Physicians aren’t racist, says Chris Rangel. It’s about where people go for care:
. . . the poor mostly seek care at urban health centers that tend to be underfunded, understaffed, and overburdened. It’s basic economics. Poor people tend not to have the same access to the same quality of housing, cars, consumer products etc. that more affluent people do and health care is no exception . . .. . . But liberals are too quick to play the race card when it comes to the unequal care given to the poor. This option is much more palatable for them than to face the realization that their oft vaunted public health care systems may be much more to blame.
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- Again: More health care is not better health care
- Dying in the waiting room
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{ 5 comments }
Saying doctors aren’t racist is a blanket statement of all doctor’s, and is just as ignorant as saying doctor’s are racists. Of course some doctor’s are racist but most may not be. But the argument in the post is flawed because if minorities are disproportionately likely to receive care at urban health centers, medicaid mills, and the like becaue they are more likely to be poor, the system is racist.
“Of course some doctor’s are racist but most may not be.”
Gee thanks for that vote of confidence, Bwana.
Bwana,
Apologies for poor choice of wording on my part. I meant to say some doctors are racist but most probably aren’t. I’d be surprised (and disheartened) to find out the majority of doctors are racist. I was just making the point that stating “doctors” aren’t racist implies all doctors.
Anon 10:20
I don’t know if you are saying the system is racist because blacks are more likely to be poor, or because the poor are more likely to get care at government run or funded clinics. Either conclusion does not logically follow however.
People who engage in certain behaviors tend to be poor irrespective of race. People who engage in certain behaviors tend to do well irrespective of race.
People who pay for their own medical care get better care than those dependent on charity or confiscated goods of others–just as with food, housing, education, clothing, cars, and caskets. That isn’t racism, that isn’t even injustice. It is just the natural fruit of freedom.
Anon 6:06,
I was saying the system is racist because minorities are more likelty to be poor and have less access to quality care.
“People who engage in certain behaviors tend to be poor irrespective of race. People who engage in certain behaviors tend to do well irrespective of race.” -That’s absolutely true, but the truth is minority groups are more likely to be poor, have less access to care, and be uninsured. If it makes you feel better I can start referring to it as “unfair access negatively impacting the poor, thus disproportionately minority groups.”
“…That isn’t racism, that isn’t even injustice. It is just the natural fruit of freedom.” I guess that depends on how you define freedom. Do we have complete freedom of choice? Or are our choices limited by our environment? In other words, assuming all else is equal, does John/Jane Doe from the trailer park whose parents couldn’t afford private school have the same chance of an ivy league education as the son/daughter of the president of Harvard? Or is John/Jane less likely to be accepted because he/she went to public school in Idaho and do not have parents who can afford ivy league tuition?
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