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The Augusta News-Review - December 20, 1973 -
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DOCTORS AT ONI TIME HAD REACHED A
STATUS-PLATEAU COMPARABLE TO, IF NOT
SURPASSING THE CLERGY, BUT LATELY HAVE
CAPITULATED TO THE UNIVERSAL LOVE OF “FILTHY
LUCRE”, AND PROVED AFTER ALL, THAT THEIR FEET
ARE MADE OF COMMON CLAY MEDICARE AND
MEDICAID HAVE BEEN THE PROVERBIAL “SNAKE IN THE
GRASS” THAT HAS SNARED THE HIPPOCRATIC
FRATERNITY.
Inspite of the all-powerful medical lobby. Congress slipped a
damaging bill through Congress, without the Medical lobbyist
catching its significance. On Oct. 30, 1972 President Nixon
affixed his signature on what is now known as Public Law 92-603
or the Social Security Amendments of 1972. Buy by now the
shock waves are kicking up visibly throughout the medical
community.
Many medical leaders calf this legislation a giant step down that
hated road that all nr :al people violently abhor, socialized
medicine. The latest session of the American Medical
Association’s annual cl cal convention in Anaheim, Calif, was
awakened to the ra ifications of this restricted medical
guide-line. The men : d women-in white when they were
explained the whole < mfrontation of Public Law No. 92-603,
blew their medical coo
A whole army of mi lical speakers at the convention lambasted
this law as unconstiti ional, as the most far-out health law ever
enacted in this co, airy’s history. This law will establish
mandatory cost and < rality controls for great segments of the big
pile of government 1< >t, to the tune of SBO billion per year. No
wonder the lads and lassies that issue out the nation’s antibiotic
remedies were incens d with the boys in Congress.
American doctors for the first time in the nation’s history will
be held publicly ac ountable for the quality,.medical necessity,
efficiency and cost- .ffectiveness of the health care they provide.
This should not p >se such a problem on a profession, whose
ethics are suppose o be above average approach. Even far back in
1898, the Supreme High Court of the United States laid down
high ethical standards for the nation's physicians. The High Court
issued this mountain-top format to the medical doctors: “it is
fitting not merely that the physician should possess a knowledge
of diseases and their remedies but also that they should be the
ones who may safely be trusted to apply those remedies.
Character is as important a qualification as knowledge.”
This perspicacious legislation was introduced by hard-boiled
Senator Wallace Bennett, a no-nonsense rock-bed Republican
from Utah, and it is laced with blunt references to new
“obligations that are expected of dollar-crazed physicians.” It
requires medical practitioners to open their private files and
hospital records to government inspectors and strong financial
sanctions are provided for failure to comply.
These initial controls will be limited to medical treatments
given in hospitals and financed under medicare and medicaid at
the present; and implementation will occur in several stages. The
target date is set for Jan. 1, 1974. This law is a fore-runner to
“get rich quick” un-dedicated medical practitioners, it reflects the
Congress of the United States’ determination to get first-class
medical value for the poor and uninformed.
MANY DOCTORS ARE DEDICATED AND COMPETENT, BUT
THERE IS A SHODDY, UNETHICAL, INCOMPETENT
MINORITY.
A prominent medical consumer group has reported to
Congress, that it has documented proof that each year in the
United States thousands of patients die needlessly or have the
remainder of their lives damaged beyond help, because of careless
medical care. The majority of these maimed persons nor their kin
have any recourse, even with the courts jammed with medical
malpractice suits. In this respect, medicine is different from other
businesses or professions, lawyers, contractors, or tax specialists,
to name only a few. who accountability can be rebated in dollars;
which is easily understood by the man in the street.
Medicine is broadly considered to be a science, but in America,
it often appears and acts like an amateurish art, intagible and
immeasurable. There is no unanimity in the practice of medicine,
one doctor will. prescribe twice as much of the same drug as
another for the same ailment. Some surgeons are scalpel happy,
and wil cut at the dropping of a hat while others will use
medicinal therapy as an alternative.
Neutral experts agree that hundreds of thousands of lives could
be saved each year by proper application of currently available
medical knowledge, but they disagree on whether P.L. 92-603,
(by the way, that’s Sen. Bennett bomb shell) this is the proper
means to achieve this goal. However, Congress was impressed by
the results of New York City’s medicaid’s recent savings. If
Senator Bennett’s law remains in force it will put into action deep
philosophical problems that will change the whole practice of
medicine in this country.
