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DAY 1:
Hello Denver CMA and
Colorado!
I am attempting to
continue my Daily Reviews of the Conference though it
has been a joy to see many of you at the Conference.
Searching for
the Truth: Medicine, Morality, and the Media
 Dr.
Burke, the Educational Chair set up a slew of great
speakers fr Day 1 of the Conference.
To begin with was Mass
though on the Feast of the Nativity of the BVM and a
treat for Dr. Lisa Van Bramer to bring back the
traveling Missionary Picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe
for the event.
Bishop
Conley, the Episcopal Advisor for the CMA, celebrated
Mass and reminded us that the first reading from Micah
discussing of the birth of the woman who would bring the
savior into the world is a key reminder of the integral
nature of both how God acted in the history of the world
and in and through the flesh of the body to highlight
the importance and dignity of all human life, which we
must especially protect at the bookends; the beginning
and end of life, because if we do not, it is next to
impossible to get the in between right. He also pointed
back to a funny story growing up as a Presbyterian
living with his sister and parents in a very prim and
organized household while it seemed chaotic next store
with the Catholic neighbors, the Alexanders with 8 kids,
and toys everywhere and the un-mowed lawn. One day he
remembers walking to school on a cold December day by
the house seeing the neighbor kids playing outside and
wondering why they were not going to school themselves.
One of them chimed in “Hey don’t you know it the
Immaculate Conception?!” Way to make a Protestant
jealous about Catholicism.
 Next
we had The Media, The Truth and Theology of the Body by
Pauline Sister Helena Raphael Burns. When it comes to
bad media, Sister takes names and kicks “rear ends,” as
I will say politely. About 25 years ago she stopped
watching most of it, because she felt it was to some
degree fake and patronizing, but lacked substance… it
still does. But she really wants us to engage in news,
but especially finding independent sources that do not
pander to ideologies. She also pushed the idea of Bible
and Catholic Literacy/Prophesy about the times we live
in and when we lack a search for truth we will have The
Great Deception. Recent polling of lack of confidence in
the media if anything proves most folks today are unsure
where to find truth. Finally she expounded on TOB as
JPII’s extension on Humanae Vitae and is not simply
Catholic Doctrine, but Natural Law. Ideologies today try
to take a sliver of truth to manipulate into a defense
of an otherwise untenable world view that is then
imposed by fear.
 Next
Speech Pitfalls and Protection for Medical Professionals
by Alliance Defense League Kevin Theriot, JD. Kevin
expounded upon a number cases recently with ADF
defending conscious and your right to free speech in
regards to talking with patients. Some important overall
messages he had was that these cases hilight you cannot
be compelled to say something you do not want to say
(especially if it violates your moral beliefs and you
feel it is bad medicine) and that “tolerance is a two
way street” so as others are allowed to live out their
beliefs we should not be targeted in a way that prevents
us from doing the same.
 Finally
Fr. John Szada, an Exorcist came to discuss Mental
Illness or Demonic attack although demonic possession is
not common it is a worsening issue because of growth of
agnostic/atheism and use of the occult especially by
young folks. Drugs and Mental Illness can be tools
therefore for demons to be able to possess folks in
addition to use of of weegee boards and speak boxes. In
the end the message of if the patient says he/she has
mental health issues and states medications do not help,
maybe suspect a demonic possession probably will not
necessarily equate to the person being possessed, but it
is a reality and if someone is thrown inexplicitly 10 ft
across the room, yes now is the time to get your pastor
or exorcist involved. The rosary, Brown Scapular, and
Confession are ways to ward of demonic possession
 Next
were Breakout Sessions with the first I attended were
Trusted Teaching in End-of-Life Care in a Sound Bite, by
Tim Jessick Palliative Care, Very Reverend Javier Bustos
and dMark Repenshek, about Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s
efforts to make small video series to help laypeople
begin the conversation of on the importance of Advanced
Directives, which I agree is urgently needed especially
with assistance of Practitioners that can help guide
Catholic teaching, but also the importance of Power of
Attorney to ensure your wishes are best respected.
