A health and public policy blog
Last month we celebrated an American hero, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As the holiday drew near I began to wonder at his legacy. I wondered what he will make of America today. My 8-year old was rRead More…
Racism in the US is as old as the nation. In looking for solutions one approach almost always stands out. We need to address the entrenched racialized narrative we have internalized and keep telling Read More…
About 4-years ago spurred on by all the social unrests in America on issues of race and identity, I wrote my first post with the above title. This will be the third essay in that series. My first posRead More…
The debate over paying reparations for US Blacks is a centuries old question. It starts way back in the early days of “40 acres and a mule”. Today most of us know what became of that very good intentRead More…
On January 6th, 2021 a mob of mostly white Americans stormed the US Capitol attempting to overturn the 2020 election results. These individuals sought to prevent the certification of the results and Read More…
The saying goes “Black don’t crack!” Is this really true? I believe this saying not because I am black but because I have enough proof to support it. One of my high school classmates whose name I wouRead More…
Over the years the United States has been a country known for racially motivated violence. This issue has moved into the forefront of the political discourse in the past few years. In 2020 George FloRead More…
My five year old son has a mortal fear of spiders and has elected me as the spider assassin-in-chief. I have however failed terribly in this assigned duty. Our conversation on this problem usually gRead More…
Have you ever wondered why there are so many Civil Rights Acts in the United States? There is the Civil Rights Act of 1866 (CRA) then there is CRA 1870 and 1871! Subsequent acts were passed in 1875, Read More…
In 1619 the foundations of racism in America was laid down in the purchase of 20 captured Africans from Angola. This foundation started out as a form of indentured servitude. This was similar to whatRead More…
In 1619 a Dutch sheep landed in the Virginia colonies with 20 Africans captured from Angola. This was the first recorded shipment of slaves to any of the lands constituting present day USA. This howeRead More…
As a physician I have taken care of many recently incarcerated persons. Most of these guys were not armed robbers or even drug offenders as the media may suggest. These were almost all black or brownRead More…
On January 1st 1863 approaching the third year of the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation declared “that all persons held as slaves” within the Read More…
The initial agricultural economy of the Americas was very much dependent on cheap labor. The best economic solution of the day was the use of black African and white mostly Irish indentured servants. Read More…
For many reasons I have my doubts that our current president considers the needs of people like me. This situation has been the source of significant degree of angst and discontent with the presidentRead More…
In today’s America where white nationalist match in the streets with tiki torches and scream “Jews will not replace us”, immigrant Americans like myself who happen to be non-white can sometimes wondeRead More…
Race has been a defining characteristic in America over the years due to historical elements of American society. In the 1600s European settlers in the New World transitioned a system of slavery and iRead More…
On a flight back home from Seattle, Washington last month I had a conversation with the lady seated next to me about the political situation in America today. She happens to be white and since Read More…
I recently heard a story from a colleague about a patient that he admitted who refused admission for a potentially fatal illness because he was afraid he will be arrested and deported. This incRead More…
I recently read a book by Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz a UCLA cardiologist who also happens to be a consultant for the Los Angeles Zoo. In her book ‘Zoobiquity’ Dr. Natterson-Horowitz demystifiRead More…