Stephen L. Goldstein The Sun-Sentinel

August 30, 2009

Stephen L. Goldstein
The Sun-Sentinel
200 East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301

Professor Goldstein,

Thanks again for saving me the time searching for my ancient copy of “Under the Lion’s Paw” by Hamlin Garland. The ultimate victim, the consummate villain all wrapped up in under 10 pages.

Rather than tear through boxes unopened for years looking for it I stumbled upon your column. Your lachrymose tale of Evan, an undeserving victim of Reagan and Bush, a man who drew the short straw – Didn’t Teddy’s brother say, “Life is unfair”? – of DNA run wild is moving, deeply moving.

You personalize Evan like Saul Alinsky was peering over your shoulder with a menacing blue pencil.

The predictable villains are the creationists, those opposed to Federal embryonic stem cell research, the profit motive, the Republicans, and the unavailability of legal marijuana.

Your solution is to use the “collective wisdom of government” to save future Evans, it being too late to save the present one. Did you say “collective wisdom”? Did you say “government”?

A quick review is in order.

#1 – We had two wars in the 1960s. At least the one in Vietnam stopped. The one against poverty is ongoing with no end in sight. Is there going to be a surge like the one in Iraq that will finally win it? Sure. Just as soon as my brother the hunchback straightens up.

#2 – If the Federal government, the state government of Louisiana, the parish government, and the government of the city of New Orleans can’t get trucks filled with ice and water across a bridge for 5 days why do you think the “collective wisdom of government” will cure cancer?

#3 – The people who run the Post Office, the people who run AMTRAK, the people who run the IRS, the people who run any Motor Vehicles office will, in your perfect world, decide where tax payer dollars go to get new drug or a magic surgical tool or a new diagnostic tool. Gee but that’s dumb.

In the column below yours in today’s Suns-Sentinel Robert Watson, Ph.D. misreads a quote from Samuel Johnson.

Thank God I won’t.

In my lifetime, up until the arrival of the great Reagan, the United States Government did two things superbly well.

A – They fought World War 2.
B – They were the general contractor for the moon shot.

If you believe that government can decide medical things better than the medical profession operating in the arena of ideas, of trial and error, and the empirical evidence of the scientific method then you are the poster boy for one of my favorite Johnson quotes.

“Such stupidity, sir, is not found in Nature.”

It will be scarce consolation to your suffering friend Evan but the good Doctor’s advice may be of some solace.

“How sad of all the things that men endure
How few laws or kings can cause or cure.”






Kevin Smith