Having been on the wards with a patient who was homeless
without a family or power of attorney and MOST form that
stated he did not want “artificial nutrition” while
intubated and sedated for subdural with CRRT and
antibiotics going was a nightmare and sadly took forever
to legally appoint a physician POA, will little chance
to reverse course at that point.
 Next
Paul Hruz spoke on the Social Contagion aspect of Rapid
Onset gender Dysphoria showing strong evidence of
associations with social media use among other things in
the rise of this phenomenon especially hitting
adolescent girls and similar associations with things
such as Eating Disorders and Suicide. For a deeper dive
I highly recommend Abigail Shrier’s Book Irreversible
Damage. Paul as usual does a great job navigating this
topic with well backed up evidence and critical
examination of the opposition’s “research” attempts to
deny this. He also reminded parents that helping to
reduce social media time, close family interaction help
children best navigate identity during formative teen
years discussed by Erickson and Marcia. In 5-10 years we
will like Europe see a great increase in detransitioners
who have lead to stopping of pediatric gender clinics in
UK (Tavistock), Sweden and Finland. He also has a new
book out on the subject with other experts in the field
Sexual Identity, so another place to draw on
information.
 Next,
Dr. Dave Hilgers and NE Catholic Conference member Tom
Venzor shared ideas about how to best influence our
Culture and the Public Arena through activism at the
legislative and state medical group level. While it has
been difficult here in Colorado to get our point across
and seemingly few political wins, it is a reminder of
the importance of collaborating with our own Catholic
Conference and others to bring a more unified voice in
this fight to change hearts. It is my hope we can find a
group of us to work with others to better polish our
message and reminder that Christians are a people of
Hope, because the Father will ultimately deliver on His
Promise of Redemption.
Finally, a big
Announcement came at the Conference. It was announced
and the charter officially signed of the start of an
Osteopathic School of Medicine at Benedictine College in
KS that will be modeled after St. Padre Pio’s
Home for the Relief of
Suffering. This Catholic Medical School will be
authentically Catholic to teach future Physicians to
bring True Science and Faith in the care of their
patients. With so many threats to Catholic Students to
live out their values in their everyday lives. It is
wonderful to see a place where they will not only be
allowed, but encouraged to live out these values and
given necessary tools. Regardless, Catholics should be
welcomed and not discriminated against on any campus for
their beliefs! |
DAY 2:
Communicating
the Truth in a Post Truth World
 Day
2 started off with an amazing first Plenary with Michael
Warsaw CEO for EWTN. Michael began with a discussion of
the beginning of Fake News term in 2016 during the
election, and reminded us the intention is that the Good
News is counter to untruth. In a message to those in the
media Pope Francis likened Fake News spreaders as like
the original Serpent of the Garden. Michael went on to
further explain we are in a Post Truth Era now which is
defined as an era in which objective facts are less
persuasive than appeals to emotions and personal belief.
I would say this is in
fact the difficult times we live in when trying to
communicate truth. This talk would have dovetailed
perfectly with Day 3’s Dr. Tom McGovern’s Bridging the
Gap on Medicine and Media in which Tom showed data on
how easily highly educated people have a tendency to
rationalize data in a way to confirm their current
ideology (confirmation bias). Michael elaborated on the
explosion of fake news based upon Social Media to share
quickly unvetted stories driven by headlines that are
click-bait (thanks to digital advertisement). On the
flip side, secular media that barely understands
religion (esp the Catholic Church)has embraced ideology
and relativism. Without truth, we have the dethronement
of truth (Dietrichh Von Hildebrand) and are “building a
Dictator of Relativism.” Big Tech, Media and Political
Forces have now combined in efforts to censor the free
discourse of ideas (shadow banning, blocking, ect). This
is all in the name of protecting the golden calf of
ideology at the sacrifice of truth. They have exchanged
the truth, which Michael reminds us will set us free
(Jn8:32) in authentic peace, for narratives that assuage
and numb their fears. These biases merely are
metaphorical chains of imprisonment enforced by threats
of “canceling” as a form of manipulation to maintain
their status quo of power. The importance of good
journalism to confirm facts as Mother Angelica and Fr.
