I hear a theme

Today I read a statement from the ICU doctor from UPMC York hospital where there was a shooting. Staff were tied up. A police officer lost his life. Many people were traumatized. The doctor talked about how our health care system is broken. Staff are overworked, insurance companies are over bearing, there is stress upon stress. It’s not sustainable. He didn’t say this, but what I heard is that the humanity has been sucked out of the system. The reasons are complex of course. Profit motive has a way of turning people into things to be measured. Ignoring problems built up over time has a way of causing harm. Not seeing the humanity of the patients, the staff, or anything else has a way of dehumanizing care.

I read an email about refugee families in need of support due to the stop work executive order the President signed in January. Thousands of refugees who are already here, who were promised support, are left out to dry. We are richest nation in human history, and here we are looking for people to volunteer time and gift cards to make up for the care that was promised people who followed the rules and came with good intentions at a better life. The reasons for this are complex. Scapegoating hurts real people. Cutting off promised funds breaks trust. Not seeing the humanity of refugees and those that care for them has a way of dehumanizing care.

People tell me they are fearful, anxious, frustrated. They don’t know what to do. I see stories about people going to town hall meetings where their elected officials are — demanding that their members of Congress…