"Ok, I'll try to keep this civil."
Well, why wouldn't you?
"No there was no verbal concern voiced. There didn't need to be, and no I didn't need to read his mind. Cause and effect were enough, or in this case, the reaction to the information..."
Do you know what Non-Sequitor means?
" Where exactly do you draw the conclusion that I feel the medical profession faild me?"
Well then, what exactly is the source of your animosity to physicians?
"As far as fear of litigation is concerned, yes it is a failing of the system. But I ask you, how much a part of the system is the medical profession? Who testifies against a doctor?"
Negligent physicians deserved to be sued.
"Any time you place the enormous power and authority that doctors have into the hands of such a small group, the potential for it to corrupt is absolute."
Where do they hold such power?
"How many people blindly follow doctors orders, just because the doctor said so?"
I don't know how many, but those that do are idiots. Doctors are just like plumbers and mechanics. They work for you. I tell all my patients exactly that.
"Sterotype is nothing more than the impression given."
And using that impression gathered from a small sample to draw conclusions about a group as a whole.
"What I did refer to is the general feeling that doctors should be obeyed, simply because they are doctors."
Obeyed by whom? The patient or the staff?
"They have, in the last 30 years, established their own form of aristocracy."
Aristocracy? Last time I checked, physicians had to earn their title through about 12 years of training. Really, they are just regular people.
"Doctors are just catching the heat this time because it is the topic."
Why is it the topic? What does it have to do with gun rights?
"The same could be said for any profession, or for that matter any professional. This country was built by amateurs, and over the last couple of hundred years has fallen into the hands of the professionals."
I don't know who built this country, but if I am sick, I don't want an amateur working on me.
"It is my firm belief, that doctors will eventually become the downfall of the USA, if not the world in general."
You have some pretty far out beliefs.
"Face it, someday, somewhere, some doctor is going to develop a method of extending the human life. For all the advances we have, people still don't live much beyond 100."
At the last turn of the century, people didn't live much beyond 50.
"Sure more of them are living to a greater age on average, but the guy/girl that finds a way to make people live to be 300 is going to be a god. Count on it."
I believe the design limit is about 120 years.
"Can you imagine any group that should have that kind of power and influence? Think they are going to be benevolent?"
Power and influence over what? I think you should worry more about your insurance company or HMO. Thats where the real power lies.
Your entitled to your opinion. I'm sure you have a good basis for it. I think, however, you are wrong to stereotype an entire profession based on your limited experiences.
If it were not for physicians and other medical scientists, people would still be dying of strep throat. Do you have children? Has any one of them ever had strep throat? Think about it.
Best regards
Allen Raiford (I would put M.D. behind my name, but I wouldn't want you to think I am being aristocratic)
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Who Dares, Wins!
[This message has been edited by nobody (edited January 16, 2000).]