James Hardin SJ are keys to overcoming fake news. I
would add another troubling issue is publication bias;
the desire to publish stories and facts that fit a
narrative.
Media Addiction
and Recovery
Next we had Fr. Cedric
Pisegna (Passionate Priest) discuss the dangers of
social media addiction. We all want a voice and in fact
the Church is called to speak the Word using media
(channels of communication). But he warned of the good
uses of media with the attachment and finally addiction
of media in which instead of serving the Good it serves
the Self. He warned it is easy to go from Attracted to
Social Media use (who isn’t these days) to Attached to
finally Addiction. Since 2012 mobile phone screen time
has gone from 45 minutes a day to 4 hours and 12
minutes. This dangerous trend has hurt relationships (he
showed a picture of people at a table just looking at a
phone instead of interacting), dangers of driving and
cell phone use, and of course a distraction from God
himself (though certainly things on our phone can serve
to bring us closer to him). An addiction is an intense
craving for a substance or behavior that if not
fulfilled leads to intense fears/anxieties or
anger/bitterness and usually due to tolerance (again
having Sister Marysia Weber go here would have made
sense since they really are linked) requiring greater
and more titillating content/affirmations. Even Fr.
Cedric who works in media says he has to fight the
tendency to look at his phone with every ping of a new
email. Some addictions one must completely stop (porn,
gambling, alcohol) while others modify (social media
use, sugary desserts, ect). He went on to talk about one
of the founders of the 12 Step Program Bill Wislon
having an Epiphany after another admission for etoh
intoxication having an awakening from God. Fr. Cedric
further elaborated how the prodigal son (perfect theme
since the gospel this weekend) that God allows us to
bottom out (and come to our senses) so we can take the
first step of admitting a problem and this can be the
hardest step followed by believing God can truly help
you (Step 2) and finally Surrendering your struggle to
God (STEP 3). He has a book called “There is a Solution”
that is a more practical deeper dive on this topic.
Is Secularized
Medicine Undermining Fundamental Human Equality
 Professor
Cahrles Camosy was next to present focusing on Secular
Medicine’s loss of truth as a basis for morality being
replaced by relativism/economic and social convenience.
Hence we are seeing the marginalized falling out of the
circle of protection more these days and the human
person being viewed through the lens of Manicheistic
Dualism (body is basically like a car and the person-a
amorphous self which contains the intellect,
desires/dreams and reflections of the individual- where
it is contained or exactly what is it none of these
folks could exactly say while somehow defending the
notion of free will which allows for our sense of
justice and ability to love). . The Terri Schiavo case
among others highlights the tendency for us to latch
onto unproven dogmas that worship at the altar of
Prognostic Pessimism and Therapeutic Nihilism (your life
is not worth living so let us dehumanize you before we
kill you). His next group of people he fears are near
falling out of the circle (and already having certain
countries like Canada and Netherlands) are those with
Dementia with pressures going from a “right” to a “duty”
to die. He pushed to Raise the Alarm on this issue and
work to re-engage the old and young to form areas for
gatherings (can old churches/convents serve s a church
community center for young and older members of the
church to meet in community?). Again I would have had
him speak with Joseph Pearce following who gave a
defense of suffering in literature as part of the path
to healing. What if we realized that the journey of
suffering of the weakest members of society met with
compassionate accompaniment of the more able was a path
of healing for both. For the weak healing from the sense
of isolation and worthlessness and for the strong, a
healing from our pride to seek self promotion and the
myth of invincibility (think of the rich farmer LK 12
16-21).
How to Inspire
An Audience
 Dr.
McGovern in his expertise of presentation (I mean this
guy is locked in when it comes to presentations-9 months
working on it, I crack my laptop open maybe a month
before). The key steps are how to to transform
Information-> into Inspiration-> through Perspiration
(yeah just look at McGovern’s face during the
presentation and Inspiration is pouring out through his
sweat pores activated by the information of adrenaline
on muscarinic receptors… let us just say the glass ain’t
half full with Tom, it’s a deluge flooding the room).
