{"id":6849,"date":"2020-09-30T22:24:58","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T01:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/?p=6849"},"modified":"2020-09-30T23:16:02","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T02:16:02","slug":"why-are-we-institutionalizing-identity-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/2020\/09\/30\/why-are-we-institutionalizing-identity-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are we institutionalizing identity politics?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Identity-Politics.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6850\" width=\"188\" height=\"184\"\/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This post is a quick reflection on three stories,\nhappening in Nova Scotia, Qu\u00e9bec, and the United States. They all share the\nunderlying dangerous game of identity politics or racial politics. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In Halifax (Nova Scotia), as you can see in the video below, the current Premier, Mr. Stephen McNeil, apologized \u201c<em>for systemic racism in justice system<\/em>\u201d. He did it adding: \u201c<em>I see you, I hear you, I believe you<\/em>\u201d. The Premiers called all the institutions of his province racist. Does that make any sense? Perhaps to you, but not to Bambi. Why are these institutions racist all of a sudden? This PM apologized not for any past wrongdoing, but for the present. He apologized even before the results of the committee work of his own authorities and its recommendation(s). Why the rush?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Public Safety Announcement: Tuesday Sept 29\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3YxEmJjbmEM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you take the time to listen to part of the same official video in an article by CTV news, you will see the <em>Black Lives Matter<\/em> sign written on the street across from the Westin Nova Scotian Hotel. Bambi personally finds it a sad view to see from the room of her preferred hotel in town. Why is this beautiful city endorsing radical movements? How will this make our world a better or safer place, she keeps wondering? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/atlantic.ctvnews.ca\/i-see-you-i-hear-you-i-believe-you-n-s-premier-apologizes-for-systemic-racism-in-justice-system-1.5124691\">https:\/\/atlantic.ctvnews.ca\/i-see-you-i-hear-you-i-believe-you-n-s-premier-apologizes-for-systemic-racism-in-justice-system-1.5124691<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyhow, that was the first\nstory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second story builds on a tragedy about disrespect of a patient by a nurse (who said awfully racist remarks recorded on a video). The patient, whose name is Ms. Joyce Echaquan, sadly lost her life following the UNACCEPTABLE incident that took place at Joliette hospital (Qu\u00e9bec). She was a mother to seven kids \u2639.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mr. Fran\u00e7ois Legault, the\nPrime Minister (name of Premiers in Qu\u00e9bec), announced yesterday that this\nnurse is fired. Good to act fast on this one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, we just learned that\nthe Leader of the Liberal Party of Qu\u00e9bec, Ms. Dominique Anglade, is calling\nfor the resignation of the Minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs (Ms. Sylvie\nD\u2019Amours).&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/translate.google.ca\/translate?sl=auto&amp;tl=en&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lapresse.ca%2Factualites%2Fpolitique%2F2020-09-30%2Fmort-de-joyce-echaquan%2Fanglade-reclame-la-demission-de-la-ministre-d-amours.php\">https:\/\/translate.google.ca\/translate?sl=auto&amp;tl=en&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lapresse.ca%2Factualites%2Fpolitique%2F2020-09-30%2Fmort-de-joyce-echaquan%2Fanglade-reclame-la-demission-de-la-ministre-d-amours.php<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She does know about you, but Bambi finds it disgusting when someone uses a human tragedy to advance a political move or agenda. This reminds Bambi of what has been done following the HORRIBLE death of Mr. Floyd. We have pushed for identity politics around the world, not even in the USA. Even our own Mr. Justin Trudeau took the knee (ironically protected by a group of RCMP officers whilst demonstrating against the police. Do you see the irony too ??).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyhow, perhaps it is\ncommon for politicians to use events but using identity politics is a DANGEROUS\ngame that can lead to tragic consequences (for a not-to-do lesson, read the\nrecent history of Lebanon).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, the third story is\nabout an increasingly common phenomenon in the United States\u2019 medical schools\nwhere students are re-writing the traditional Hippocratic Oath, which starts\nwith the traditional <em>first, do no harm\u201d (or \u201cprimum non\nnocere,\u201d<\/em> in Latin as a translation from the original Greek).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, throughout history, there has been attempts to re-write this oath or to make more modern versions of it. This is not the point of this post. The point is how latest versions seem to be turning future physicians more into activists than clinicians. Is the former what you look for in a healthcare provider, as a patient? As far as Bambi is concerned, she looks for expertise and, of course, compassion. Period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, Bambi has developed a sort of an\nallergy to ideologies in life after going through civil war. She has witnessed how\ntoo much ideology can radicalize people, especially when they may lack critical\nsense.