man demands "No blacks in the delivery room"

I suppose against the supervisors, for keeping staff members out of a room based on race. They could have chosen to have the man removed from the hospital if he started causing a scene instead.

Perhaps, rather than have a potentially dangerous situation, they complied with the family's wishes. I can see where they wouldn't want some racist nutcase, going off in a hospital and they couldn't refuse to treat the wife.

Another option would have been to ban the husband from the hospital, if he became unruly.

That's sadly pretty common in parts of the south. My mother worked in a hospital ER for years and people regulary refused to have nurses of one race or another caring for them.

I'm not in any way defending the idea, just saying that it happens fairly often here, once a month at least. It's awfully nice of the hospital in question to apologize to the employees, I know for a fact the one here never does. There was even one incident in which a black staff member was spit on with no reaction at all from the hospital.(Police were present and said they would file assault charges, but she prefered not to.)

I wonder why there is no mention of his wife. If she indicated this choice as well the hospitals hands were pretty much tied. Yes, they could have sent staff members in, but that may well have resulted in a confrontation and they can't by law ask her to leave.(I couldn't access the full story so am going with what was posted.)

I am shocked that this goes on anywhere! My first reaction? I would take that statement by the husband as a refusal to have his wife treated, and give her the choice of either having him banned from the buildin, or leaving to find care elsewhere.

No way should that ever be done. If hospitals just put a stop to it with no exceptions, the racists will have trouble getting medical care, but not because it was refused to them. It would be because they refuse to be treated. And it would serve them damn well right.

Again I want to state up front I am NOT condoning this behavior by anyone.

To leave a hospital before treatment is complete you are asked to sign a form saying that you are leaving of your own free will and against medical advice. (AMA form) They can not ask a patient to leave under any circumstances if leaving will cause the patient physical harm. Most of the jackasses that pull the race garbage wouldn't sign an AMA form, the idiots in question almost certainly wouldn't have..again I'm assuming but if she was in the hospital for several days in relation to pregnancy something was going on.

Sadly in many cases hospital staff is used to abusive language. As I said in my previous post, my mother worked in an ER for 15 years. There were several "regulars" that called her several negative things relating to the fact she was white. To relate it to a maternity ward while I was in the hospital delivering the twins there was a woman who had recently had a child calling the staff "a bunch of f***ing b****es loudly. They couldn't ask her to leave because it would leave the hospital wide open to law suits.

In this case YES the husband could have been asked to leave, but I'm assuming the wife had something to do with the request and they couldn't have gotten her to leave short of her signing that AMA form and walking out.

I just want to say again I'm NOT defending the behavior of this man, I'm trying to point out that the hospital's hands were tied by legalities and they made the best of a bad situation.

Unbelievable. That is simply appalling.

I do know that nurses and medical staff get really crappy treatment a lot of times. When my mother was in the hopsital, I was very careful, even when I was really upset about things that were going in, I was very respectful of the nurses, because in the vast majority of cases, there is not anything they can do about the situation. And I baked them cookies. But this situation, I had simply no idea it went on. How unbelievably disgusting. No wonder medical people burn out on the job.

I was completely shocked and taken aback to hear of this, especially as this is in the town where we live. Abington Hospital is literally a quarter mile from my house. This is not a racially charged neighborhood! Abington is a middle class town, with blacks, whites, Asians, etc; blue and white collar workers alike.

And as a nurse, it hit home in another way. The idea of someone turning away the care I've been trained to give because of my appearance is revolting. Suppose someone said, "No redheaded nurses"? Would I then be turned away from providing care to that patient?

I think the hospital made the right choice, to simply comply with this idiot's wishes than to cause a potential scene. The problem is not with the hospital; they tried to give the level of care that was consistent with the family's wishes. The problem is with this idiot husband.