But you cannot bring just
any idea, you have to have the element of shock and
novelty…
 With
crazy pictures that inspire curiosity of course like
this one at the left…
If you are wondering this
is me at Olive Garden yelling “You can take my money,
but hands off my breadsticks Mario Dickerson (Executive
Director/Commercial Pirate for the CMA).” I bet you all
got this instantly from my picture, no caption needed.
So you take those Ideas Framed by Images spiced with a
picture of a Word in big bold letters… which Tom likened
to two Waterfalls (A big one for Images and a smaller
one Words, meeting in a Pool of Ideas)… perfect image
right after lunch when that glass of water and cup of
coffee are metaphorically meeting at the pool of my
bladder… wait that is not a metaphor be right back.
Next you make your message Map with your 3 key
points/ideas, supporting data wrapped up with take home
messages. The key is clear pictures with 16×9 images you
can find on Google Images or Pixabay and only 40 words
per 10 slides… interesting he made no mention of a limit
on slides per minutes of presentation… because this man
has literally none (yeah 2019 presentation on choosing
or Re-choosing your specialty in Nashville was quite the
doosy) so good luck taking notes during Derm lecture
with him; podcasting him on x1/4 speed might allow you
to keep up.
Finally stories help to
engage and synchronize our brains and the brain likes to
latch onto stories. The first 5 seconds are like jumping
out of the blocks of the 400 meter dash with that first
impression in which you create drama, engage and grab
attention then hold attention with teasers, face forward
and the finish is like a symmetry to wrap up that first
big idea/question you brought to the beginning. He used
the example of inviting to engage skeptical audiences
over telling; so for Dr. Delgado on the Abortion Pill
Reversal not saying “Abortion Pills are wrong and we
have to stop them” and instead inviting” “What if there
was a way for women to have a second choice at life
after taking the first pill in a chemical abortion?”
Embryo Adoption
Debate
Now the main event… let’s
get ready to rumble… alright in a courteous and
respectful dialogue.
 Drs.
Charles Camosy (Professor Creighton School of Medicine)
and Kent Lasnoski (Associate Professor of Theology at
Wyoming Catholic College) squared off against Dr. John
Haas (NCBC) and Fr. Dr. Tad Pacholczyk on the issues of
permissibility of frozen embryo adoption that is an
unsettled discussion (did Donum Vitae really say no vs
USCCB in 2007 saying there appears to be no official
stance yet). The cruz really of the debate can come down
to when does the generative faculty of husband and wife
end meaning does that end at conception as Camosy and
Lasnoski were saying and so adoption would be like any
other adoption (prenatal into your womb vs post natal
into your house) and similar to Mercedarians in the 13th
Centery who would offer themselves in exchange for other
Christian slaves if they did not have the money to
secure them from Pirates. In a similar vein the woman
nobly offers her own body to rescue the ensslaved
embryos who are traped in a frozen state in the nads of
the slave owners of the fertility clinic. Fr. Tad and
Dr. Haas countered that the implantation and subsequent
gestation must respect a continuum of appropriate
generation in which the pregnancy results from
appropriate intercourse of the spouses and if it was
allowed to be separated what would stop say a Nun from
doing this or another unmarried person doing a similar
thing to rescue. One thing that was interesting and left
me unsure but leaning in favor of the permissible side
is the idea that in the discussion a notion of artifical
wombs maybe being a place for some or all of gestation
to take place (for instance if you can resuce an embryo
by use of these for all of gestation or a period of time
if say the mother needed a treatment like chemo which
the con side said might be an option down the line for
frozen embryos to be rescued). The problem I have is
that you now are saying a 3rd party may licitly
participate in the generative faculty (unless you say it
does not, but then how can in the sake of that example
of a brief time say the generative faculty started and
then was halted and then restarted again). Also some may
argue that breast feeding and wet nurses could also be
argued as part of the generative faculty similar to a
womb. Anyways you decide for now until an official
teaching comes to us. |
DAY 2:
Communicating
the Truth in a Post Truth World
Bishop Naumann of Kansas
City got Mass going on Day 3 talking about the modern
