Ron DeSantis, with the consent of colluding legislators, is rapidly expanding his push towards a full-on authoritarian administrative state in Florida, a push that clearly threatens our beloved democracy and way of life. Best evidence is the law to go into effect on July 1 of this year that would force doctors to ask patients about their immigration status, but this can only happen if doctors ignore their oath and do as nefariously commanded by this sick man.
One of the pearls shared by a highly respected emergency doctor during my tenure in the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Emergency Center was, “Just do what’s best for the patient and everything will be OK in the end.” Given the as-yet unknown harm that may be inflicted on immigrants by reporting their immigration status as this law specifies, and that a tenet of the Hippocratic Oath is to “First, do no harm”, I sincerely hope that doctors throughout Florida will remember their oath and stand together against this law.
Importantly, hospital administrators must also stand for justice.
Just do what’s best for the patient. Just say no!!
Rick Soskis – Havana