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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TideGlider who wrote (69479)	7/27/2009 6:50:23 PM
From: longnshort	1 Recommendation Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 224738

wasn't Austria a territory of the US when arnie was born ?

To: TideGlider who wrote (69479)	7/27/2009 8:12:03 PM
From: lorne	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224738

Doctor apologizes for circulating 'offensive' Obama image Image from Talking Points Memo St. Petersburg neurosurgeon forwarded this image to fellow members of the conservative Tea Party movement in an e-mail. By STEPHEN THOMPSON spthompson@tampatrib.com and and JACKIE BARRON jbarron@wfla.com Published: July 24, 2009 suncoastpinellas.tbo.com ST. PETERSBURG - He has resigned from his post as incoming president of the Pinellas County Medical Association. He announced he will give up his prestigious seat as a delegate at the American Medical Association, a body that discusses national health care policy. And he plans to keep his mouth shut for a while. These were the measures St. Petersburg neurosurgeon David McKalip took Friday, one day after it was reported he had shared with fellow members of the conservative Tea Party movement an image depicting President Barack Obama as an African witch doctor, dressed in a loincloth and wearing bones in his nose. Underneath the image is the word, "OBAMACARE," with a hammer and sickle standing in for the letter 'c,' and word is followed by the expression, "Coming soon to a clinic near you." McKalip said he received the picture from an unknown source, and it appeared it had passed through several hands online before it got to him. "I sent it out without thinking and it was a callous move on my part," he said this afternoon. "I just didn't think. It's a lapse in judgment and someone in my position should have known better." McKalip has been a vociferous critic of the president's health care proposals, saying that, under them, the government and insurance companies will have too much say over what kind of care Americans will receive. He said the Obama picture was sent to members of the conservative Tea Party movement within the context of the health care debate. But once the New York-based political Web site Talking Points Memo broke the story about McKalip sending out the Obama picture, the neurosurgeon was seen less as a spokesman for a particular ideology and more like a possible racist. "I think people will wonder if they can trust me," McKalip said. "When I finally realized how many people I had hurt – how this situation hurt the cause for African Americans – I recognized that it was an insensitive thing to do." As a result, McKalip is withdrawing himself, at least temporarily, from the public eye, canceling interviews that were scheduled regarding health care reform, and removing himself from prominent positions, such as those with the American Medical Association and the Pinellas County Medical Association. Other people can take up the anti-government stance on health care he has been espousing, he said. For him to continue speaking publicly, after the dust-up over the Obama picture, would serve as a distraction. McKalip has issued a public apology to the president. "The image has nothing to do with my feelings or thoughts on any race or culture," McKalip wrote in the widely-distributed mea culpa. "I recognize that this image is offensive and hope that the nation refocuses on assuring all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable health care with no party interfering in the patient-physician relationship," the apology said. Zachary Roth, the reporter for TPM who broke the story about the Obama depiction Thursday, said the news organization acquired the image from one or more parties on the Tea Party list. Roth talked with McKalip on Thursday, and after the physician confirmed he sent the photograph, Roth's Web site posted the story. Within hours, the Florida Medical Association denounced what McKalip had done in a statement posted Thursday on its Web site and the organization called on him to apologize. "The Florida Medical Association is an organization with a zero tolerance for racist or discriminatory behavior," the statement said "As such, we do not condone the circulation of what has been described by the press as a racist depiction of President Obama by David McKalip, M.D. Dr. McKalip's actions do not in any way reflect the positions, attitudes or culture of the Florida Medical Association. "The Florida Medical Association finds the actions by Dr. McKalip to be hurtful and in poor judgment. Further, we find his actions disrespectful to President Obama and the Office of the President. The Florida Medical Association is disappointed by Dr. McKalip's actions and urges Dr. McKalip to extend President Obama an apology for this egregious deed." The Pinellas County Medical Association followed suit today. "The Pinellas County Medical Association regrets and is appalled by the statements and act of Dr. David McKalip," the organization said in a prepared statement. "Dr. McKalip acted in poor taste and on his own accord when preparing and issuing his message, with neither the knowledge nor approval of the Pinellas County Medical Association or its Board of Governors. "The Pinellas County Medical Association joins with the Florida Medical Association in denouncing and condemning Dr. McKalip's act and his offensive "Obama Care" statements. Dr. McKalip's act in no way reflects the opinions of the Pinellas County Medical Association or its Board of Governors. Dr. McKalip has submitted his resignation as President-Elect and as a member of the Board of Governors of the Pinellas County Medical Association, and his resignation has been accepted."