The Herald talks to the daughter of the injured guy in the ambulance that had to be diverted by yesterday's I-93 protest shutdown . She's livid.
Norfolk County DA Michael Morrissey, whose office will prosecute the 11 people arrested in Milton yesterday (including Angela Davis, but, no, not that Angela Davis), says:
The disregard for the safety and welfare of innocent citizens that this action manifests is shocking.
But, hold on a second. Chris Faraone reminds us this isn't the first time I-93 was blocked in both directions for a long period of time. But apparently it's OK as long as it's Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz making a movie.
Rebecca Hains, a professor at Salem State University, marvels at some people's sudden concern about other people in ambulances, when they normally couldn't care less when ambulances get diverted because our roads suck or the Sox game just got out:
One local mom, Nicole Aliberti, agrees. "I find it disingenuous that people keep complaining about ambulances not being able to get to Boston hospitals due to the protests," Aliberti told me. "I once experienced being in the back of an ambulance that was transporting my critically ill baby in stopped traffic due to a Red Sox game. No one would move out of the way and we had to find another route to the hospital."
She asks: "Why is there outrage about the Black Lives Matter protest, when there is no outrage about this disruption of hospital traffic that happens many times a year?"
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Comments
Nonsense
By Brian Riccio
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:38am
As someone who most likely spends way too much time on our local roadways, I always see people moving aside and stopping for emergency vehicles. The ones who don't are usually the same assholes who you have to beep at at a green light to get them to stop looking at their fucking phones.
I smell BullShit again
By cybah
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:01am
You are aware that just about every single person arrested yesterday had a previous record? Did ya know that? Oh yeah and let me tell you where they were arrested. I'll give you one hint.. it was across the street from South Station about 3 years ago.
I hate to break it to folks but these folks were not apart of the #blacklivesmatter movement. Last night the news had several black leaders who said they knew nothing about this, and wouldn't support this kind of protest regardless. So who's really calling the shots for this new movement, it certainly not the people who would most to gain from a positive outcome from protests.
These folks were anarchists who are opportunists. I bet they could give a rats ass about black people really. All they cared was furthering their agenda by brushing it it under "blacklivesmatter". All they did was take the next big movement and attach them to it.
And in the end all they did was drain what little support was left for this movement by doing something real stupid. The *last* thing you want to do when having a movement is make the general public hate you.
I was at a couple of the intial protests last month. The vibe I gathered from those vs what happened yesterday is far different than it was initally. I knew the minute I heard about the blockage, I knew these were not the same people from the original rallys but a new group of people just trying to start trouble 'because they can'.
Sad to say but the supporters of the blacklivesmatter are falling for this.... hook, line, and sinker. They have failed to see that their movement has been hijacked now by a bunch of rich trustriafarian white people with a 'mission' that is unlike the purpose of the original movement.
I dunno
By Mollynotloggedin
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:14am
I've seen cars not move for ambulances when they could in Sox traffic.
Well said
By Brian Riccio
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:35am
You know, I write a lot of things here and on the interthingie but...
if I had written that, I'd never write another comment ever again.
Chris Faraone is the end result of too much commercial weed.
nah
By cybah
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:39am
He's a product of waaaay too much LSD
If you really want a laugh
By Brian Riccio
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:26am
check out Faraone's Wiki entry, most of which was written by his partner in mediocrity,Dan McCarthy. Of particular note was this little entry:
Multiple awards? Looks like two mentions at an awards ceremony. They must have written this entry on one of the rare nights they could actually afford good weed.
I laughed
By cybah
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:03am
a long time ago at this. Honestly says a lot when you have a wiki page about yourself and you've done very little to earn it.
Of COURSE it would be a
By gotdatwmd
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 8:36am
Of COURSE it would be a college professor to fire the first countershot.
Much like murder, it comes down to intent. You know when games are and what the traffic is, this was unplanned, aware to no one, purposely kept secret and the intent was to cause trouble. This is not in any way comparable to normal levels of traffic caused by events.
Overturned Truck
By BostonDog
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 8:45am
So you should check your Sox schedule before having a stroke if you live around Kenmore?
So what about things like overturned trucks and other big accidents that unexpectedly block the highways? Certainly emergency vehicles have needed to take alternate routes in these circumstances.
It's not like there aren't other roads in this area. This would be a more important story if they blocked the bridge to Nahant.
