Systemic Racism, Covid-19 and the U.S. health care system. Ep. 146

If you are paying attention to the news these days, you have
probably heard the term “systemic racism” used to describe the
conditions in this country that made something as horrific as the
killing of George Floyd by a police officer in broad daylight
possible. The disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on people
of color has also been talked about as an issue of “systemic
racism.” But what exactly does that mean? How does it play out in
different parts of American society and in individual lives? How do
history, individual prejudices, government policy and social
arrangement conspire to devalue the lives of some Americans? This
week, we explore those questions through a specific lens: health
care. Sarah Kureshi is a doctor of family medicine who teaches a
course at Georgetown University on racial bias in the health care
system. We ask Dr. Kureshi about the root causes of health
inequalities, what the medical community is doing to root out
racism and what the coronavirus pandemic has revealed about what
and who this country considers essential. In Signs of the Times, we
discuss the Supreme Court’s decision to extend discrimination
protections to L.G.B.T. workers and how the Catholic media should
cover Archbishop Carlo  Maria Viganò’s conspiratorial letter
to Donald J. Trump. Tell us what you thought about today’s show on
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We can’t make the show without your support. Thank you.  
Links from the show Supreme Court says federal law protects
L.G.B.T. workers from discrimination President Trump tweeted about
Archbishop Viganò. So, who is he? Archbishop Viganò is aligning
with Trump to stay in the spotlight. Pay him no attention. Inside
the Vatican Podcast: Why is the Vatican silent on Archbishop
Viganò?   What’s on tap? Aperol Spritz Learn more about your
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