Trying to understand
22/05/12 05:48
Although I read a lot of news headlines and catch some of the stories, I sometimes find that I am really not aware of what is going on around me. That was the case yesterday. I was driving into town for a dental appointment when my cell phone rang. I pulled over and had a conversation with a colleague from Pierre. She was inquiring about the Rally and March that was going to take place in Rapid City. I knew nothing of the gathering or of the events that led up to it. She gave me a little information over the phone. I did a little checking on the Internet on my cell phone and got a little more information upon my return home. I have to admit, however, that I don’t really understand the situation.
Here is what I do know. About 300 people gathered in Memorial Park. They had songs and speakers in the park and then they marched south on 5th Street to Rapid City Regional Hospital. They were protesting what they see as institutionalized racism at the hospital. One of the rally organizers called for an end of native people using Regional for their health care. That is a tough demand. Regional provides medical procedures and services that are not available from any other source within hundreds of miles. For many people in our area, there isn’t really another choice.
The background to the story is complex. Vern Traversie was a patient at Rapid City Regional Hospital. He had a major surgery. I think it was an open-chest heart surgery. It is difficult to confirm the things I could find on the Internet. There can be no such thing as an official report from the hospital. Health information privacy laws prevent the hospital from even releasing the names of patients, let alone any specific information about their treatment or condition. The allegation is that someone at the hospital intentionally created scars on his belly to form the letters KKK. There is a picture that is widely circulating on the Internet, including Facebook. It does show the front of a person, without a face. There are numerous markings on the flesh. There are two scabs in the shape of a “K” the third requires a bit of imagination, but there is no shortage of imagination in this debate.
I am not an experienced medical professional. The marks might have been the result of tape that was place to hold drain tubes following the surgery. It doesn’t appear that they are scalpel cuts. You can see, however, how someone might interpret the marks as thee Ks. If someone intentionally disfigured another human being to put KKK on that person’s abdomen it would be reprehensible. Disgust and protest would be appropriate. Responsible persons should be held accountable.
The Rapid City Journal reported that a police investigation was initiated and that no charges were brought forward. The journal cited insufficient evidence.
There is no shortage of opinion. I made a couple of calls to friends up at Eagle Butte. I have read pages and pages of responses to blog posts. There are those who argue that there is no way the marks could be unintentional. There are those who argue the opposite.
Here is the thing about the arguments: people are rarely logical when they are angry. And there are angry people. I don’t expect rational argument to shape our community around this issue.
Racism is real in our community and in our world. People have uttered racial slurs. There has been discrimination in housing and jobs and other areas. There likely has been racial profiling in law enforcement, though it seems to be mostly from individual biases rather than from deeply ingrained institutional policy. Beyond the overt racism, we all could benefit from more cultural awareness and sensitivity.
In the church, we have been actively pursuing what we are calling “Sacred Conversations on Race.” We have been examining ourselves for signs of racism and we have been holding conversations that increase awareness and open channels of communication. We have devoted time at our annual meetings and our annual clergy retreat to listen carefully and to learn more of each other’s culture. Our local congregation has listed increasing partnerships with indigenous people as one of our highest priorities.
As I told one person yesterday, I’m not really a marcher. I walk in an annual suicide prevention and awareness walk, I have participated in group walks for a couple of other causes as well, but I’m not much for protest gatherings. I know that there are times when awareness must be raised, and that peaceful gatherings and marches are one way to bring attention to an issue. But my role in the community seems to be more as a witness than as an active participant.
What I don’t want to see happen is to have people “choosing sides” around our community hospital. We have only one hospital with an emergency room. There is only one neonatal intensive care unit. There is only one hospital for heart surgeries. There is only one cancer treatment center. In a community like ours, we need to make sure that our community hospital provides care for all of our people. Any evidence of discrimination needs to be taken seriously. Employees need to be carefully trained and need to receive regular recurrent training on cultural and racial issues.
I suspect that as a community hospital, Regional reflects the values of our community. When it provides caring and competent care, we are pleased. When someone receives less than optimal treatment, we have reason to be concerned.
I was told that the issue has been taken up by organizers from outside of our community. There was no shortage of rumors yesterday. Some said that people had traveled by bus from out of state to participate in the rally. Some of that makes sense, because the hospital treats people from hundreds of miles away. It also makes sense that racism in any part of our country affects all. People from out of state were bussed in for major civil rights rallies in the 1960’s all across the south. Still it makes it hard for us to figure out how to live in peace with our neighbors, when outside forces are trying to manipulate emotions and opinions.
