Readers might assume the Michigan Healthcare Freedom (MHF) logo refers to the medical caduceus, but that’s only part of the story.
Caduceus: historic symbol of messenger, healing, and commerce
The caduceus of ancient mythology and classical literature was carried by a herald or official messenger, its wings signifying speed.
Before that, the staff and snake represented power over life and death. Old Testament Israelites were suffering as slaves in Egypt when God commissioned Moses and Aaron to show His power to Pharaoh. Among other wonders, Aaron’s staff became a snake and showed Pharaoh’s impotence over life. (Exodus 7).
Later, God directed Moses to set up a pole with a brass serpent, saving Israelites from poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:4-9) and prefiguring Christ’s redeeming death on the cross (John 3:14). The One prophesied to arise with healing in His wings (Malachi 4:2) is surely the epitome of healing!
The “other” symbol
Physicians prefer the simple staff with one snake called the rod of Asclepius. Some cite biblical history.
However, the caduceus is also associated with commerce – and that’s the real problem for many medical organizations. The view that trade and competition are beneath doctors is entrenched, going back at least to Hippocrates.
Calling medicine a holy art sounds very high-minded, until you realize where it leads. To replace a business mindset, professional lobbies routinely use legal force to reduce competition and leverage more income for their members.
At MHF, we think that the free exchange of services for pay is more honest.
As a practical matter, mandates have failed both the art and science of healthcare, taking America’s doctors down to their lowest status ever as corporate employees. Competition, a key aspect of freedom, works to improve healthcare access and variety.
The MHF logo stands for all three of these aspects of the historic caduceus – messenger, commerce, and healing policy through freedom.
The policy pen
Instead of a staff conveying authority or mysterious power, the MHF logo’s policy pen communicates a different type of authority: the rule of law.
Written law provides a concrete, lasting standard for accountability.
It is the first requirement for equal justice. Equality means that no one is so high that they are above the law, and no one is so low that it will not defend them.
It’s especially important in healthcare law to make the point that we’re already equal. It’s an abuse of law to treat health policy as a tool of redistribution. As a substitute for equality, it fails in every way.
A particular blessing of written law is that those who do the writing and passing into law are known. They can be held responsible for the consequences, too. That’s how we get accountable government, and better policy.
Is that a globe in the MHF logo??
You may have wondered about that little globe on top of the policy pen. Our sphere represents learning (as opposed to the dark, forced, conformity of globalism).
As the earth turns and is exposed to the light of the sun and the darker brilliance of the night sky, so policy changes. You might call it a creation ordinance.
As citizens of our state, we are not locked into poor choices or bad law. Rather, we can learn by being exposed to lasting truths and life experiences.
Informed citizens are the path to better health policy. That’s why we teach.
Why the name Michigan Healthcare Freedom?
Michigan Healthcare Freedom is about the full range of state health policy, and securing individual freedoms related to healthcare.
But why healthcare freedom? Why not health itself, or medical, or patient freedom?
Health is primarily a personal responsibility.
Healthcare takes two – a clinician, and someone who desires their expertise. Trying to make just one side of that relationship free is doomed to fail.
Inside healthcare are many professions besides medicine. And many, many types of people want services for their problems. Limiting their choices to just one profession creates shortages.
Freedom is for everyone, or no one. That’s how it works.
MHF is on a mission, and our message is healthcare freedom! Support our mission here.
