Doctor or Politician?
Politics and medicine, like oil and water, do not mix.
A state’s Surgeon-General is by definition a political animal. He is nominated by the Governor and approved by the Legislature presumably for his medical expertise. When that Governor is Florida’s Ron DeSantis and that legislature are the whack-a-doodles who criminalized abortion after 6 weeks before many know they are pregnant, you get a Surgeon-General who ignored the expertise of 98% of the medical profession.
Yesterday, Florida’s top doc Joseph Ladapo stood alongside Governor Ron and recommended that the Sunshine State end its requirement that school students be immunized. Doctor Joe stated, “Who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what you should put in your body?”
That’s what doctors do to keep us healthy, Joe. Fresh fruits and vegetables — good. Deep fat-fried Twinkies — bad. That’s also what politicians do to keep us alive. That last shot of Jack before hitting the road and drunkenly running over Grandma gets you a prison sentence. You are not merely a man, Joe. Whether a doctor or a politician, the Surgeon-General’s job is to tell us what to put in our bodies.
Doctor Joe continued, “Vaccine mandates are wrong and drip with disdain and slavery.” By the way, Doctor Joe is Black which makes this statement even more foolish. The implication here is that arrogant Big Pharma is forcing vaccines on the public when the decision to immunize should be made by parents much like slaveholders decided what was best for their human property. That is really a stretch, Doctor Joe.
I’m surprised he didn’t repeat RFK, Jr’s chestnut. “How can these Liberals say “My Body. My Choice” for abortion, but scream to high heaven when we limit immunizations?” Abortions aren’t a communicable disease, Junior. Someone with measles sneezes on me, I get sick. Someone suffering a miscarriage sneezes on me, I don’t abort.
Big picture, whether a doctor or a politician, the Surgeon-General’s job is to protect the public. Doctor Joe is not doing that. MAGA and Fox News love him though. Doctor Joe is more politician than doctor.
By Ed Dufton
