Passover, Easter, and the Pandemic – Common Themes?

Mike Magee Two years ago, Rabbi Daniel F. Polish wrote an article in the Jesuit magazine America titled, “Easter and Passover have more in common than you think.” In the final summary paragraph, he writes: “Pesach (or Passover) and Pascha (or Easter), beneath their manifest historical and theological content, can be seen as the human […]

The Truth Shall Set You Free – Who’s Doing Serologic Testing?

Mike Magee Three weeks ago, with the active support of Gov. Gavin Newsome, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti shut down Los Angeles in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. And while their early actions are paying rewards (200 deaths in Los Angeles compared to over 6300 in New York City), they recognize that only the truth […]

100,000 – 240,000 Deaths? Are you sure about that?

Mike Magee We all sort of knew this was coming. A President, who is TV bound and a (somehow) entertaining pathologic liar, gets caught up in a life or death crisis where truth and trust are prerequisites. This leaves Americans (and Cable News networks for that matter) with a difficult choice: a) Turn him off. […]

Work, Love, Courage – in Abundance.

Mike Magee This morning I listened to an interview of the President of Mass. General Hospital, Dr. Peter Slavin, as he outlined the reality of Covid-19 and the challenges faced by his nurses, doctors and health professionals during this crisis. In his words, I found pride in having been part of the caring professions whose […]

The Trump Easter Celebration – Resurrecting The Economy?

Mike Magee New York Times columnist, Thomas Friedman, was sufficiently disturbed by President Trump’s suggestion that our nation needlessly sacrifice American lives to protect the American economy with a quick return to work by Easter, that he turned to his old friend, Michael Sandel, legendary political philosopher at Harvard for reassurance. As many of us […]

David Brooks on COVID-19 Response: Beware of Dread.

Mike Magee On March 12th, New York Times columnist David Brooks indulged in a moment of existential reflection when he wrote, “Frank Snowden, the Yale historian who wrote ‘Epidemics and Society,’ argues that pandemics hold up a mirror to society and force us to ask basic questions: What is possible imminent death trying to tell […]

For All Health Professionals Now: “Connect the ‘DOTS’, Dump the ‘Hunch’ “

Mike Magee There isn’t a health professional (or financial professional for that matter) out there who didn’t shake her head last week when Dr. Trump expressed his “hunch” about Covid-19. Crises and panic breed in an environment of ignorance, loose lips, and misshaped priorities. “Hunches” make all responsible leaders shutter. Britain’s Adam Kucharski’s new book, […]

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