mother isn't getting > good care, we scream. When we find our water is being poisoned, or > something we're ingesting causes cancer, we get angry. > > Advertisement > > Don't we? > > So why have we been so silent after the former surgeon general of the > United States just testified that the Bush administration repeatedly > muzzled him, ignored him or told him not to issue reports? > > After all, the surgeon general isn't just a name on a cigarette pack. > The job is referred to as the nation's doctor. And, personally, if I > find out my doctor is withholding information, I'm furious. > > Yet, according to testimony at his congressional hearing last week, > Richard Carmona, who served four years as surgeon general under > President George W. Bush, was told not to speak or issue reports about > stem cells, sex education, emergency contraception, global health or > mental health issues. > > The reason, Carmona said, was politics. > > "I was told to stay away" from certain issues, he testified, "because > we've already decided which way we want to go." > > Oh. > > *Is there a doctor in the White House?* > > So Bush, with no medical training whatsoever, can tell the world his > view of embryos and stem cells, but the highest doctor in the land cannot? > > So Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney can cluck tongues at global > warming, but the highest doctor in the land has his tongue tied? > > So Bush and Cheney can tell citizens abstinence is the only answer in > sex education, but the highest doctor in the land can't speak about > contraceptives? > > So tobacco executives can lie on the stand about their product, but the > highest doctor in the land is discouraged by the administration from > testifying about secondhand smoke? > > According to Carmona, this administration not only did all that, it even > discouraged him from attending the Special Olympics, because that > organization has long been a favorite of the Kennedys. And the Kennedys > are not members of Team Bush. > > So, disabled kids -- too bad. > > Wait. There's more. Carmona testified that some of his reports were shot > down because they didn't glowingly compliment the administration. And he > was instructed to mention Bush by name at least three times on every > page of his speeches. > > (Technically, he could have achieved this by saying, "President Bush > doesn't want me to discuss matters President Bush has already decided on > because he's President Bush." But I guess that wouldn't count.) > > *Who hired these people, anyway?* > > Excuse the pun, but at what point does this make you sick? How many more > Bush administration exes have to come out the door shaking their heads > -- telling stories of being muzzled or fired over speaking the truth -- > before we accept that the nation is being run by political bullies? > > And save your breath about "Bush hating." That's a great trick for > shooting the messengers. /"Ah, you can't trust them; they're just Bush > haters."/ Except it makes no sense. Like Colin Powell, Michael Brown and > a laundry list of former military and economic staffers who have > questioned the president, Carmona was chosen /by this administration./ > Sorry. You can't select your team then call it the enemy. Pick a lane > and drive it. > > Now, even more than most, the surgeon general should have no political > interference. It's a doctor's position. If a doctor is to warn Americans > about health issues, he can't worry that the boss has ties to the > tobacco industry, the alcohol industry, drug companies, oil companies or > a particular religious view. > > You want to muzzle an aide? Hardly news. A press secretary? It has been > done. But a surgeon general with his hands over his eyes, ears and > mouth? Where is our anger now? > > We better show some. Otherwise, forget cigarettes. Pretty soon it'll be > the White Houses that should come with a warning: May be hazardous to > your health. > > /Contact *MITCH ALBOM* at 313-223-4581 or [log in to unmask] > <mailto:[log in to unmask]>. Catch "The Mitch Albom Show" 5-7 p.m. > weekdays on WJR-AM (760)./ > > . > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn