Polarization of American Institutions

goshdarnindie

Senior member
May 6, 2001
652
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Regardless of your political affiliation (or if your a moderate, your lack there of), does anyone find it disturbing that the American Medical Association is now stateing an official opinion on gun control and gays in the Boy Scouts.

I thought the organization was meant to be a collection of physicians who wish to share and pool research and experiences, and to as a group endorse medical products based on sound, medical evidence. The sudden adoption of what can only be considered liberal social movements seems out of character for an organization that is not here to push a social agenda, but is instead meant to be an apolitical entity to increase the effectiveness of the medical communinity and foster trust among the patients it serves.

A similar thing has happened in the National Educators Association and the American Bar Association. I exempt the NRA because they are a single issue group and unions because of the broad spectrum of issues that are inherent in protecting jobs. However, what are the implications of the politicalization, and thus polarization of American institutions which were meant only to allow colloborations among professionals in the same field? If these professional institutions can no longer be seen as apolitical, what institutions, if any, will take there place?
 

yellowperil

Diamond Member
Jan 17, 2000
4,598
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They are an interest group like any other. They espouse both liberal and conservative views based on the constituency of its members.
 

goshdarnindie

Senior member
May 6, 2001
652
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I realize that, but I don't remember them espousing social issues before. Medical opinions and view are one thing, but this is something else.
 

monto

Platinum Member
Oct 12, 1999
2,047
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shoudl take the Michael Jordan approach, "Republicans buy sneakers too"
 

goshdarnindie

Senior member
May 6, 2001
652
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This isn't a republican or decomcrat issue, this is an issue about loosing institutions of our society that can be looked to to give solid advice/opinions not based on social movements. Its a graying of something that should rise above politics.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,505
6,050
126
It sucks when organizations begin to go beyond their original mandate. Most of these organizations were meant to affect the lives/careers of their own membership or at most to influence others to the issues concerning the professional lives of it's members. An example of this would be Medical associations fighting for more research for a particularly troublesome disease.

Regarding Gun Control, I think a medical association could certainly have a legitimate complaint/concern on this issue. Their membership sees the impact of guns daily. The subject of gays in the Boy Scouts I would deem to be none of their business since there is no Medical purpose in such an issue.
 

UglyCasanova

Lifer
Mar 25, 2001
19,275
1,361
126
I come here to seek unbiased opinion on my PC Hardware, and what so I get? Biased opinions of coarse! We are by no means an official organization (but we should be :D), but just keep that in mind.