When Trump was president, a local restaurateur said he would refuse to serve anyone who wore a MAGA hat. It was his business, and his personal opinion. I’ve never seen a MAGA hat in San Mateo County, so no harm right? Except for the fact that he was not always at the restaurant and there was potential that the front-line staff would have to deal with the inevitable fallout — outside attention, calls, emails, etc. They didn’t deserve that.
Break a few eggs to make an omelet, sure, but keep it tidy or clean up your own mess.
I’ve read the agendas for the medical center board for years now. Most of it is targeted to finances, head counts, trends, surveys and other fine-level details in operating a hospital and health system. During COVID, there was more information about the disease but the discussion still stuck mainly to operations like insurance rates, reimbursements and clinic visits. If there were to be a current topic outside of these operational discussions, I would think it would be about health care access whether tied to a shortage of physicians or need for insurance programs for all segments of our population.
Instead, introducing the Gaza resolution asked this group of health care professionals to weigh in on the most controversial topic of our day in what should, for all intents and purposes, be an apolitical body despite the presence of two elected officials on the board. By my understanding, the presence of the two electeds on the board is to report on policy and politics and offer assistance in their realm after hearing of any particular staff concern. To burden these professionals with this topic was outside of the norm and potentially harmful. It should not have been done.
Granted, I’m sure Corzo was the recipient of outreach along with the other members of the board, but she put the others in a political position they do not belong and do not deserve to be.
I don’t always agree with Corzo or her policies, yet, I do admire her work ethic, dedication to her principles and willingness to take a stand on issues important to her. The Board of Supervisors is better because of her perspective and experience. Period. However, I know of her more as a workhorse, someone who knows the issues and does her homework. It seems her passion got the best of her on this issue.
It also doesn’t seem she has the support on the Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution about the situation in Gaza, or would it do any good. There must be a way to think outside the box and find a way to give voice to those who think like her and, more importantly, those who don’t. Borrowing a phrase here, a leader not only seeks understanding of both sides but to reason with both sides.
So what to do? Perhaps a forum with respected voices on all sides of this issue can be organized for those here in our county. I imagine such a forum would be well attended and draw wide attention. Interfaith leaders have significant experience in these type of discussions.
Those calling for cease-fire resolutions have said that what is happening in Gaza affects people locally, that local people are hurt, are fearful and have had significant losses. Many who oppose such resolutions have a different perspective but similar feelings. Providing a forum seeking understanding is better than debating political, religious and philosophical beliefs to convince boards or councils with no power over any of it while also causing hardship to the very professionals who enact policy and run our local governments. Perhaps a forum, rather than asking officials to vote on the issue, might also engender some common ground.
Organizing such a forum would take work, but this role would suit Corzo as she excels at overcoming challenges and organizing. It would also exhibit leadership. Perhaps we can be all together better that way.
Jon Mays is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com. Follow Jon on X @jonmays.
Jon, while I generally agree with most all your columns, I see things very differently on the issue of trying to bring up resolutions regarding our complicity in war crimes being committed with our weaponry and Security Council vetos. In fact our sitting president may well end up being indicted for his complicity along with the Israeli leadership as well as the Hamas organization. Supervisor Corzo's valliant efforts of trying her best to keep us all from this complicity will go down as the correct and moral thing to have done. Where better to air this effort than in the County Medical Center Board? Her effort to show support for medical workers being subjected to ongoing war crimes with our government's support will prove to be the moral one. During my Army schooling as a Military Policeman I learned that any violence against an active healthcare facility such as a hospital could only be undertaken if active fire or imminent fire was detected from the facility. Then only proportionate action could be unertaken not the destruction of the facility. Anything else would be a war crime and on our heads if caught. From all the documentation thus far from Doctors Without Borders and all other staff present and caught in the violence, no such activity was ever present. Tunnels, weapons storage, meeting areas don't meet the definition of active fire from these protected places. Sorry Jon, Noelia is correct and the rest of us are wrong. Stay tuned.
Thanks for your thoughts on this matter, Mr. Mays, and the idea of a forum. As you stated, discussions on foreign policy have no place in local government since they are divisive and take up staff time and energy. So if Corzo or anyone else wants to discuss foreign affairs, they can go for it on their own time and on their own dime, without wasting taxpayer money via staff time and energy. Otherwise, what else will they waste taxpayer money on, discussing whether water is wet or demonizing and denouncing gravity as an authoritarian? After all, gravity holds everyone down.
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(2) comments
Jon, while I generally agree with most all your columns, I see things very differently on the issue of trying to bring up resolutions regarding our complicity in war crimes being committed with our weaponry and Security Council vetos. In fact our sitting president may well end up being indicted for his complicity along with the Israeli leadership as well as the Hamas organization. Supervisor Corzo's valliant efforts of trying her best to keep us all from this complicity will go down as the correct and moral thing to have done. Where better to air this effort than in the County Medical Center Board? Her effort to show support for medical workers being subjected to ongoing war crimes with our government's support will prove to be the moral one. During my Army schooling as a Military Policeman I learned that any violence against an active healthcare facility such as a hospital could only be undertaken if active fire or imminent fire was detected from the facility. Then only proportionate action could be unertaken not the destruction of the facility. Anything else would be a war crime and on our heads if caught. From all the documentation thus far from Doctors Without Borders and all other staff present and caught in the violence, no such activity was ever present. Tunnels, weapons storage, meeting areas don't meet the definition of active fire from these protected places. Sorry Jon, Noelia is correct and the rest of us are wrong. Stay tuned.
Thanks for your thoughts on this matter, Mr. Mays, and the idea of a forum. As you stated, discussions on foreign policy have no place in local government since they are divisive and take up staff time and energy. So if Corzo or anyone else wants to discuss foreign affairs, they can go for it on their own time and on their own dime, without wasting taxpayer money via staff time and energy. Otherwise, what else will they waste taxpayer money on, discussing whether water is wet or demonizing and denouncing gravity as an authoritarian? After all, gravity holds everyone down.
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Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.