Acupuncture and immigration
This Monday the California senate appropriations committee may decide my fate as a future oriental medical practitioner--oh wait, I forgot, according to the American Medical Association (AMA) I'm not allowed to write "medical" anywhere in conjunction with "oriental." (Someone may get me confused with a "real" doctor...because the four years I spend in school learning Chinese Medicine doesn't qualify me to use the term "doctor." Let me try it again: This Monday, the California senate appropriations committee may decide my fate as a future Licensed Clinical Acupuncturist. Blessed Senator Liz Figueroa, backed by the California Medical Association has proposed legislation that would limit my ability to practice once I graduate. In fact, if SB 233 passes I won't be able to diagnose or treat patients w/o direct referral from their western medical physician. As if the California Medical Asoc. doesn't have enough money already. Do they really need to go after the 5,000 practicing acupuncturists in the state? Now they're just being greedy.
I am reminded why I chose the oriental medical field. In ancient China, a person paid their family doctor (i.e. the acupuncturist/herbalist) so long as they stayed healthy. When they got sick, the doctor received no compensation. An interesting concept in our current society where it seems the pharmaceutical companies thrive so long as we stay sick. It is no longer a human service, it is a business. We've all seen those commercials on TV for the newest drug of choice whose sped read side effects at the end of the commercial sound worse than the actual reason for initially taking the drug. It has become a joke. Our culture likes to stick a bandaid on the problem. We don't like to ask why we got the sore in the first place and how we could prevent it next time. That takes too much time and even a little pain endurance occasionally. Give me a pill and send me on my way.
I'm not knocking western medicine, it has its place--a huge place. It is beneficial. But there need to be some changes.
In other legislative news (I'm feeling very political today), the Real ID act has all but passed. This will introduce a national ID system as an attempt to increase national security. Wonderful. Just what this country needs. This act will be more detrimental to this country that I like to imagine, not to mention the cost of such an undertaking. Maybe we should just start handing out manditory Gold Star of David patches to anyone who doesn't have the last name Smith. It would probably be cheaper and much more blatant than the proposed Real ID bull. Better yet, lets just bring about the apocolypse now and start implanting microchips on people's foreheads and right hands and behead those who are undocumented or who pose a potential threat to our national security. Maybe the vigilantes from Arizona could head up this project at the Department of Homeland Security, afterall, why should all their hard work go uncompensated?
Enough sarcasm. There is much amiss in the world today. I am annoyed. I am saddend. Racial tensions are rising in Los Angeles and I fear something could happen if there is no intervention soon. May God intervene and unity be found in the midst of so much unrest.
ONE MORE SIDE NOTE: (And happy news) My darling Bernardo received his greencard yesterday! (Put that in the department of Homeland Security's pipe and smoke it)...HECK, let the kid be the first to receive his REAL ID card.
I am reminded why I chose the oriental medical field. In ancient China, a person paid their family doctor (i.e. the acupuncturist/herbalist) so long as they stayed healthy. When they got sick, the doctor received no compensation. An interesting concept in our current society where it seems the pharmaceutical companies thrive so long as we stay sick. It is no longer a human service, it is a business. We've all seen those commercials on TV for the newest drug of choice whose sped read side effects at the end of the commercial sound worse than the actual reason for initially taking the drug. It has become a joke. Our culture likes to stick a bandaid on the problem. We don't like to ask why we got the sore in the first place and how we could prevent it next time. That takes too much time and even a little pain endurance occasionally. Give me a pill and send me on my way.
I'm not knocking western medicine, it has its place--a huge place. It is beneficial. But there need to be some changes.
In other legislative news (I'm feeling very political today), the Real ID act has all but passed. This will introduce a national ID system as an attempt to increase national security. Wonderful. Just what this country needs. This act will be more detrimental to this country that I like to imagine, not to mention the cost of such an undertaking. Maybe we should just start handing out manditory Gold Star of David patches to anyone who doesn't have the last name Smith. It would probably be cheaper and much more blatant than the proposed Real ID bull. Better yet, lets just bring about the apocolypse now and start implanting microchips on people's foreheads and right hands and behead those who are undocumented or who pose a potential threat to our national security. Maybe the vigilantes from Arizona could head up this project at the Department of Homeland Security, afterall, why should all their hard work go uncompensated?
Enough sarcasm. There is much amiss in the world today. I am annoyed. I am saddend. Racial tensions are rising in Los Angeles and I fear something could happen if there is no intervention soon. May God intervene and unity be found in the midst of so much unrest.
ONE MORE SIDE NOTE: (And happy news) My darling Bernardo received his greencard yesterday! (Put that in the department of Homeland Security's pipe and smoke it)...HECK, let the kid be the first to receive his REAL ID card.
