The Surgeon General

Things have not looked so rosey in reviewing the president's choice for the new Surgeon General.

Effect Measure sheds some light on James Holsinger.

It's not as if the Surgeon General was such an important post. The SG's mission is mainly to educate the public and advise the President. No big deal, really. And in fact the past SGs might as well have been invisible. Hell, they were invisible. No use of the position as a bully pulpit to educate the public about good health. Now President Bush has nominated a new Surgeon General to replace the Acting SG who replaced the previous one who did almost nothing his whole tenure except issue a report on the dangers of second hand smoke and shortly thereafter found his appointment not renewed. So who's the new guy? Will he educate the public and the President about good health and bad health? Unlikely. But he clearly has some pretty definite views on Right and Wrong. He's got it Straight, all right.

Meet Dr. James Holsinger, currently Health Director in Kentucky, former Chief Medical Director of the VA and, not incidentally, president of the United Methodist Church's high court, its Judicial Council. He's has a medical doctor and PhD (anatomy) from Duke and, of course, his most important qualification for a health post in the Bush administration, a theologian. Not an amateur one. A real one. He has a master's degree in biblical studies from Asbury Theological Seminary. So he's religious. Very religious. Bible studies. That doesn't mean it will affect his policy views as Surgeon General. The Bush administration wouldn't stand for that:

President Bush's choice for surgeon general likely will face questions about his stands on AIDS, sex education and abortion during the confirmation process, various political and religious activists say.

The nominee, Kentucky cardiologist Dr. James Holsinger, serves as president of the United Methodist Church's high court, its Judicial Council, and has made his negative views on homosexuality known for nearly two decades.

In the early 1990s, Holsinger resigned from the denomination's Committee to Study Homosexuality because he believed the committee "would follow liberal lines," according to Time magazine. At the time, he warned that acceptance of homosexuality would drive away millions of churchgoers.

As a member of the Judicial Council, he voted with the majority in 2005 that a Virginia pastor could deny church membership to an openly gay man. (Frank Lockwood, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette religions editor)

Oh, yeah, I forgot about this, the case of the Lesbian pastor in Washington state exonerated by a church panel. The new SG, despite being overruled, is a man of principle:

"Fair process has been accorded Rev. Karen T. Dammann and the result is she is found to be a self-avowed practicing homosexual. The application of the Discipline to the finding of the trial court means Rev. Karen T. Dammann is not in good standing and cannot be appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church," Holsinger and three other Judical Council members said in a dissenting opinion. (another Lockwood piece)

Well, I suppose we should also mention the 1996 Methodist conference, when 15 Bishops issued a statement registering their personal pain against proscriptions against homosexuality. Dr. Holsinger thought they really spoiled the party:

"We believe it is time to break the silence and state where we are on this issue that is hurting and silencing countless faithful Christians," the bishops' statement asserted. At the same time, the 11 active and four retired bishops affirmed their commitment to "continue our responsibility" to the church's order and Book of Discipline.

[snip]

The Rev. J. Philip Wogaman, pastor of Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, told United Methodist News Service he believes the "prophetic" statement of the 15 "will, in the long run, do much good."

Jim Holsinger, Lexington, Ky., said "the careful orchestration" of the conference by the 15 bishops "cast a gray pall across the" conference, "which did not lift, even after its adjournment." (more Lockwood)

At least unlike other Bush appointees, this one won't fall easily to lobbyists:

When surgeon general nominee Dr. James Holsinger was serving on the board of the Confessing Movement of the United Methodist Church, the board issued a statement accusing the "radical homosexual/lesbian lobby" and those who support homosexuality of precipitating "a crisis in the United Methodist Church." (another Lockwood piece)

Maybe Bush's nomination had nothing to do with Holsinger's anti-gay religious views. There is certainly some evidence to indicate other factors were involved:

The doctor and his wife, Barbara, have given more than $21,000 to Republican causes over the past decade, including $4,000 to President Bush's 2004 re-election campaign. (Lockwood)

I wouldn't want to judge him hastily.

Effect measure has offered up a supplemental on Holsinger.