This showed up in my local newspaper....help debunk

[samplegirl]

Ezekiel Emanuel said this was taken out of context. Ann Coulter has him first on her death panel.
So I would say the good Dr. is watching to much Faux.

DEAR EDITOR:

Rahm Emanuel, Obama's right-hand man, has a brother who has been appointed to high positions that will guide Obama's health care plan. His name is Ezekiel Emanuel, MD.

Writing in the June 18, 2008 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association he said, ''Doctors take the Oath of Hippocrates too seriously. They use it as an imperative to do everything for the patient regardless of the cost or effects on others.'' I wonder if Obama would mind if Rahm's brother disregarded the oath if he were called to attend his family in the White House?

The oath that I take very seriously, reads in part as follows: ''I swear by God, making Him my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath. To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents ... and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers and to teach them this art, if they desire to learn it ... to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken the oath. I will apply measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm.

''I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody if asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art. Whatever houses I may visit, I will come for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all injustice, all mischief and in particular of sexual relations. What I may see or hear in the course of treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one must spread abroad, I will keep myself holding such things shameful to be spoken about. If I fulfill this oath and do not violate it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time to come; if I transgress it and swear falsely, may the opposite of all this be my lot.''

Which part should I not take seriously? Should I not honor my mentors and forget all they taught me? Should I resign my position at the local medical school and cease to teach medical students the art and science of medicine? Maybe I should not have done my best to improve the physical well being of the thousands of patients who crossed the threshold of my office. Should I divulge secrets? Would Dr. Emanuel suggest that I become another Kevorkian and administer a deadly drug or perform an abortion to destroy the life of an intrauterine citizen of the United States? How dare that man call himself a physician with that kind of disregard for the sacred oath. We should all be in fear if this man has any say about our future health care.

Charles McGowen M.D.

Howland

[ck4829]

1. Why does the "God" in this guy's oath sound strangely monotheistic?

I always thought that in the Hippocratic oath, a person swore to Apollo and the other Gods of Healing.

[Mz Pip]

2. Intrauterine citizen??

Oh, boy, here we go again.

So much hyperbole, so little time. No one is asking dear Dr. McGowen to do any of the things he yammers on about. Does he really think that underhealth care reform he will be forced to resign his teaching postion, violate patient confidentiality, euthanize patients or perform abortions?

Perhaps he should be required to point to the provisions in any of the current not yet finalized bills where he will be required to do so.

He may be well educated but he is still ignorant.

Mz Pip

[samplegirl]

5. Thanks fellow D.U.ers for your input

I blew up when I read this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I replied and let him know nepotism is not a crime and when he could find an ethics problem come back and write another column.

I did a google search on this Jackass of a Dr. and seems he is some Rightwing Religous Zealot.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. I'd write a letter and ask Dr. McGowen where and when his free clinics are held.

[samplegirl]

6. He's a retired old fart!

[sinkingfeeling]

7. Then he should have plenty of time and money to run clinics for those who can't afford other health

care. There's a retired doctor here that does just that.

[Hippo_Tron]

11. And if he teaches those med school classes free of charge

[alsame]

4. Gibbs getting questions about Zeke at his briefing right now. Claiming

Zeke is in favor of rationing. Gibbs said the President is not in favor of rationing and has made that clear.

[EC]

8. Ask for proof that

is actually what Rahm's brother said. I'm sure that is taken out of context..

[BlueIdaho]

9. Taken out of context?

More like a bald faced lie.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. The Hippocratic Oath was written in the 4th century BC

Its wisdom isn't entirely applicable to the 21st century AD. For example, if you read the entire thing it says that doctors are to train other doctors free of charge.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/greek/greek_oath.html