When To Protest

When To Protest

By

Leonard Zwelling

         I have come under some criticism for not objecting more strongly to some of the things Donald Trump says about minorities, immigrants, women, Muslims and even Jews in this space.

         It is not that I do not find the President-elect’s utterances offensive. I do. None is more offensive than the videotape of him on the bus discussing women and how he treats them, but, and admittedly this is a big but, let’s see what he does once he takes the oath of office.

         Am I concerned about what he may do surrounding immigration and even illegals currently in the US? You bet I am. Under his plan families with illegal parents but American citizen children would be broken apart. How smart is that? There’s got to be a better way.

         Mr. Trump wants to create a religious litmus test for admission into the country. Does this offend me? Of course, it does. This country was founded on the concept of religious freedom and to tar all Muslims with the brush of ISIS is ludicrous in the extreme.

         Can I at all forgive Mr. Trump’s statements about women including Megan Kelly? I cannot and will not. He seems to be a 70-year old frat boy with a haircut that he got during pledge week after losing a dare with a frat brother.

         As far as his anti-Semitic ads of which there may have been more than one or two, again let’s see what he does. What will be his stance toward Israel and will he seek to quiet the crazies of the alt-right or will he give them succor by simply not calling them out for the racists and bigots that they are?

         I am afraid, dear critics, I am going to give Mr. Trump the benefit of having won the election using the system that we all admit (except him, of course) was not rigged. Yes, he received fewer votes than Mrs. Clinton and her lead in the popular vote is the biggest ever garnered by a loser, but that’s the system by which we are governed and complaining about it makes for sore losers and sore winners, too.

         But please know, I am watching.

         I am not happy about all of the generals in the Cabinet let alone the CEOs, although it’s the doctor that has me most concerned. Ben Carson is scary. The government is supposed to be under civilian rule. Trump’s is looking a little too martial for me.

         His picks to date have been far right (Bannon and Flynn) or worse (Ben Carson) and I am hoping that their disordered thinking is coupled with incompetence, as it so often is, and they will get none of their agenda items crafted into meaningful legislation. But again, I am watching.

         One of the reasons I have come under criticism is that I am so vocal about criticizing the current leadership team at MD Anderson compared with my treatment of the Trumpies. But there’s a key difference. The leaders of Anderson have shown themselves to be inept and the finances are sinking quicker than the setting sun on the beach at Waikiki.

         Dr. DePinho hasn’t cured cancer yet in his five years of trying. In fact, I am not sure that he has contributed anything to the clinical care of patients with malignant disease. His team seems flummoxed about what to do about the severe deficit that each month seems to be growing and the clinical revenue may be as much a victim of intense competition, frustrated insurers, and inadequate access to the front door as it is to EPIC.

         I am more than happy to find fault with the management of MD Anderson. Frankly, what could be easier?

         I am more than ready to do the same with the Trump Administration, as are many of those in the media. First, Trump and his band of merry men (and a few women) have to actually screw up. They cannot do that officially until January 20. Stay tuned.