February 1999
Volume 63 |
Number 2
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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| Wrong Forum for
Editorial |
Your essay titled "A Shot Through the Heart of Personal Freedom"
in the December 1998 ASA NEWSLETTER was inappropriate and
insulting. That you should write such a piece and then add a disclaimer
at the end divorcing it from "the abortion controversy" is disingenuous.
That you did both makes me believe that you are either very arrogant
or not very smart. While I find your writing usually sophomoric
and skip over it to the rest of the NEWSLETTER, I find
it hard to believe that you did not know what you were writing
and the consequences. That leaves arrogance.
I, like you, have strong feelings on personal freedoms but I
try not to voice them in the wrong forums. I look forward to your
apology in an upcoming issue, hopefully your resignation as Editor
of the ASA NEWSLETTER, or at least the completion of your
term as Editor.
Thomas A. Gasior, M.D.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Editor's Reply: I obviously disagree with Dr. Gasior's
statements that the NEWSLETTER is not the forum for this
type of editorial. On the contrary, several professional society
newsletters, including the American Medical Association and
the Medical Society of New York addressed this issue extensively.
Moreover, it may be a real concern to anesthesiologists who
provide anesthesia for abortions, especially if a clinic site
is bombed or sniped. Furthermore, being gunned down in one's
own home for legitimately practicing medicine in a controversial
area brings to light the broader issue of personal freedom separate
from abortion. In today's news, the abortion controversy is
the venue for such abominations. In the future, cloning, segregation,
taxation, education or even foreign policy controversies may
provoke "bullet diplomacy."
As for the adjectives, "disingenuous," "arrogant," "not very
smart," and "sophomoric" with respect to my writing style, everyone
is certainly entitled to his or her opinion. For that reason,
there are always 30-40 other pages included in the NEWSLETTER
for one's reading enjoyment.
– M.J.L.
Societal Issues Are Important
Thank you for your groundbreaking, courageous and well-penned
editorial "A Shot Through the Heart of Personal Freedom" in the
December
1998 NEWSLETTER.
Anesthesiologists are but one segment of the greater communities
within which we live. We share with all citizens a common ground
of concern for protecting our personal freedoms in accordance
with our constitutional rights. It is morally and ethically appropriate
and commendable for our NEWSLETTER to address important
societal issues. Only on superficial glance do these matters appear
to extend beyond our professional purview.
Stephen H. Jackson, M.D.
Monte Sereno, California
No Vacation From Professionalism
An internal medicine colleague and I are each giving a one-hour
lecture to all Scott and White residents about professionalism.
Some of the responses you received about your editorial on professional
dress made me think about his talk in which he said if you don't
remember anything else remember these three things:
- 24/7 (you're a professional 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
- It's not about you, it's about the patient.
- Trust (and respect) must be earned.
Some of your respondents seem to think it's about themselves
rather than patients and the profession. Keep up the good work.
Dennis R. Bastron, M.D.
Temple, Texas
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