Withhold Medical Care From Someone Because You Disagree With Them?

by Marc J. Randazza

The New York Times entertains the question “Can I withhold medical care from a bigot?” To the Times’ credit (something I do not say often) its columnist concludes that doing so would be wrong. The mere fact that a physician would ask this question in the first place is a symptom of cultural rot.

Hey, I’ve been there. A long time ago, I was in a car accident. I wasn’t wearing a seat belt and I smashed my head on the windshield so hard that it cracked it. I wasn’t driving, because I was on LSD. So, now I had a concussion and was on acid. I got back to my dorm, blood streaming down my face, laughing about it. After a bit, my head hurt really bad, so I grabbed a bottle of Tylenol and popped four of them – except it wasn’t Tylenol. To this day I do not know what it was, but I do know that the floor-mate to whom it belonged was very upset that I ate his stash.

Next thing I remember, I am in a hospital. Two of my friends are sitting in the room. When I come to, one of them is laughing about the fact that as I was wheeled in, I insisted on being seen by a Catholic or Jewish doctor, but that there is no way I would be seen by an Episcopalian. To this day, I could barely explain the difference between an Episcopalian and a Catholic. At the time, I was an evangelical Atheist.

I have no idea what subconscious concerns I had. I sure hope that there were no Episcopalians in the audience for my wacked out concussion and drug-addled performance. But hey, I said those things.

Would the doctor have been within his rights to tell me to get the hell out and go to another emergency room? Of course not.

So let’s change up the fact pattern a bit. Let’s presume that for some reason, I truly did hold negative views of Episcopalians. So what? I don’t get to hate someone and still be treated? If so, could a doctor refuse to treat you if you’re an Antifa piece of shit? Again, of course not.

But how rotten has our culture become that a doctor would even ask this question?

Photo of the Doctor who asked if he could let people die if they did not think the way he does.

What it boils down to is “can I let someone suffer or die because they think differently from me?” Would we entertain such a question from someone who says:

1. “My religious beliefs teach me that homosexuals deserve to be dealt with as Leviticus says, therefore is it ok to let a queer die?”

2. “Can I let someone die if they support gun rights? After all, if enough of them die, we can get rid of guns!”

3. “Should I let this guy die because he’s a communist?”

These are dark times, and they are getting darker. It is already socially acceptable to discriminate in virtually every walk of life against someone who disagrees with you. During the Covid power grab, at least 51% of the country cheered those who would let the unvaccinated die or be denied medical treatment. Meanwhile, stuff your fuckin’ face with cinnabon and cigarettes, and you’re just fine.

I wouldn’t punish a doctor for merely asking this question. But I would look at you and ask you “what have you done to help foster a culture where a doctor would ask this question?”

If nothing, then “what have you done to foster a culture where a doctor would no more ask this question than he would ask if he can rape his unconscious patient?”

If nothing, you’re part of the problem, my friend.