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyhow, you can see below the <em>University of Pittsburgh School of\nMedicine<\/em> Class of\n2024 Oath (taken from: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pittwire.pitt.edu\/news\/modern-day-hippocrates-incoming-school-medicine-students-write-their-own-oath\">https:\/\/www.pittwire.pitt.edu\/news\/modern-day-hippocrates-incoming-school-medicine-students-write-their-own-oath<\/a>):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cAs the entering class of 2020, we start our medical journey amidst the\nCOVID-19 pandemic and a national civil rights movement reinvigorated by the\nkillings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. We honor the\n700,000+ lives lost to COVID-19, despite the sacrifices of health care workers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>We recognize the fundamental failings of our health care and political\nsystems in serving vulnerable communities. This oath is the first step in our\nenduring commitment to repairing the injustices against those historically\nignored and abused in medicine: Black patients, Indigenous patients, Patients\nof Color and all marginalized populations who have received substandard care as\na result of their identity and limited resources.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Acknowledging the privilege and responsibility that come with being a\nphysician, I take this oath as a call to action to fulfill my duty to patients,\nto the medical profession and to society.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thereby, I pledge as a physician and lifelong student of medicine:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will support and collaborate with my colleagues across disciplines and\nprofessions, while respecting the patient\u2019s vital role on the health care team.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will honor my physical, mental and emotional health so as to not lessen\nthe quality of care I provide.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will carry on the legacy of my predecessors by mentoring the next\ngeneration of diverse physicians.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will recognize the pivotal role of ethical research in the advancement\nof medicine and commit myself to endless scholarship with the ultimate goal of\nimproving patient care.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will care for my patients\u2019 holistic well-being, not solely their\npathology. With empathy, compassion and humility, I will prioritize\nunderstanding each patient\u2019s narrative, background and experiences while\nprotecting privacy and autonomy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will champion diversity in both medicine and society, and promote an<\/em>\n<em>inclusive environment by respecting the perspectives of others and\nrelentlessly seeking to identify and eliminate my personal biases.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will be an ally to those of low socioeconomic status, the BIPOC\ncommunity, the LGBTQIA+ community, womxn\/women, differently-abled individuals\nand other underserved groups in order to dismantle the systemic racism and\nprejudice that medical professionals and society have perpetuated.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will educate myself on social determinants of health in order to use my\nvoice as a physician to advocate for a more equitable health care system from\nthe local to the global level.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>I will restore trust between the health care community and the population\nin which I serve by holding myself and others accountable, and by combating\nmisinformation in order to improve health literacy.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In making this oath, I embrace the ever-changing responsibilities of\nbeing a physician and pledge to uphold the integrity of the profession in the\nclinic and beyond.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, Bambi may be wrong in her reflections or you may not agree with her\nconcern about identity politics infiltrating all our institutions and even our\nstreets with slogans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may perhaps be applauding to the oath above or to the apologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anyhow, time will tell us where we are heading with all this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>May the best happen to our beautiful sister province, to us, to our\nneighbouring country, and to the whole world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>May everyone be as respectful as possible, regardless of his or her\nprofession or role (nurse\/physician or patient). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, a nurse or a physician may be an employed healthcare provider.\nTomorrow, he\/she will be a consumer of that same system. Same for our\npoliticians. Today, they are writing history (or so they think), tomorrow they\n(or their children) will reap the fruits of their ideas and apologies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is Bambi\u2019s hope that these fruits will be delicious for all, instead of\nbeing too sour or bitter. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This post is a quick reflection on three stories, happening in Nova Scotia, Qu\u00e9bec, and the United States. They all share the underlying dangerous game of identity politics or racial politics. &nbsp; In Halifax (Nova [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6849"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6849"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6857,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6849\/revisions\/6857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}