Commission got it right: Racism, public health linked
The Dayton City Commission recently adopted a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis. I want to add to the strong reasons the commission gave for the resolution. Public health can serve as an image for expanding our imaginations as we seek to end racial injustice.
Many people might be troubled by the commission’s resolution because their image of liberty does not fit well with their idea of public health. They think of wearing masks, social distancing, and closing businesses and schools as restricting their freedom. They worry about how much freedom Americans would have to give up to address racism as a public health issue.
American philosopher John Dewey once wrote, “Human nature exists and operates in an environment. And it is not
‘in’ that environment as coins are in a box, but as a plant is in the sunlight and soil.” Dewey’s image mirrors the World Health Organization’s definition of public health as aiming “to provide conditions in which people can be healthy.” For individuals to grow and live, the conditions for health — the soil and sunlight of our lives — must be present. Public health focuses on whole populations rather than individuals. Health care for individuals can function well only when it works hand in hand with a strong public health program.
When the conditions for public health are met, freedom as the ability to flourish and thrive becomes possible. Racism is an indicator of how these conditions have been withheld from African Americans and other disadvantaged groups. Racism today is indeed a public health crisis, as it deprives many Americans of those conditions necessary for sustaining health and life.
Over 100 years ago, social reformer and peace activist Jane Addams used public health initiatives as an image for seeking justice. At that time tuberculosis was the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Addams praised the worldwide effort then underway to find treatments and cures. She noted that this effort required “self-control, endurance, self-sacrifice and constant watchfulness.” She called on her fellow Americans to put the same energy into seeking justice and peace. Think of the enormous efforts and resources people all over the world are pouring into saving lives from COVID-19 and finding cures. If we could pour the same efforts and resources into ending racism, imagine the progress we could make.
Thinking about a different pandemic, Addams wrote, “When the solidarity of human interest is actually realized, it will become unthinkable that one class of human beings should be sacrificed to the supposed needs of another.”
And when it becomes unthinkable that African Americans and other groups have less access than other Americans to medical care, housing, nutrition, safe neighborhoods and education, the image of public health will have served us well.
Marilyn Fischer is a retired philosophy professor from UD who is writing a book about Jane Addams’ philosophy.