New York City Medicaid administrators have monitored
practitioners for signs of overutilization, fraud and deficient
treatments; in 1969, they discovered over S2B billion in public
funds squandered by medical malfeasance. The thrust of the new
federal controls is a network of regional review boards. Each will
be charged with policing acceptable norms of medical aid and
insuring that individual physicians and hospitals meet specified
standards of performance. Professional Standards Review
Organizations will be granted up to two years to demonstrate to
HEW their ability to manage.
The one-snake, “Aesculapius”, the emblem of American
Medical Association, is surely in conflict with the two serpents
that every physician so proudly displays. Medical ethics have long
been given lip-service by the profession, but obviously it has not
been effectively taught in medical schools.
DUBIOUS OPERATIONS WILL BE SCRUTINIZED
CLOSELY -Because surgeons’ work call for more precision, with
lives depending at times with its accuracy, therefore its the first
area of medicine to come under severe scrutiny. There is a broad
spectrum of unwarranted surgery, for example, the rash of
sterilizing hysterectomies and many dubious operations, including
quick decisions to remove tonsils, etcetera. The hand-writing is on
the wall for arrogant and sometime careless members of the
medical fraternity.
BEFORE WE COME YOUR WAY AGAIN, OLD SAINT NICK
WILL HAVE CONVEYED OUR SEASONAL GREETINGS TO
ALL OF OUR READERS HAVE A SPIRITUAL AND
MEANINGFUL HOLIDAY!
THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
Mallory K. Mittender Editor and Publisher
Mailing Address: Box 963 Augusta, Ga. Phone 722-4666
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Page 4
TO BE
EQUAL
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BY VERNON E. JORDAN, JR. k
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM: THE OPPORTUNITIES
Most knowledgeable people agree that the criminal justice
system is a mess. But within the rotting failures of the system lie
the seeds of promising alternatives that could make our streets
and our neighborhoods safer.
This is of speical importance to Black citizens, who suffer
disproportionately from the ravages of crime. Black people are in
double jeopardy. As crime’s victims we are most likely to be
burglarized, mugged and robbed. And as victims of a
discriminatory society that closes opportunities to Black people,
pushing some into law-breaking, we are the prime victims of the
criminal justice system hat discriminates against Blacks.
So crime is a subject of the deepest importance to Black
people, and it is not something that should be swept under the
rug. We have a direct interest in creating a police force that is
responsive to our needs, a rehabilitation system that works, and a
society that practices equal opportunity.
One of the best means of reducing street crime is the creation
of a unity of interests between the police and the people. So long
as policemen are seen as some kind of occupying army, hostility
will be created and crime fostered.
So police-community relations are a major factor in fighting
crime. On the one hand, the police will have to rigidly enforce
equal treatment, combat corruption, and sharply increase the
numbers of Black policemen as well as place them in visible,
decision-making positions all along the line.
For its part, the Black community should encourage its
members to enter law-enforcement careers and to increase
cooperation with enlightened police departments. Young people
ought to consider police careers, which are increasingly
better-paid and have good civil service benefits as well as directly
benefiting the Black community by helping to make it safer. And
there can be no excuse for refusing assistance in catching
criminals. After all, the guy who got away because the
community did not cooperate may mug your mother next or sell
dope to your kid.
A second way to reduce crime is to replace the prisons that
merely create criminals with community-based rehabilitation
centers that will restore offenders to the community equipped
with the education, skills and jobs they didn’t have before and so
give them the chance to make it in a society that left them few
options before.
While the prisons are being phased out, this process might start
with first offenders. There might be established a system of
“no-fault” criminal proceedings in which a first offender, accused
of any but the most serious crimes, would be allowed to waive a
trial, with its findings of innocense or guilt, and register for a
supervised community rehabilitation service that would deal with
his problems and instill the skills and motivations to succeed in
our society.
There seems little point in insisting on a “guilty” verdict or on
punishment if by such a program, people can be taken out of the
criminal justice system altogether and given the kind of
counseling and help in getting schooling or a job that will keep
them out of trouble.
Finally, it is urgent that something be done about the
double-punishment inflicted on people who have been arrested or
jailed. Presumably, when a man is released from prison, he is
supposed to have paid his debt to society (even though society
has not paid its debt to him by giving him the tools to stay clean).
