Protesters are gathering today outside the University of Chicago’s new hospital building to demand a trauma center for adult residents who live in the neighborhood near the hospital. They accuse the University of ignoring the needs of low-income minorities who live in Chicago’s south side. Police have been called in, and at least four arrests have reportedly been made.
The University says it has good reasons not to re-open its adult trauma center. At the same time, there is truth in the protesters’ claim that the University has attempted to exclude low-income and uninsured patients.
That effort, which went under the banner of “Urban Health Initiative,” was spearheaded by none other than First Lady Michelle Obama, who was the hospital’s vice president for community and external affairs at the time. She was generously compensated for her efforts.
The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) blasted Mrs. Obama’s program, expressing “grave concerns that the University of Chicago’s policy toward emergency patients is dangerously close to ‘patient dumping.’”
As Twitchy’s Michelle Malkin wrote in her book, Culture of Corruption: “Favoring the wealthy over the poor while posing as guardians of the downtrodden? Hey, it’s the Chicago way.”
Here are some of the protesters’ photos:
BREAKING- 4 arrests confirmed. See timeline for free use photos from UofC healthcare sit-in http://t.co/GkIQphEf via @plussone
— Chicago Rising (@ChicagoRising) January 27, 2013
https://twitter.com/OCPress/status/295634508479352832
Police throw protester to the ground at U Chicago protest demanding more trauma centers on the south side http://t.co/7OsQjTQR
— Chicago Rising (@ChicagoRising) January 27, 2013
Join the conversation as a VIP Member