Racism is a very ugly thing, but i think that the hospital did what was best for it legally and for it's staff. i personally am revolted, but i'd be more sickened to hear of any of the hospital's staff being abused by those idiots.

i sometimes marvel at the fact that portions of the population believe that racism doesn't exist anymore....that all the problems and challenges that come with it were solved with the Civil Rights movement. we've come a long way...but still have an equally long one to go! the same applies with sexism, but that's a whole different topic

I don't know. I don't really see a problem with it. Was it right?? No! But if that is what the person wanted then why not. I think everyone gets too up in arms about race issues. Some people were raised to beleave certain things, and that is just the way the feel. My question is always if it was the other way around would it be as big of a deal.
We leave in a world where we have black collages, black miss americas, and black collage scholarships. If it were white collages, white miss america and white collage scholarships people would be flipping out. If things are going to be equal they should be EQUAL.

This behaviour is totally unacceptable. Thats it! Why do all the replies agree it is not right but........... There is no BUT. It is just unacceptable. We have a right to be treated by qualified people whatever the circumstances, doctors, nurses, lawyers etc isnt that enough - where do we draw the line. If they do the job what difference does race or gender make.

I think it's OK. I mean people are people and I think they have the right to their opinions. I think it's silly of the guy to demand this, but what could the hospital do? The customer's always right you know. If they are uncomfortable with black people why force them to be together? I could see if there were no other available staff, but I really don't see what the big deal is. I wouldn't want a male gyno and I don't think I'm sexist..

I mean I could see that it upset people, hell I would be upset if it happened where I worked, but I don't see why it's the hospitals fault..

People shouldn't have to like other people. We live in the USA we have a right to say and feel the way we want! I'm sooooooo sick and tried of it! Some people just feel more comfortable with people that are the same race as themselves. That doesn't make it right, but people should be allound to choose, espeical with how much hostipals charge!

I find this appalling! No, I can't blame the hospital - the personnel were put in an impossible position. I'm familar with Abington, and hate to think that bigots such as this woman's husband live there, or anywhere, for that matter. The hospital took the path of least resistance, to avoid trouble and publicity - the media should concentrate on the couple's behavior, which was inexcusable. I wonder if that guy would also refuse to accept minority medical personnel if he were bleeding to death?

I just think the whole thing is stupid. I think treating black people speical is just as racest as treating them different. If I am just as quilfied for a job as a black person by law the black person gets the job because they are a "minority" Something is NOT right there! I know ALOT of black kids that grew up in much wealthier families then my own. I really think that the USA needs change. No matter what color as person is they are a person.
Maybe none of his wife normal docs were black and not thinking cleary he wanted some one he was used to and just knew they were black.
I really dont think that some one should be thought of as a raciest just because in the heat of the moment they yelled something.
If a black person yelled no white people I would feel the same. To each there own.
If i was having a baby I would feel uncomfortable if a doc other then one of the docs from the pratice I went to was working on me. It wouldn't matter if they were black, white or poka dot.
Just a note: The BEST plastic surgen in my area is black, along with one of the best eye docs. People in my family have seen both. I am in NO way saying that what this guy did is right, but I think it is HIS RIGHT to do it.

I agree that racism is racism, whether the charges are generated by a white, black, Hispanic, or Native American (does anybody else question the capitalization "rules"?). However, I do think the U.S, as a nation of immigrants and a "multicultural society", should, along with countries with similar populations, like Canada, Britain, Australia, etc., etc., try to set an example. Much is overdone - it doesn't really matter whether someone refers to me as "deaf" or "hearing-impaired", or as an "Asian-Hispanic-German-Irish-American" or a "mongrel"- the stress should be placed on an individual's abilities and achievements. Discrimination and anti-discrimination are alive and well. This was brought home to me a few years ago when I asked my sister, an R.N., to set up a few doctors' appointments for me. She told me she had found a "Jewish gynecologist, an Asian hemotologist, and a Russian dermotologist". When I questioned her choices, she told me she had gone by my past choices! She was right - my choices were definitely prejudiced! I was stereotyping, although I personally objected to being stereotyped. The media overdo it - but maybe that's what we need. I'm married to a German, and have been living in Germany for half my life, and I object to people portraying all German-speaking people as Nazis. That's like portraying all Moslems as terrorists, or all LDS as polygamists. Maybe everyone is entitled to their prejudices, but I think the media is quite right in questioning those beliefs.

