I smoke. I smoke a lot. Despite the Surgeon General’s warning on the side of every pack of cigarettes I purchase, that I may get lung cancer, emphysema. Okay, my bad. (On a side note, the government certainly doesn’t mind the extra “sin tax” I pay when I buy a pack, I’m quite sure.)
But here’s the deal. Whether or not I pay attention to the smoking warnings, since 1871 the Surgeon General’s job has been to be the nation’s leading spokesperson for matters of public health. Not just smoking, of course, but HIV, obesity, and all health issues. The nation’s doctor. Not really so much a partisan position, I wouldn’t think. Public health is non-partisan. And until now, the US has defended the right of the Surgeon General to speak out on matters of public health. After all, that is the job.
From 2002 through 2006, Richard Carmona, pictured above, was Surgeon General of the United States. The problem is that from 2002 through 2006, he
In case there was any doubt about the lengths to which the Bush administration will go to promote their Christian extremist ideology over competence, we have a reminder in the form of Dr. James Holsinger, Bush's nominee for Surgeon General. Not only did Dr. Holsinger help found a church that views homosexuality as a choice that can be "cured," but his writings reflect his beliefs that homosexuality is unhealthy.If you are like me, you are asking yourself what a physician is doing founding conservative churches in the first place, but let's set that aside for now. It is of greater concern that we could end up with a Surgeon General who sounds like he received his medical training at Regents University.From the Associate Press as reported on LEX18 News:"He has a pretty clear bias against gays and lesbians," said Christina Gilgor, director of the Kentucky Fairness Alliance, a gay rights group. "This ideology flies in the face of current scientific medical studies. That makes me uneasy t
Sigh. As if this administration couldn’t get any worse. It seems that Bush is trying to pull out all the stops before his run is over. We’re only a year and a half from the end of his reign, but the decisions he makes from here on out could affect us for years to come.
He’s nominated and appointed numerous corrupt individuals, liars, shady business associates and all-around scum to critical government posts. And now you can add “bigot” to the list. It’s nepotism at its finest.
(more…)
The boy king has nominated Dr. James Holsinger for the post of Surgeon General. As you may know, the Surgeon General’s primary role is to educate the public on health issues using the best scientific information available. And what qualifications does the good doctor have that says he’s the best candidate for the job?
He and his wife are the founders of an anti-gay group that declares being homosexual a “lifestyle choice” that one can walk away from with the help of their “re-education” program. Such conversion type programs have been soundly repudiated by major medical associations including the American Psychological Association for years.
The good doctor has also written a paper where he explicitly attacks homosexual men using the lame “parts fitting together” argument as evidence that sex between men is bad, bad, bad. The paper also explains how this argument is justification for not believing that gay people should be entitled
Acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu has issued a call to brewers, winemakers and distillers to halt alcohol advertising in college publications and sponsorship of college events. Surgeon General Moritsugu also proposed expanding educational initiatives to curb underage drinking.The major issue for colleges, students and the businesses that sell alcohol near campuses is that, with the 21 year old drinking age, most students do not become "legal" until their senior year in college. The Surgeon General's call was made as part of the release of a new report by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which said there are 11 million underage drinkers in the U.S.It's highly doubtful that eliminating campus alcohol ads will really have any impact on student drinking habits. The fact of the matter is that at 18 years old men and women in this country are considered to be adults in every single way exce