For now, my role is to watch and to be a witness to what is going on. The rally and march yesterday were peaceful. The Rapid City Police Department officers were well trained and intervened only to protect the safety of all.
The conversation needs to continue. I will be listening.
Here is what I do know. About 300 people gathered in Memorial Park. They had songs and speakers in the park and then they marched south on 5th Street to Rapid City Regional Hospital. They were protesting what they see as institutionalized racism at the hospital. One of the rally organizers called for an end of native people using Regional for their health care. That is a tough demand. Regional provides medical procedures and services that are not available from any other source within hundreds of miles. For many people in our area, there isn’t really another choice.
The background to the story is complex. Vern Traversie was a patient at Rapid City Regional Hospital. He had a major surgery. I think it was an open-chest heart surgery. It is difficult to confirm the things I could find on the Internet. There can be no such thing as an official report from the hospital. Health information privacy laws prevent the hospital from even releasing the names of patients, let alone any specific information about their treatment or condition. The allegation is that someone at the hospital intentionally created scars on his belly to form the letters KKK. There is a picture that is widely circulating on the Internet, including Facebook. It does show the front of a person, without a face. There are numerous markings on the flesh. There are two scabs in the shape of a “K” the third requires a bit of imagination, but there is no shortage of imagination in this debate.
I am not an experienced medical professional. The marks might have been the result of tape that was place to hold drain tubes following the surgery. It doesn’t appear that they are scalpel cuts. You can see, however, how someone might interpret the marks as thee Ks. If someone intentionally disfigured another human being to put KKK on that person’s abdomen it would be reprehensible. Disgust and protest would be appropriate. Responsible persons should be held accountable.
The Rapid City Journal reported that a police investigation was initiated and that no charges were brought forward. The journal cited insufficient evidence.
There is no shortage of opinion. I made a couple of calls to friends up at Eagle Butte. I have read pages and pages of responses to blog posts. There are those who argue that there is no way the marks could be unintentional. There are those who argue the opposite.
Here is the thing about the arguments: people are rarely logical when they are angry. And there are angry people. I don’t expect rational argument to shape our community around this issue.
Racism is real in our community and in our world. People have uttered racial slurs. There has been discrimination in housing and jobs and other areas. There likely has been racial profiling in law enforcement, though it seems to be mostly from individual biases rather than from deeply ingrained institutional policy. Beyond the overt racism, we all could benefit from more cultural awareness and sensitivity.
In the church, we have been actively pursuing what we are calling “Sacred Conversations on Race.” We have been examining ourselves for signs of racism and we have been holding conversations that increase awareness and open channels of communication. We have devoted time at our annual meetings and our annual clergy retreat to listen carefully and to learn more of each other’s culture. Our local congregation has listed increasing partnerships with indigenous people as one of our highest priorities.
As I told one person yesterday, I’m not really a marcher. I walk in an annual suicide prevention and awareness walk, I have participated in group walks for a couple of other causes as well, but I’m not much for protest gatherings. I know that there are times when awareness must be raised, and that peaceful gatherings and marches are one way to bring attention to an issue. But my role in the community seems to be more as a witness than as an active participant.
What I don’t want to see happen is to have people “choosing sides” around our community hospital. We have only one hospital with an emergency room. There is only one neonatal intensive care unit. There is only one hospital for heart surgeries. There is only one cancer treatment center. In a community like ours, we need to make sure that our community hospital provides care for all of our people. Any evidence of discrimination needs to be taken seriously. Employees need to be carefully trained and need to receive regular recurrent training on cultural and racial issues.
I suspect that as a community hospital, Regional reflects the values of our community. When it provides caring and competent care, we are pleased. When someone receives less than optimal treatment, we have reason to be concerned.
I was told that the issue has been taken up by organizers from outside of our community. There was no shortage of rumors yesterday. Some said that people had traveled by bus from out of state to participate in the rally. Some of that makes sense, because the hospital treats people from hundreds of miles away. It also makes sense that racism in any part of our country affects all. People from out of state were bussed in for major civil rights rallies in the 1960’s all across the south. Still it makes it hard for us to figure out how to live in peace with our neighbors, when outside forces are trying to manipulate emotions and opinions.
For now, my role is to watch and to be a witness to what is going on. The rally and march yesterday were peaceful. The Rapid City Police Department officers were well trained and intervened only to protect the safety of all.
The conversation needs to continue. I will be listening.