Idols of the world whether money or human respect that
we don’t want to participate at those tables while
coming to the table of the Lord that St. Paul warned us
about in the first reading. He referenced the Movie
Concussion (yes a story, must have taken notes at
McGovern’s talk) and Dr. Bennett Omalu trying to stand
up to the NFL who the lawyers joke, “They are the NFL,
they own a Day of the Week…” which sadly they do. The
counter of this of course is recognizing that God
literally loved us into Existence and how a deeper love
of the Eucharist at the Lord’s table that should be the
only table we worship at. He mentioned how he was
inspired by his maternal Grandfather (his dad passed
away before he was even born) inspired this love through
2am adoration and his mother, a school teacher, would go
to mass at 5am and then with her class at 8 again
because the 5am mass she could better focus on the
eucharist. He also pointed out how when the Rams were in
St. Louis, he was struck by one of the lineman’s
comments that when asked why he refers to his faith so
much, he stated that he cannot explain how he was a good
husband, or father or did the charitable things he did
without explaining that his motivation comes from Jesus
Christ.
Bridging the Gap
Between Medicine and Media: Lessons from a Physician in
the Media
Tom’s back for Day 3 and now it is how to engage in the
Media(a means to communicate a message) and we have to
focus on first who the Audience is, Ourselves and Our
Message. First our Audience is moved more by the
Emotional Desirability of a belief and not facts. So
spewing out facts does little because if it does not
match their previously held belief it usually is
explained away. He showed an interesting experiment in
which researchers took made up data about using a cream
or no cream and if a rash got better or not (classic 4×4
box). For more math literate folks it showed they did a
better job picking out that the cream did not help
(still only 65%) copared to less literate that biased
that the cream helped (like abx for viral cold or
paxlovid for the healthy 25 year old). Now if the study
was if gun control law helped decrease gun crime things
now split based upon ideology and this is worse if more
educated individuals. Basically we rationalize data to
maintain our preconceived notions. He says knowing your
audience and inviting curousity is the best method to
engage people who are skeptics prior to you talking
(maybe this would have made a difference in my
testifying at state legislature for all those abortion
bills… but money talks more than words). You first
engage the right brain that is creative and imaginative
followed by the left brain that is analytical (here are
some facts) and then jump back to the right to leave
them in awe and wonder… like the book he told us to read
that is the best on this subject and only 1000 pages or
so… like Joseph Pearce said in response to Dr. Andrew
Mullaly’s question about buying too many books without
being able to read them all; “If someone asks my wife if
she has read a book she states, ‘Read it? I own it.”
Just check out Dr. Mullaly’s bookshelf “owning
knowledge” (okay not his actual one, but he does have
one like this)
I may have to own some of Tom’s suggestions too.
Order and Surprise as Maravalle states are the essence
of Beauty and you have to have both, which Order seemed
to be lacking in Keynote Speaker, Fr. David Pivonka’s
favorite Football team Notre Dame on Saturday leaving a
Surprise without the Beauty. Final points, on tips of
being Humble a Graceful with Media presentations; AM I
willing to be surprised yourself by others, know your
audience and avoid the “curse of knowledge” (assuming
they know as much as you), avoid overstating facts and
drawing vast conclusions, avoid claiming to be an expert
in an area you are now, be humble to admit if you do not
know, know when to decline an offer to do media work,
treat the host with respect and finally struggling to
separates truths we receive from faith alone from that
of medicine/science alone and where they properly meet
avoiding what JP2 said of Fideism vs Scientism
Internet
Pornography Addiction-Hijacking the
Neurophysiology of the Reward Center
Sr. Dr. Marysia Weber Psychiatrist and expert in the
area of addictions looked at the epidemic of social
internet porn especially hitting younger minds these
days (2022 average age of first porn seen in age 8
yikes). She explained it starts off with Discovery of
the material leading to Endorphins, opioids and
activation of Dopamine which is enhanced by DeltaFosB to
continue to excite reward pathways of the brain.