Actually yes
By cybah
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 8:47am
Many years ago I worked part time at a night club on Lansdowne Street. I *always* kept tabs on sox games due to parking issues. Most people I know who do live in the Fenway do keep track of home games because of this very reason.
Red Sox traffic.
By Pete Nice
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 8:58am
Traffic in the Longwood Medical area is 3x worse during any given weekday. Let's now complain that all these hospitals are too close in one section of the city. (Which they are)
Traffic during Red Sox games really isn't that bad except for the closed streets around the park. There isn't enough parking close to the stadium (like there is in foxboro) to make it a huge traffic concern.
but Pete
By cybah
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:00am
It is pretty bad when a game gets out.. :) You cannot deny that.
I've been there 100s of times....
By Pete Nice
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:04am
But in terms of cars, I don't think it's as bad as a traffic problem as Brookline Ave and Francis St. are on a 10am on a spring Friday morning. People get out of the way for ambulances, but cars sometimes can't. Also, Boylston St. Is wide enough for two lanes of cars in each direction to make a middle lane if a cruiser or ambulance wanted to get through.
I could see an emergency vehicle getting stuck on its way to the park? But there are already several ambulances and firetrucks there during game days anyway.
So you should check your Sox
By anon
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:02am
No, but your ambulance driver probably does.
The massive traffic jam caused by the idiots who
By mplo
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:57am
who insisted on purposely blocking I-93 to dramatize their point and their cause are not the normal traffic tie-ups that're caused by a stalled car/flat tire, or construction, or any other emergency. These people deliberately chose to go out and disrupt things for the sake of being disruptive and destructive, and they don't deserve any sympathy or support. They may not represent the "Black Lives Matter" Movement as a whole, but they've sure done a hell of a job of getting ordinary, innocent people screwed over, unnecessarily.
I see a real blow-back coming as a consequence of this crap, and it ain't going to be pretty.
Context
By anon²
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 8:50am
I do agree with her:
Even as I think the protesters were ineffectual morons that only were there to stroke their own egos and did something to hurt what is an important issue that needs to be talked about. You don't do what they did to bring about social or policy change.
To accuse those who talk
By gotdatwmd
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:29am
To accuse those who talk about ambulances of racism without any sort of factual language is pure alarmist intellectual dishonesty and completely shameful to come from a person in a teaching position.
I am appalled that someone in such a position can not see the difference between being frustrated and angry at the methods the protestors use and hatred of someone for their skin colour. Of course, this is the new "white silence" era of racism, where if you aren't out there on the highway with them you may as well be holding the noose.
It's not about "accusing
By Carty
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:17pm
It's not about "accusing people of racism" as much as it is that noticing what people choose to emphasize can be illuminating. Bottom line: racism, both overt and implicit is a *huge* problem in the US. Ambulances being blocked by protesters most certainly is not. When people get it wrong one wonders why.
The professor clearly states
By gotdatwmd
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:53pm
The professor clearly states that the ambulances argument is more often than not a "cover for racism."
She also states "read between the lines" which says nothing at all to defend her argument.
Well,
By mplo
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 12:29pm
This:
Even as I think the protesters were ineffectual morons that only were there to stroke their own egos and did something to hurt what is an important issue that needs to be talked about. You don't do what they did to bring about social or policy change.
is something that I strongly agree with, anon, but I strenuously disagree with the notion that concern about the ability of ambulances and other emergency vehicles to get through and reach the scene of a life-or-death matter on the double, or to get the victim of a life-or-death illness or injury to the hospital on the double, is a cover-up for racism. It's a legitimate concern that seriously needs to be addressed.
Time really is of the essence, especially in the case of a life-threatening illness or injury. Every second of every minute counts and even a miniscule amount of delay in transporting such a patient to the hospital or coming to the scene to give him/her advanced care prior to transporting such a person to the hospital can be extremely dangerous. These kinds of things occur in other demonstrations, not just ones revolving around this particular issue.
I would like to see
By AdamL
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:02am
I would like to see #BlackLivesMatter protest a hip hop show. Sure, it ruins a show but it's not like someone died.
Societal and institutional
By Carty
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:12am
Societal and institutional racism? Difficult, squishy, nuanced, not a lot of meat in UH comments.
