I've heard many takes on the "interaction" between the Salt Lake City police officer and the nurse. This post elaborates on a few ideas that deserve more attention: . 1) When interpreting the scene, we can make different emphases or take various perspectives. But we are united by a respect for people's rights, the rule … Continue reading On the Salt Lake City Video
Category: Constitution
The concept of norms has gained prominence in both my professional life as a physician and in the American political landscape. As Yale political historian Joanne Freeman observes, the constitutional framework for our government is just that: a framework. The actual practice and outworking of government is saturated with norms. When a person who thinks … Continue reading Norms: You Notice When They’re Gone
The New York Times has it all wrong. Not with its analysis but with the seriousness it takes an emissary tweet. No one’s going to jail for burning the flag. There is no danger of losing one’s citizenship. It’s a non-issue at this point, settled 26 years ago by the Supreme Court. A tweet doesn't … Continue reading It’s Not About Flag Burning
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution, adopted 1791 … Continue reading “Hamilton” and the First Amendment
In medicine, my aim is to heal, to do no harm, and to comfort. Comfort in the sense of coming alongside, strengthening, and consoling. Advocating for my patient means stepping into his or her shoes. And from the vantage point of the medical world, where life, death, and suffering are literally part of a day's … Continue reading Why we need a vision and mission
