Some Say, Some Do
By Wink
How much influence does the Surgeon General of the U.S. have? Precious little, I think. It always seemed to me more ceremonial than functional. I imagine seeing the budget for this position would make me cry.
I guess being a ‘spokesman’ is a job. Previous ones have spoken out against smoking and in favor of exercise.
If I were the U. S. Surgeon General I would tell people to eat less and go for a walk. Repeat daily.
Regardless, President Obama just announced his choice to fill this position, Dr. Regina Benjamin.
Dr Benjamin is a family practice doctor who has spent most of her career working with poor patients in a Gulf Coast clinic in Alabama.
When announcing the pick, President Obama said: “When people couldn’t pay, she didn’t charge them. When the clinic wasn’t making money, she didn’t take a salary for herself.”
Does this sound familiar? President Obama was a community organizer who worked, hands on, to improve the lives of the less fortunate.
He could, no doubt, identify with Dr’ Benjamin’s purpose and dedication.
Lots of people talk about how poor people can help themselves. You know, the old ‘pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps’ speech.
Others, such as Obama and Dr Benjamin, do more than talk, they go out and get their hands dirty actually helping the needy.
So what is the influence of the U. S. Surgeon General?
We can’t all become president. That is a job with a finite number of openings, but hey, you don’t have to be elected to be a doctor.
Maybe, as much as anything, inspiring people in toward academic excellence can be part of the legacy of Dr. Benjamin, whether they become doctors or not.
(2 votes, average: 2.50 out of 5)
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