you want to talk about being sterotype...trying telling some one you are pagan or worse yet a witch. Then you will REALLY see some horrible stero types. But I don't see anyone through pagan scholarships around. I can't even wear a pentagram with out people walking on the other side of the street. Everyone seems to think it is okay to stero type that way.

This story brings up 2 issues for me: 1) What the man demanded and 2)How the hospital replied.

Does the hospital's response agree with our idea that all are equal? No. But I think they made the right decision. They had to take into consideration not only the feelings of the black staff members, but also the safety of all the people (patients and staff) in the hospital. They had no way to predict whether or not this man would become violent if his wishes were not met. And I think they erred on the side of caution, that he could be violent. He could have been banned from the hospital, but that would have not insured that he didn't come back in seeking trouble.

The issue here is this man and his racist, predjudiced, stereotyped views. It just brings home that racism and predjudice still exists in our society. We still have a lot of work to do to make sure this doesn't happen again.

I just don't get this racist people, don't we have enough problems without them adding more?

They should have asked the wife if it was okay with her to "BAN" her husband. They then could have given his wife the proper treatment and the only one that would have been left out on the birth of his own child would have been the BIGGOT FATHER!

Princess Purr, I know how you feel there. If I wear protective crystals or anything pagan I immediatley get hassled. Man that really kills me! It's only jewelry, it's not like we're going to put a spell on anyone....although sometimes they do deserve a good JAR! JK

Not that I am saying what the husband did was right. But as a patient you have the right to choose who takes your case. Nurses, Dr's any medical perosn that comes in contact with you you have the right to say if you want that person doing your care. He's reasons for his choice were wrong BUT it's the patients choice. and I know that in my case if my Hubby didn't want a certain Dr working on me I would respect his decision just like I know he would with me. Special in a time like Giving birth! I know I sure as heck want my husband there when I deliver OUR baby.

As for the hospital it is a very honerable for them to apologize to the staff. And as far as take corrective action on employee's they have no ground.

I actually wrote an editorial to my local paper about harassment of non Christians in general. I was in high school and had gotten into a debate in a class that got pretty heated. The discussion was about whether homosexuals choose their orientation or it's programmed from birth. My opinion is and was birth, a very popular cheerleader disagreed with me. This got knocked back and forth for a bit until said cheerleader got to her feet and shouted, "If you were a decent Christian person blah blah blah.." I can't remember the exact wording, but anyway, she then burst into tears and ran from the room. I do remember that she thought I was into paganism. Well, that and a very dear friend of mine who is and was Wiccan inspired the editorial. The newspaper actually printed it(which shocked me honestly) and it basically said that trashing someone else's beliefs, much less spreading disgusting rumors about it, makes you seem pretty dim and closeminded.

Needless to say school was pretty rough for a couple of weeks, no one would have noticed most likely if a couple of teachers hadn't pointed it out(they were trying to be nice and supported my position).

That is just sad. Sounds like the hospital staff did the best they could in a REALLY awkward situation. I don't think it would be fair to discipline anyone.

I'd like to think that most people are beyond that, but somehow the hate and fear of anyone different just keeps rearing its ugly head.

I do think it's improved a lot from how it used to be, though, and that it will continue to improve in the future.

Funny, now all the white people are lumped together even by racists whose grandparents probably cursed the Irish, German, Italian, Polish, etc. immigrants!

That is soooo very true!

It sounds like the hospital did the best they could given the legal constraints and the attitude of the man. They shouldn't be held accountable for it.