Habituation kicks in as another counter peptide CREB
downregulates dopamine pathways which was intended to
temper our pleasure seeking at risk of too much.
Tolerance sets in when to excite this pathway again we
need more and greater stimuli (yes Porn changes are
similar to drug changes in the brain). The craving is a
deep sense of the pleasure now as a need usually
triggered by some cue that reminds them of a previous
experience (stress at work so we maybe go and drink
wine), but the more exposure desensitizes us and we seek
out greater need for in this case violent and
dysfunctional sex. She discussed how even some porn
addicts without true pedophile attractions will then
devolve to using child pron. Instead of pleasure now
these things merely numb the pain of stress, anxiety and
depression (wow this is like many of our patients for
all types of addictions). It even can decrease grey
matter which for a young child this could potentially
lead to stunted academic capacities. But she says it
certainly is a treatable addiction though can take years
and to turn addictions into proper direction (so instead
of porn appropriately loving your spouse as you are
called in marriage) have motivation (remember Fr. Cedirc
admit you have a problem to begin with), maintain hope
and use tools like filters (maybe even use a flip phone
and have computers in an open spot to be accountable,
she mentioned some apps that have filters and
accountability partners). Also she brought up sensory
exercises to retrain the brain to focus on what I am
seeing at times, what I am hearing and what I am
feeling; a sort of Mindfulness technique and also breaks
from Media to see how much tis brings true peace over
the addiction you now use to numb yourself. Sadly in the
media and medicine we have ways to go because Internet
Porn Addiction is not specifically dealt with in DSM V
for instance (In my mind because groups out their
support its use in their ideology and Porn Industry is
powerful), but it has real affect on patients and 70% of
it is through human trafficking. It can lead to ED
issues, injuries and abuse (thank you 50 Shades of
Masochistic Drivel) so we have to take it seriously and
be ready to screen for it.
Health, Healing and Suffering in Great Literature.
What a joy to have Dr. Joseph Pearce, Director of Book
Publishing at the Augustine Institute and Author of The
Quest for Shakespeare, Tolkien: Man and Myth, The
Unmasking of Oscar Wilde, C. S. Lewis and The Catholic
Church, Literary Converts, Wisdom and Innocence: A Life
of G.K. Chesterton, Solzhenitsyn: A Soul in Exile and
Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc . He brought out a
number of great quotes or as I will call them Pearcisms
and anyone a fan of the intersection of Catholic Faith
and Literature would thoroughly enjoy his works as well
as 100 books every Catholic should read (and although
combined more than 1000 pages is not a textbook of 1000
pages). He started out with a profound quote from
Catholic Author Maurice Barings. “One has to accept
sorrow for it to have any healing power, and that is the
most difficult thing in the world,” says one of the
characters in his final novel, Darby and Joan. “When you
understand what accepted sorrow means, you will
understand everything. It is the secret of life.” And
here is a McGovernism on Profound:
He went on to say that “one grows by suffering. If we do
not accept our cross, we will crucify others.” Now for
time travel we went through the 2 minute version of
Homer’s Iliad (guess what Homer broke the first rule of
Creative of Writing by telling you the plot in the first
line…I guess you can do that when you are one of the
greatest story tellers… rules are for those who struggle
finding boundaries). The Iliad is fraught with suffering
for the characters whether Helena or Achilles occur
because of the recklessness of themselves or others.
