All Talk. (was RE: trauma-list Digest, Vol 67, Issue 4)

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Dr. Gross,

I hope that if you read more carefully, you'll understand that I sincerely mourn our lost colleagues.  Still, there's no argument that I'm less inspired by their deaths than exasperated by the geopolitical conflagrations that invite -- nay, EXPECT -- such sacrifice.  

Shamefully for all mankind, these exceptional clinicians were merely intimate examples of collateral damage, from conflicts over which few of us -- especially health care professionals -- have any control.  Sadly for them and their loved ones, their professional dedication was fatally incompatible with their hellish environs.  You, my truly dear friend, have been there.  That I'm not writing this in your memory is no small relief to me.

Now then, stand clear as I embrace the third rail:

The western world is rightfully outraged by the indiscriminate Hamas missile attacks on southern Israel, but unconscionably mute over the plight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza.  

Their history is as complex as it is dismal, impossible to properly detail here; but if we imagine an externally imposed and ever-shrinking homeland, one tenth the size of Long Island, with 150% of the population density, ten times the unemployment, and an average wage of well under three U.S. dollars a day, we barely begin to place the Palestinian condition in its proper context.  Less than half of Gazans have access to simple sewage systems.  The state is under nearly continuous embargo.  Food and medicine are in drastically short supply, and nearly all travel and trade routes are restricted by tightly controlled and heavily fortified checkpoints.  

There are a great many domestic animals in the U.S. with better living conditions and greater freedom.  Hence the kennel metaphor.  Obtuse, perhaps.  Outrageous, hardly. 

It is a simple exercise of imagination to project how a random cluster of 1.5 million Americans might behave under similar conditions.  But now turn up the contrast, and picture any homogenous ethnic group in the same numbers and circumstances.  

Tell me the good Christians of greater Springfield would quietly suffer such indignity and peaceably watch their children starve.  Lie to me.  And please, make me believe you.

Until then, no matter how cynical I become, I can't keep up.

Very Respectfully,

Pret





-----Original Message-----
From: trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org [mailto:trauma-list-bounces at trauma.org] On Behalf Of Gross, Ronald
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2009 7:53 AM
To: 'Trauma & Critical Care mailing list'
Subject: RE: All Talk. (was RE: trauma-list Digest, Vol 67, Issue 4)


Y'know, I spent a fair amount of time awake last night - unable to sleep as I juxopposed coming home from a funeral of a true patriot, physician hero and friend, with about Pret's caustic and cynical outlook on life as it ran contrary to, and in criticism of, the views and sentiments voiced by many on this site.

There are those of us who have always chosen to look at the glass half full, as opposed to half empty.  And then there are those who seek to fill that glass for all.  Those are the people that I wish we could clone and populate the planet with - the people who look at life and wonder how it is that we came to where we are, and how it is that we can make it better - and then go about and JUST GET IT DONE!!

I am still wondering how it came to pass that all of the "kennels", as Pret called them, were created......and I am still awaiting Pret's response to that one.  Why is it that the Middle East's existence is built on, and perpetuated by, hatred that is generations deep?  Why is it that people keep telling us that "we just don't understand the true reasons" for what is going on there?  How does one understand hatred for hatred's sake?  And why is it that when we, as a group, voice our distress over this sort of thing, and look to figure out how "we" can make it better, there are those who choose to look at this sort of dismay as senseless and even hypocritical - although it was not stated precisely this way, one could certainly infer from the commentary that this is, indeed the cynical outlook being taken.

Men and women on "both sides" of the hatred battle will continue to fight, slaughter and torture each other - and yes, die senselessly - until the rest of us get up off our collective butts and do something.  I wish I knew what that "something" was , is and will be - there are many much smarter than I who have tried to figure that out, and have failed.  But if we decide to just watch and sit silently about it, more people like the American and Palestinian physicians are going to die saving others.

And in our silence we will ALL have their blood on our hands.

I will shut up now.  I have rambled enough.....and accomplished absolutely nothing.

Ron


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