BlueWolf's Howl

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July 21, 2002

Blind Trust

Inspired by Shelagh's post...

How did a murderer like Shipman get away with that for all those years?
BLIND TRUST

We have to stop trusting people based on their membership in this or that group... or the members themselves have to start policing their own.

Priests were given blind trust. A representative of God on Earth. A person who was above the law because they reported to a Higher Law - God's Law. What a safe and comfy group to belong to... If there's a conflict - your word against theirs - the priest always has a trump card. After all, he's a priest, right?

Blind Trust in this case allowed priests and the clergy to cover up case after case of pedophilia. At least now they believe the men. And everyone is outraged because a man molested a little boy. If anyone ever believed the women - wonder how many cases of rape and sexual harrassment would surface? And would we be similarly outraged that a little girl was molested?

Police were given blind trust. Who do you report your crime to? The police. They're not above the law, they ARE the law - they ENFORCE the law. What a safe and comfy group to belong to... If there's a conflict - the one with the badge and gun is always right. After all, he's a cop, right?

Blind trust in this instance has allowed police brutality. And it's increasing. More people are realizing that if they want to be right all the time and beat up anyone who challenges them - become a cop. And your fellow officers will back you. They have to - or they might find themselves set up ... or on a call with no backup. Ever wonder how many instances of police brutality got swept under the rug because there was no videotape?

Doctors are given blind trust. They have your life in their hands. They're supposed to keep you from death with their superhuman powers. They're the medical experts. How did this person die? Well, you'd have to ask a doctor.

Blind trust in this case allows doctors to get away with murder. Sure, we can sue for malpractice, but that doesn't bring back a life. And the lawsuit only affects the lawyers and malpractice insurance agencies. The doctors remain in practice. How do you refute an "expert" regarding medical matters? And to add insult to injury -- their arrogance and unchecked ill tempers are compounding the nursing shortage. Who would want to become a nurse? You study very hard and go to college so that you can be called a moron and abused by someone with just a bit more college? If a nurse is dead-right about a patient and the doctor is dead-wrong about the patient, what do you think happens? Yes, the patient dies.

These institutions need to start policing their own ranks. We can't. We can't vote a priest out of office. We can't boycott the police station of a maniac cop. We can't even seek a second opinion on a doctor unless our HMO/Health Insurance Administrator "allows" it. (And how would we even know enough to do so in the medical case?)

The Bishop can defrock a priest. The Bishop can also report the crimes committed by his priests. (And no, moving a priest to a different parish does not stop pedophilia. Neither does hiding him away in a monastery.)

The Commissioner can discipline a cop. He sits in an office and doesn't have to worry about not getting backup in a dangerous situation.

The State Medical Board can revoke a doctor's license. And Hospital Administrators can insure a more decent workplace environment for their nurses (and patients) through effective policy and an outright firing of doctors with no personal skills. I'm sure that the salaries you're paying will attract doctors who are not abusive AND know what they're doing. They're out there. Find them.

Until that time, we must revoke our blind trust. They no longer deserve it.

Posted by BlueWolf on July 21, 2002 11:01 AM