Unfortunately, racism does exist in our country. It's gotten better in the last 40 years that I've been around, but still has a long way to come.

I can't help but relate this to the years of struggle that the woman's movement went thru. Susan B. Anthony (a distant aunt of mine) really pushed the movement from the mid 19th century and died before she saw women receive the vote in the early 1920's. A lot of the racial equality movement is founded from the types of things that she and her peers implemented. Women take so many rights and attitudes for granted today that didn't exist 70 years ago. Still have more to go, but compared to yesteryear, tremendous strides have been made.

I can only hope that in time, racism dies like the many biases towards women. When the United States elects a minority woman president, I will judge these issues closed. I hope to see that day in my lifetime and will rejoice when it happens.

....we hold these truths to be self evident, that all men (and women) are created equal....

Princess, I don't agree at all with your statement, for the longest, there were no blacks allowed to participate in Miss America, Vanessa Williams was the first to actually be allowed to participate and won, then she was ripped of her title because of her posing in PlayBoy Magazine The same with the Oscars, very rare blacks have actually won them until recently. Majority of the colleges in america were based on only whites. The whole movement in the 60s wouldn't allow blacks into schools, this is not too long ago. It is not a bad thing for blacks to try to have their own colleges The college I went to was a historical black college but there were other races that went, there were plenty of white kids that went there, indians, mexicans, etc.

As far as people being raised with racist thoughts, I don't think it's right at all, we were just dealing with a tragedy of so called 'staunch muslims' who were supposedly raised to believe Americans are the 'infidels' and deserve to die. That's wrong just as it's wrong for the Nation of Islam (who are not real muslims btw) to think all white people are the devil, or that the KKK think they should get rid of all blacks and minorities and have a pure white race or the staunch christian crusades thinking all muslims should die or anyone who isn't christian should die. These type of thinking is not right nor should it be allowed but it is, unfortunately. Not too long ago a black man was dragged to his death chained to a back of a truck, driven by four white men. And the tragedy of the gay man who was beaten to death. Too often I hear of crimes that should not have occurred based on the free will of what people want to think about others based on racism and ignorance. I personally think racism is purely ignorance and fear. Fear of not knowing if that other person could be your friend.

As far as letting people in on a job or school based on race, that is entirely a different subject. I don't agree with it, but they have to meet the 'status quo' of the number of miniorities which I think further degrades a person. The last job I was hired to do, SOB, I found out a year later that they hired me only because I was 'black.' There were only three blacks and one mexican working in a company of 100 people. I was so livid that I didn't say anything, I just sat there and continued working. Then I quit after a year it just didn't seem right and it was unfair to me because I should have been hired based on my qualifications which I was well qualified. In the end I think that SOB said that to tick me off because I was doing a better job than any of her other employees who were too lazy sitting on their rears, gossiping about nothing.

Being racist is being racist. I do not think it is fair for any ONE race to be able to have something spiecal just because they were born into that race. It is TOTALLY and COMPLETLY not fair that people get speical treatment just because they are a certain color. Blacks ARE alound in miss america now, and certain states never seem to win miss america but I don't see a speical miss america for the states that rarly have winners. That is like saying that white people should be given spiecal scholarships if they can play basket ball good because most basket ball players are black It is not like we are two different speices. People are people and having spiecal treatment for some people is only going to add to people not liking one another. I do not like to see anyone treated differently, it is not fair to ANYONE.

People have the right to freedom of speech as long as you don't say anything negetive about a minority.

Ditto. It's worse in other countries, like my husband's, his relatives and friends treated me like I was some lower class because of my skin color, (even though their people are just as black ) but then my friend who is white as snow, they treat her like she is so delicate and Queen of england or something

People are very odd!

i don't mean to stir things up...but i'm trying to understand something..Princess, you keep yelling "special treatment special treatment" but what exactly are you referring TO? i have never seen SPECIAL treatment...only unequal treatment. can you give some examples so i can understand what you're talking about??