Instead, his record follows him for the rest of his life. Every
time he tries to get a job, he’s nailed by his past. And he is
automatically barred from n increasing number of jobs even if he
just has an arrest record and has not been convicted. It is clear
that if we want to cut crime repeaters then arrest records should
not be revealed to potential employers and special efforts ought
to be made to hire former inmates, with governmental employers
taking the lead by hiring themselves and by offering inducements
to private firms to hire people with prior records.
Some people may think these suggestions are too soft, but the
hard line has proven wrong. A little humanity will go a long way
toward cutting crime.
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INGOING |
I PLACES I
I* with Philip Waring W
SPIRITUAL RETURN HOME TO AUGUSTA
OF OUR INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS BROTHER
As a former student and patron of Paine College I too rejoice
in Frank Garvin Yerby’s recent generous gift of invaluable papers,
literary works, ec. to Paine College, his alma mater.
Frank is now one of the greatest novelists of all times. The
physical presence of the new Frank Yerby Collection will be of
meaningful literary and cultural service and great prestige to Paine
College and the overall Augusta Community for many
generations. And It know that my friend, Dr. Lucius Pitts, his
able faculty and student body coupled with dedicated alumni
around the nation will use this priceless gift - just as a Yale or
Harvard would - as a major lever for the forthcoming centennial.
Our readers will recall that in the August 30th edition of the
NEWS-REVIEW 1 mentioned Frank Yerby when I advanced the
proposal to rename Gwinnett Street “Laney/Walker Blvd.” and
one part of it near Paine College “Tobias/Yerby Circle”. All of
this to give honor and recognition to Black Augustans for the
forthcoming Bicentennial.
In my reminiscence of 1937 when Frank and I would often
talk walking down Gwinnett St. enroute home from Paine
College, I observed in my August 30th column that he dearly
loved Paine and Augusta but expressed cold fury with racism of
that era. And one could well understand this quality within a
talented and sensitive artist like Frank.
I am so glad to note that now 36 years later he remembered
and has been generous with his heritage and birthroots. I can see
the results of training and guidance by such persons and
institutions as: the former Haines Institute, the beloved Luch C.
Laney and Rev. A.C. Griggs. And also figuring closely in Frank’s
development were Paine College, the late Emma C. Gray and
Willie Graham coupled with his aunts, the Snythe Sisters, the
Yerby Family and others who must be remembered. While this
was a long, long time ago my dear friends such as Louise Ross,
Viola Harris Evans, Ike Washington, Livingston Wallace and
Horatio LaMar will know from where I write in how the past has
helped shape the present and future.
MY RETURN TO ST. LOUIS MY SECOND HOMETOWN
As you know last spring because of health it was necessary for
me to take an early retirement. Later in the summer it was found
that I could return to work. I accepted an invitation to return to
St. Louis for a position with its nationally famous Urban League.
I left the East recently and am now here in the Gateway City.
May I take this occasion, however, to again thank all of my
Augusta friends, relatives, Urban League associates and other
friends for their kindness and participation in the honors
accorded me last June in Stamford, Conn. My brother, Andrew
and his wife, Nellie flew up from Augusta, brother Lou flew in
from San Francisco, and seven Urban League associates came in
from five states. I shall always remember and appreciate this.
St. Louis is the center of some two million people. Its Urban
League is 56-years old and ranks among the “big ten’ of the 101
Urban League affiliates. Its Executive Director, Bill Douthit, and
I started with the Urban League Movement some 20-odd years
ago and have been close personal and professional friends.
The growth of this League since he assumed Directorship in
1963 has really been “story book”. He has been able to expand
budget from $89,000 to almost one million annually. Staff has
gone up from about ten to over 80 full time workers. From one
office to six throughout St. Louis city and county, serving over
325,000 Blacks in this area. I am Director of the Department of
Community Organization having to do with health, social
services, and community life. One of our departmental programs
gives technical service to the St. Louis Federation of Block Units,
a 40-year old group which is now the largest neighborhood
improvement urban group in the nation. We will also help St.
Louis observe the forthcoming Bicentennial.
Sincere
“Thanks”
To Our Many
Friends And
Customers,
fiL)
J jUh 1 >
-Curtis McKie Dusty Baker Willie Colquitt
Walker FORD Will Be Closed
Monday 24th - Tuesday 25th
Ab v
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I WW Speaking!
