Lunatics and Criminal negligence

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/091605/new_doctorordered001.shtml

This is unbelievable.

In the midst of administering chest compressions to a dying woman several days after Hurricane Katrina struck, Dr. Mark N. Perlmutter was ordered to stop by a federal official because he wasn't registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"I begged him to let me continue," said Perlmutter, who left his home and practice as an orthopedic surgeon in Pennsylvania to come to Louisiana and volunteer to care for hurricane victims. "People were dying, and I was the only doctor on the tarmac (at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport) where scores of nonresponsive patients lay on stretchers. Two patients died in front of me.

"I showed him (the U.S. Coast Guard official in charge) my medical credentials. I had tried to get through to FEMA for 12 hours the day before and finally gave up. I asked him to let me stay until I was replaced by another doctor, but he refused. He said he was afraid of being sued. I informed him about the Good Samaritan laws and asked him if he was willing to let people die so the government wouldn't be sued, but he would not back down. I had to leave."

Can you imagine being told to mop instead of treating the sick. Doctors were told that they couldn't treat victims. Basically the doctors should have punched the officials!

...but not shown of course in the US

watch the BBc news for more about what is really going on here

Maybe we could send them the story?

send to your senator & congresspeople

we need them to know
they depend on our votes & if we rise up effectively
they might listen

you know the religious right is very vocal

we have to be
we HAVe the moral hgh ground here

That's why the governor should have made it clear that state laws supercede federal law. How dare they deny medical help to fellow human beings.

<Edit - correct heading> The doctor who was on TV was Dr Lee a Vietnamese American. He told the identical story.

Lot's of people tried to give help and were turned back by officials because "it is't safe there". They know damn well it isn't safe, they take a risk to help others and that's why their so heroic and inspiring!

There was also a all these red tape formalities getting in the way, which is completely inappropriate to people helping each other in a crisis.

Maybe Michael Moore should talk this doctor. There are lots of stories likie to move people to outrage at how the bueuracracy the Bush administration set up handled this disaster. The whole damn pack of cronies misleadingly labled "The Department of Homeland Security" Gee, don't we all feel safe and secure now!