On April 14th, we received two items from our readers.
The first, from a Public Health Nurse working in the 'Healthy Living Service' of a regional health authority, who reads our posts via the CLICK4HP listserv. This person wants the list administration to eliminate anything written by Ocean, but wishes to hear from all other contributors. There was no reason given.
The second, from someone who, after reading our posts on economics ridiculous, wrote that s/he is "only two pay cheques away from there." This person wants us to keep up the good work. This person wants to make a difference and intends to lobby his/her local Member of Parliament and provincial counterpart to make some positive changes regarding the many others who are living on the edge.
It is interesting to me that the 'professional' does NOT want to hear from the people s/he is supposedly serving. Meanwhile, the working poor person cheers us on.
My conclusion is that the one who needs to hear this message from those living the experience has a closed mind. It makes me wonder about other 'professionals' who would rather not hear our story - or the stories of others - dismissing us, without listening to our solutions.
4 comments:
Have never had the courage to write about the snark email we receive. (Actually, since ER began on January 1st, we've received only two, thank goodness.) Appreciate your taking the initiative to bring the issue out into the open.
Re public health nurses, the only ones I've read or heard about until now have been champions of the underdog and more knowledgeable about the social determinants of health than virtually any other health pros or academics, perhaps precisely because they work so intimately with marginalized populations.
Perhaps the exception is safely tucked behind walls and a desk, performing some administrative function.
ARghola Daph and Miz Chrystal. Bad enough that there are folk that are closed minded. Worse if they are in the helping professions.
I - for one - find all of your postings interesting, even when I don't agree with your opinions about some things. The way you state where you stand makes it easy to hear and allow without feeling that I am forced to adopt your points of view for everything. in fact, I cannot adopt your points of view, 'cause your points of view come, literally, from a different perspective than mine.
Yet that makes the whole sharing you do more valuable, since I cannot see from where you are, and rely on you to tell me and share, so I can begin to understand... and from this comes an opening within me that is very valuable.
so, from a mostly silent fan, I suggest you imagine them goofballs - all high and mighty as they think they are - suddenly trying to get by on less than rent money each month. or is that too cruel? Whatever, it is only a dream... Meanwhile, keep posting and sharing. the ones who value you will continue to do so, and the ones who don't? well, they will either remain blind, or may begin to see. Ain't no nevermind - half the folk out there won't like us, it is the half who do that we should be willing to hear!
XX
Teri
Thanks Teri!
Ocean, Daphne
The only think I can say, from various people I've linked in to your blogs from public health nursing, health promotion and public health, is keep it up. Those of us who aren't where you are need your perspective to understand how what we do affects you and people like you. Otherwise we just carry on and we WILL miss important stuff. As to the nurse, well, some people just aren't worth worrying about. Hopefully that's someone is a spot where they can't do any damage to real people.
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