Traffic/ambulances/Red Sox games? Hypotheticals? (she's "livid" but how is her dad?) *This* is the place.
I think Adam's journalism is *brilliant*. I am addicted to the, as a whole, much less brilliant comments, but cannot figure out why.
Help me.
she should be livid
By anonamousse
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:22am
...that they sent him ten extra mile to Boston and not to the much closer Providence. Much easier to blame protesters than question self anointed "heroes"on their routinely bad decisions.
Easton is about 27 miles from
By anon
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:35pm
Easton is about 27 miles from both Boston and Providence.
I agree
By Supporter
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:36am
Change won't happen bc people, specifically white people, do not have to face the reality that racism and systemic oppression is real- bc it doesn't affect them.
Inconvenience is a real pain but more painful is racism and state protected/sanctioned murder.
Having issue with ambulances not making it through horrendous morning commutes on a good day- et off the blogs/boston Herald comment sections/ bar stool rash rag and organize for better trauma centers located throughout the state. Traveling 50 min to a trauma center is a serious concern we should all have. The reality now is that Ambulances are well aware of the issues traffic presents. It's their job.
Let's refocus on the issue of racism, state sanctioned murder and how black lives are lawfully disposed of, shall we?
Inconvenience is a real pain
By Carty
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:22pm
Yes, exactly. Those of you appalled by the protest? Agree or disagree but don't be baffled, *this* is what Black Lives Matter is about.
Nobody's arguing that institutional racism is a huge problem,
By mplo
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:46pm
as is police brutality, especially in poor and/or non-white communities, but it's necessary to draw a line somewhere, imho. Having said that, I really believe that the blocking of I-93, which is an interstate highway with extremely fast-moving traffic on both sides of it really should be totally off-limits and disallowed, because the blocking off of such a highway, when it's unplanned in advance, like yesterday's protests, really does endanger people, both motorists and protestors alike.
So where do you draw the line?
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 2:03pm
You just said there's a major problem. Where's the line in dealing with it?
It seems to me, Adam, that you, SwirlyGrrl and a whole host of
By mplo
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:24pm
It seems to me, Adam, that you, SwirlyGrrl, and a whole host of other posters here on this board advocate the "do what you want when you want" and the "if it feels good, do it" attitudes that were not only incredibly prevalent back in the late-1960's/early-1970's, but these kinds of attitudes were all too often taken to some real extremes, which backfired rather horrendously, resulting in more right-wing leaders getting and keeping the upper hand here in the United States.
It's rather obvious to me that this kind of extremism that often occurred in various movements for change has begun to re-emerge here.
It seems to me you're wrong
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:44pm
This isn't some Summer of Love hippie-dippy crap, and sorry, I'm not going to blame the Weather Underground for Ted Cruz.
Being constantly afraid and outraged
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:55pm
.. while ignoring factual evidence that refutes your worldview is a mark of a "right winger", if you are going to stereotype.
Upset?
By anon
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:37am
Maybe she should talk to the families of people who have had loved ones killed when they should have been incarcerated. As for some of the other comments, why do I get the feeling that unless it's the Tea Party or open carry protest, you're against a protest? Sure, argue with me that they blocked traffic, etc, but be honest, if they were standing in the middle of Boston Common, you'd still be calling them smelly hippies who should get a job.
Was anyone arrested in Medford?
By Ron Newman
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:42am
The reports yesterday morning were of two demonstrations, one in Milton and the other in Medford. Were the Medford protesters removed without arrests?
eighteen people
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:47am
Eighteen people were arrested - but they weren't chained to a half ton of concrete, each.
Medford arrests
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:46pm
Names here. Their linked-hands-in-a-tube technique proved rather easier to defeat and they were removed from the highway pretty quickly.
Medford arrests
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:46pm
Names here. Their linked-hands-in-a-tube technique proved rather easier to defeat and they were removed from the highway pretty quickly.
Medford arrests
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:46pm
Names here. Their linked-hands-in-a-tube technique proved rather easier to defeat and they were removed from the highway pretty quickly.
Ambulances are diverted ALL THE TIME
By Kaz
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:42am
So, when the last person makes it into the ER causing the hospital to be at capacity and diverts ambulances away, does that person or the 40 people ahead of them get the blame for causing an ER to close?
Snowy conditions lead to a bad accident, do we charge them with the death of everyone at home who couldn't make it to the first hospital of choice?