IjJIKi 1 out |
Roosevelt Green, Jr.
It is once again Captain Marvel time for the poor in this
country. Instead of “Shazam” the magic word is “Christmas”.
The lightning has flashed and the thunder has boomed in the
hearts of hypocritical anti-welfare newspaper editors and civic
clubbers. Poor people are now deserving, whereas they have been
welfare bums and chiselers the past eleven months.
Empty stocking funds, turkeys, and the proverbial “one good
meal” are fashionable band-aids on the open poverty wounds of
the poor. While these measures are helpful, they are wholly
inadequate and reflect the unwillingness of affluent Amerikka to
move beyond seasonal compassion and good will.
Poor people have needs twelve months a year and not just at
Christmas. Giving hundreds of poor people the benefits of empty
stocking funds is like giving one drop of water to a person dying
of thirst while keeping the person from getting to the oasis. It is
like pouring a glass of water on a duck’s back, or telling a
hair-raising story to a bald headed man.
Most of, if not all the people who lead in once a year “love”
have the power to influence legislation or other measures that
could be designed to help people fill both of their stockings the
whole year, while eating good meals daily. There is something
dreadfully wrong when people want other people to have a taste
of their “heaven” on one day while those getting the taste live in
hell daily. It is similar to the Biblical rich man giving the poor
Lararus one crumb from his table of plenty once a year.
We should be our brother’s or sister’s keeper rather than
seasonal teasers. The poor should get sticks and run the bleeding
seasonal do-gooders from their doors when they come knocking
with empty hearts carrying one good meal and turkeys. The
commitment to really help the poor is just as empty as the
stocking funds.
Another “empty” practice is telling the one big lie about Santa
Claus to children who invariably miss the real meaning of
celebrating the birth of Christ. It is further ridiculous for Black
parents to tell their children that a white man will give them
something for nothing when those same parents express their
hatred and contempt for white racism the whole year.
Santa Claus in Amerikka is another white racist trick used by
white businesses to rip off gullible consumers once a year. The
after Christmas so-called “sales” reflect the extent of the “big
rip-off’.
Including Santa in Christmas celebrations is like giving a
birthday party for a person and inviting everybody but him or her.
One has difficulty imagining a white Santa going into Black
ghettoes and slums giving toys to the poor.
Parents will go into debt up to their eyeballs for one holiday
and then tell the “big lie” about Santa. Finance company
managers and employees greet the poor with smiles at Christmas
and “hound and harass” them the rest of the year. Since banks
will not make loans to the poor, they have to depend on the
higher interest rates rip-offs of loan and finance companies. It is
unfortunate that the poor get caught up in the “lie” for some
even steal to gain a “good Christmas”.
The true message of the Christmas event is needed “now more
than ever” in his country. The racism and corruption of our social
institutions leave us with unprecedented personal and national
crises. Christmas this year should be like a balm in our evil
Amerikkan Gilead.
The Santa Claus lie is one of many lies about our reality that
has caused us to love lies rather than truth. The lie that three is
justice and equality for all blinds us to the fact of justice for the
rich and jail for the poor. The lie that our country is a “melting
pot” betrays the fact that it is a “stew pot”. The lie that ours is a
free enterprise system betrays the fact that we now have
monopolistic capitalism. If a politician gets elected by lying to
one group he will lie about other groups and betray all groups.
In the final analysis, we must move beyond the Captain Marvel
practices of hypocritically transforming reality into non-reality
hoping to magically deal with our basic problems. A magic word
will not substitute for the will and courage to bring about needed
changes in our political and economic institutions.
Transformation is needed more by those with power and
resources than by the poor.
The spirit and activity of Christmas is needed daily rather than
yearly, As long as our love and good will is seasonal and coated
by lies we will always have the problems we now endure.
Season’s greetings to my editor and publisher, fellow
columnists, all of my readers and best wishes for a more
productive year in 1974.
Harambee!!!
BLACK GODFATHER'S MAD
l®ia_ m ...and that’s
BoFk REAL BAD!
MBMli M Hr
Black Caesar Gibbs has the Mafia on the run,
Wy the man on the lam
W>-•■. and he’s taking
’ S %J L 1 over the town.
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.- ' - WisO falßbt
’’lwia - x <. Waw
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