But, some suffering is given as Dr. Pearce said and it
is this that can humanize because our broken hearts made
of stone can only be entered by being broken. In the
book, Brideshead Revisited, author Evelyn Waugh
describes the life of a Catholic family wrestling with
their faith and Cordelia, the most pious of them all
remarks to Charles, the former Captain in the Army
staying with the Marchmain family and doubts the family
can return to their Catholic faith, “God won’t let them
go for long, you know”. Then she goes on to quote a
passage from a G. K. Chesterton Father Brown story which
Lady Marchmain had read aloud to the family years
before. In the story, the detective says that he had
“caught [the thief] with an unseen hook and an invisible
line which is long enough to let him wander to the ends
of the world and still to bring him back with a twitch
upon the thread” Dr. Pearce talked about that Grace has
a way to allow us to come back through suffering (like
the twitch pulling us and the Prodiv=gal Son hitting
rock bottom). Other stories including Oedipus and Dante
were discussed as well, but what good talk on Catholic
Literature would not crescendo with Tolkien’s Hobbit and
LoR (by the way he says forget Amazon goofy story they
came up and just stick with original content by Peter
Jackson). He specifically alludes to the fact that the
Ring was destroyed on March 25th the Feast of the
Annunciation (Dr. Pearce is grateful we get this unlike
when he lectures at Yale or Harvard and people stare at
him blankly… what is 9 months from March 25th… yeah 🙂
)and also the traditional date of the Crucifixion. He
concludes sin is the source of all suffering and we
cannot eliminate it completely in this life, but if we
do not do the bearing of suffering from sin in this
life, we will be wearing the sin of suffering in the
next. Are we “Ring Bearers” or “Ring Wearers”?
Before Lunch we got
the Announcement for 2023 Phoenix Conference entitled
“Be Not Afraid: Courageous Catholic Medicine.” September
7th-9th. Besides finding courage, be inspired… with
Bishop Conely and I racing down this 8 story water
slide.
Okay maybe he did not
agree to that, but Mario is taking Prop Bets on if he
will go.
Dr. Milea, Education
Chair, said to bring your cowboy hat, boots and your
best belt buckle …
Mario says a CMA logo
version will be available at the CMA store for hands
free beer carrying entertainment at the Corona Ranch.
Words in
the Media Matter: Telling Truth About Trisomy 21-A
Medical Morality Case Study Write Large:
Dr. Robin Treptow and
Sonia and Jeff McGarrity discussed the wonderful joy of
raising a children with Trisomy 21 (preferred over Down
Syndrome as Dr. Downs who originally coined the syndrome
in the 1800s was disparging of these children calling
them substandard humans) while discussed implicit bias
in the meida (look at CBS on their coverage or Iceland
eliminating T21… through abortion or CNN’s Ana Navarro
talking about a Step Grand-daughter with T21 and how
many families need abortion because they may not have
resources for such a child- quite a slap in the face to
the inherent dignity of her SGD, along with her 57 yo
disabled brother too. Death Becomes a Treatment when
Love is Inconvenient), medicine (lowering standards and
expectations for these children), families who accept
these views like caricatures on wikipedia, and even
those with T21 themselves when told many times they
cannot do it, like the Echo Chamber phenomenon (repeat
over and over one view while suppressing another view).
What the McGarrity’s have done through the inspiration
of the Treptow’s own family and Dr. Robin Treptow’s work
is to raise the bar for their children and see them as
similar in capacity to push them to their greatest
potential, not limit their potential.
Pernicious Porn
Part 2
I admit I did not attend
Part 1 and likely would have liked to have seen that one
as I found Part 2 somewhat lacking in much substance for
me, but Russ Rooney and Michael keeny still did a
wonderful job discussing the legal struggles to limit
porn (which is protected unless viewed obscene and how
does one prove that except that in fact all porn is
obscene). One stirks me though is the Cognitive
Dissonance in society today that crucififes the Catholic
Church and understandably so for failures to report and
prevent abuse, but both the embracement of a Sexual
Psychopath, Alfred Kinnsey, as Dr. Judith Reismann
caetogrizes who researched child pedophiles abusing
children as young as 5 months and todays push to groom
and indoctrinate young children for the sake of sexual
freedom ( our favorite Media Outlet, The Atlantic,
published an article journalist named David Goldberg,
where he argues that his attraction to children is just
another category of sexual orientation. He even came up
with a new name for it: “cross-generational
lifestyle.”). They do point out the rampant problem that
by adolescence 84% of boys and 57% of girls have viewed
porn and especially as I stated above should be
something we are willing to screen in patients
regardless of sex.
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