I hope nobody has a heart attack in Southie on Saint Patrick's Day or anywhere west of the city on Marathon Monday.
I don't remember hearing about everyone calling for the union to be held responsible for untold deaths in 2007 when American Medical Response said it was going to strike ( http://billerica.wickedlocal.com/article/20070730/... ) leaving dozens of towns without ambulance coverage.
In the aftermath of the Marathon bombing or the anniversary bomb scare or absolutely any other time someone has forced police to close roads due to crime, nobody ever says "well, did anyone check to see if ambulances had to go around that mess so we can charge them with the deaths if they happened on the way to the hospital because they were kept from their first choice"?
What I want to know
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:55am
I checked the drive times between Easton and the level 1 trauma in Providence, and also the original destination in Boston.
Even at 10pm last night, it was twenty minutes MORE into Boston - at a time when little traffic was expected.
I'm wondering why the heck Easton is sending trauma cases to Boston at all? Of course, nobody is asking that question. If it is a state boundary issue, why is that allowed to compromise care?
Warp speed
By Kaz
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 9:58am
You can only average 150 mph if you drive NE due to the jet stream.
More important than the ambulance that couldn't get by.....
By Pete Nice
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:38am
Milton had to send ambulances and firetrucks to the protest area. If they were needed somewhere else in Milton, there would have been a delay. That's a problem.
No, that's reality
By Kaz
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:56am
If someone's space heater starts a fire and all the fire and ambulance are needed for that call, we don't condemn them for the delays they caused in responses elsewhere in town.
If instead it's an arsonist, we *still* don't try to lay blame at their feet for all the what-ifs of the response taking away staff from the rest of the coverage area.
When the arc welders lit the Back Bay house on fire, people's first concerns weren't "we should hang them for every emergency that had a delay or all the ambulances that couldn't get to Mass General".
We have emergency personnel to handle emergent situations like civil disobedience and blocking the highway with a protest and building fires and mass casualty events and so on. We have contingencies for when they stuff starts getting out of hand. At some point, if enough goes wrong at once (and we have plenty of understanding on how often that's likely to occur), then we reach our capacity. But all those other things that happened that caused us to reach that capacity don't share any collective blame for the person left without help.
Come on Kaz.
By Pete Nice
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:07am
You used three examples of unintentional reckless or negligent behaviors (2 of them non criminal) an yes we do and should condemn them for those behaviors if they result in a diversion of emergency resources. An arsonist who burns something down should face more heat (no pun intended) than the protestors who broke the law and blocked a highway.
And Boston has more resources than Milton, so one or two ambulances or firetrucks aren't going to matter. Thankfully the state police were there so police resources in Milton also weren't wasted.
And part of these protests is to get police attention, and to divert attention (resources) to their cause.
If someone calls in a false
By anon
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 1:36pm
If someone calls in a false alarm, we do blame them.
The protest is much more similar to a false alarm than it is to a space heater fire.
More important that ambulance dispatch is rational
By SwirlyGrrl
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 11:57am
If ambulances are sent to the nearest trauma unit IN THE SAME STATE instead of the nearest trauma unit, that is a public policy problem that predates this event, and persists despite this event, and is a problem at any time of the day or night.
What they are trying to do here is amp up the supposed damage of a political action. What they really have is a faulty policy decision.
It could be a result
By anon
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:57am
of Prov being out of his "network".
Easton ambulance on the Jamaicway
By adamg
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 10:47pm
About 6:45 p.m., I pulled over to the side while heading inbound for an ambulance shortly before Huntington Ave. It was a red Easton ambulance.
If it were me
By anon
Sat, 01/17/2015 - 10:07am
if it were me and I was a trauma case, I hope to god they'd take me to Boston and not Providence.
Pretty sure diversion works differently now
By KSquared
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 12:42pm
A few years ago there was a rule put in place that stopped the practice of hospitals entering diversion because they had a rapid influx of patients. I think it had to do with better using surge capacity, although don't quote me on that, I don't know the exact specifics.
Now a hospital essentially has to declare an internal emergency in order for diversion to occur, which is what happened to BMC when protesters blocked the roads nearby.
thank you
By Jenna
Fri, 01/16/2015 - 2:24pm
this has made my blood stop boiling from the comments above.
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