Editorial: News Flash—Bill Frist is a doctor, duh!

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is a real live medical doctor, duh. As such, he is just like thousands of other real live medical doctors who have survived the rigors of medical school. As such, Senator Frist is subject to the same privileges and responsibilities as other medical doctors and health care professionals—a fact which seems to escape the popular press as efforts are being made to give Senator Frist the best possible public image as he takes the reins of the U.S. Senate.

Case in point: the Associated Press reported yesterday that Senator Frist pulled over immediately after witnessing a severe motor vehicle accident on a Florida highway thirty-five miles outside Miami, helping tend four surviving passengers until paramedics arrived. In the article, mention is made of other instances in which Senator Frist administered CPR and other first aid in public over the past seven-to-eight years.

What the article conspicuously omits to mention is that every trained health care professional—doctor, nurse, paramedic—and first-aider in America is equally obliged to stop and assist under such circumstances. This obligation overrides all others. Thus, Senator Frist's decision to stop and render aid was nothing extraordinary, especially for a doctor. In similar circumstances, it stands to reason that even a medical layperson with a cell phone would have stopped and rendered whatever aid was in his or her power.

Publicity like yesterday's Associated Press article (which subsequently was reprinted by the Washington Post) may be intended to give Bill Frist a gold star for helping the injured, but it entirely fails to ameliorate the black eye Frist has given himself by steamrolling his irrelevant-at-best vaccine liability exemption clause into the homeland security bill.

The American public would do well to remember that, while he has proven himself capable of giving occasional first aid to a handful of sick and injured persons over the past few years, Bill Frist is a man who has no qualms about subjecting the populace to the potentially deadly whims of vaccine manufacturers.

The writer, Zoe Owens, Ph.D., is a philosopher and author of religious and philosophical works.

A New Year's Greeting for 2003 from All of Us at The Scallion

January 1, 2003. Well, it's that time of year again when we look back at where we've been, look forward to where we're going, and try to remember to write “2003” instead of “2002” on our checks and so forth. As we gratefully enjoy a well-deserved break from observing the news—and everything ridiculous it supplies as ammunition for our parodies—we cannot help but fall prey to nagging, somber, sotto voce notions that intrude themselves like loud unwanted guests upon our pleasant holiday revelries.

Because we now live in such a precarious age, we of The Scallion wish to acknowledge this new year because, unlike in recent decades, we are bombarded by the oppressive possibility that we may not be here to extend these greetings to our readers in a year's time. Why? Because, in our great nation, the United States of America, our leadership is licking its chops to go to war—not in defense but offense; not one war but as many as the armed forces can handle. Mr. Bush gives the impression at home and abroad of a wild man just barely restrained (by more level-headed others?) from unleashing military violence upon his foes, real or imaginary. He seems to be going out of his way to piss off as many dangerous dictators as humanly possible! As constant observers of local, national, and world events, we of The Scallion do not deny that the leaders of al Qaeda, Iraq, and North Korea—not to mention other organizations and nations below Mr. Bush's political (financial?) radar horizon—are guilty of egregious crimes and human rights atrocities. We do not deny that America, as a traditional land of plenty, has the obligation to reach out to those oppressed and slain by these regimes. However, we take plenty of offense at how this Bush's administration intends to right those wrongs.

Many informed, educated, intelligent individuals agree with the first-strike approach Mr. Bush wishes to take against Saddam Hussein. Some have pointed out that 9/11 triggered a 180-degree shift in Mr. Bush's world politics from isolationism to involvement. Others have even likened Mr. Bush's stated intent to stamp out terrorism (his perception of which includes the current Iraqi leadership) to President Eisenhower's single-minded assault on communism (his perception of which apparently included homosexuality, women's rights, etc.). Well, call us liberals, but we strongly disagree with these assertions of Mr. Bush's “merit.” We believe that war is a last, desperate resort to be taken only when all other avenues have been exhausted—this has not yet been the case with Iraq, and it was never the case with Afghanistan. We believe that America should be involved in world politics but not solely for her own selfish benefit—we believe in preserving and improving the environment through accords like the Kyoto treaty, which Mr. Bush refused to sign; we believe in promulgating education, technology, and humanitarian aid; and we believe in establishing a long-term approach of welcome and brotherhood across the global village, rather than seeding blood feuds that will take generations to heal. We also fail to see the benefit of re-enacting another Eisenhower era of autocratic, paternalistic sociopolitical repression. Call us liberals, but we believe in self determination for all men and women all over the world. We would rather reach out with open hands of friendship than to pummel with and be pummeled by war-wrought strife and devastation. In fact, we are so liberal that we believe in equal opportunity for all men and women all over the world, as opposed to doling out special favors for the already wealthy. Yes, cherishing these views is an appalling enough transgression in this self-defined nouveau-conservative political environment of convenience, but we'd rather espouse the truth than join the “winning” side just because it is in power for now. We're even cocky enough to claim that we aren't the only ones on the planet who feel this way. We're so sure we're right that we continue to proselytize the message through our writings.

That said, where will we be one year from today? If Mr. Bush gets his way, we and many others—whether innocent or guilty of supporting Mr. Bush's wars—will not be here a year from now to tell our stories. America simply doesn't have the means to defend its native soil from the terror attacks and weapons of mass destruction that surely will be visited upon us if Bush strikes first. We who live in and around the Washington, D.C. ground zero area feel keenly vulnerable to such a fate. Regardless of whether their bunkers can truly protect them, the powers that be in this country nonetheless feel safe and secure. We of the less-privileged populace do not. This is the reality we must face in the coming year, and it sucks. Big time. But at least we know how every other vulnerable population in the world feels. We now know first hand and without a doubt just what it is to be the disposable pawns of our nation's rich and powerful leadership. At the rate this country is going, we will soon become the cost of doing business.

Grim indeed.

If you, our readership, agree with Mr. Bush and his intentions to strike first-think later, then we can do no more: it was nice knowing you. If, on the other hand, you agree that violence is not the answer, then join us. Get involved for the long term. Talk to your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and families; spread the word any way you can; write letters to editors and politicians; and, whatever you do, vote. Help us effect the nonviolent, humanitarian solution to America's problems. Join the fight not to join the fight.

With luck, prayer, and teamwork, we of The Scallion hope to come back this time next year rejoicing in a safe and successful 2003 and offer our very best wishes for a safe and successful 2004.

Abundant blessings to you and yours—here's hoping for a safe and successful 2003.