Gun Violence, Race, & Intersectionality

I am going to say something that I know will be very controversial, but for me, it bears saying because I believe it is so sadly, and unfortunately true. Ok, FIRST: Racism exists in our country. Without a doubt, and without a doubt there is a special strong breed of it among police officers for black men. This is undeniable, and a huge problem causing indefensible loss of life & a massacre of justice. I don't know why police are so afraid of black men when evidence seems to support that the logical fear would run the other direction. It's a shameful, despicable problem that needs to be systematically sought out, addressed, and eradicated. SECOND: The recent events continue to support, in a SEPARATE but INTERSECTIONAL topic, the unfortunate association that owning a gun or carring a gun on your person increases your risk of being injured or killed by gun violence. Now, before anyone jumps all over me for saying I am blaming the young men who died, wait, Stop. I am not blaming them. I am drawing attention to INTERSECTIONALITY, something those of us with privilege are rightfully asked to pay attention to all the time. The thing is, intersectionality does not just affect privileged people.

Black Lives Matter. Gun Violence Matters too...as in it affects people's lives, dramatically, and unnecessarily. Those two men did not make a choice to be Black or to live in a racist society among racist cops. They did unfortunately, and perhaps unwittingly, make a choice to increase their risk of death or injury, of themselves or their loved ones, from gun violence, by owning and carrying hand guns. INTERSECTIONALITY.

Carrying a hand gun on your person has consequences. Consequences that good, honest, loving people without criminal histories, and who did nothing wrong still need to consider DESPITE their constitutionally given right to bear arms "in self defense." How much did they get to protect themselves with their carried weapons?

Yes, Racism killed them. AND, in combination with that. The choice to carry a firearm on their person intersected with that racism and together, those circumstances led to their death. Intersectionality. Gun Violence. Racism. Make it all stop.

Back on U.S. soil! 

Safe & sound!

And Happy to be back the the U.S. of A! 

How to know if you are a smoker or a non-smoker...

I know, I know, apparently it can be a very difficult question, so 

I made a tool to help people figure out the answer.

Teaching BLS in Lebanon

(Where, when we don't have mannikins, we make our own!)

On Assignment in Lebanon

On assignment in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon for Medecins Sans Frontieres / Doctors Without Borders.  

Serving as Head of Nursing Activities for 4 Primary Health Care Clinics and 2 Maternal & Child Centers.

To catch up from the last posts...I returned from my summer in France and passed my French assessment to qualify for a French speaking mission.  I was promptly assigned to an emergency team in the Katanga Region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project was to work on a Vaccination campaign in response to a Measles epidemic.  However, before I could leave for the project, my mission was cancelled due to the fact that the epidemic was winding down.

I was then reassigned to a long-term project in Lebanon, providing health care to Syrian Refugees.  I arrived in mid January and am due to stay on until early July.  

After that, I plan to make another stop in France to top off my French skills again, because alas, I ended up in an English speaking mission...and, you know, if you don't use it, you lose it!

~Cheers!