Conservative radio host Charlie Kirk is bringing attention to what he says is medical apartheid being done in, of all places, the state of Texas under the watch of Gov. Greg Abbott.
On his show this week Kirk played a video of man, Harrison Hill Smith, apparently being denied potentially life-saving medical care in the form of monoclonal antibody treatment because he is not black or Hispanic.
“I’m not gonna be able to get it today because I don’t qualify?” Smith, who is a conservative radio host, asked the black nurse who was checking his eligibility.
“What if I smoked and vaped? He asked to which the nurse indicated that would not have him qualify.
“What if I were black and Hispanic? Then I’d be able to qualify? He said to which the nurse responded in the affirmative.
I’m being denied medical service because of my race?” he said.
“That’s the criteria,” the nurse responded. “What I do, I go around and make sure everyone meets the criteria. That’s the criteria that was set forth. If you were 65 you’d be good. But nope you’re healthy and no medical conditions. Research shows that you should be able to fight off COVID.”
“Maybe it’s for someone else, may preclude them a little more, make them a little more susceptible,” she said.
Denied medical service because of my race. pic.twitter.com/FgtO3oiSPG
— Harrison Hill Smith (@Harrison_of_TX) November 13, 2021
Radio host Dave Reilly wanted to check on this nurse’s claims, so he called the Texas State Infusion Hotline to see if what the nurse said was correct.
“There’s eligibility criteria that we go by, and African American and Hispanic are high-risk ethnicity groups, so that would be a qualifier,” the person on the phone for the hotline said to Reilly. The person said that “people with a BMI of 25 or higher, people who are 65 years of age or up, or high-risk ethnicity groups can get it.”
“So if you are a healthy, in-shape, Caucasian, and you show up, you are not gonna get an infusion?” Reilly said.
“Based on the criteria that we go by right now, that is correct,” they said.
— Dave Reilly (@realDaveReilly) November 13, 2021
Republican candidate for Governor Don Huffines was among those who called for action to stop this practice.
“It is outrageous that Greg Abbott’s state agencies are actively discriminating against White and Asian Texans—denying them monoclonal antibodies, which is potentially lifesaving treatment. This is a horrendous example of Critical Race Theory in action and a gross violation of Texas values. Greg Abbott must immediately stop this practice, fire the employees responsible, and apologize to Texans for this repugnant behavior,” the candidate said.
“If I was governor, we would not be allowing these racist policies in Texas. Policies that discriminate against Texans will immediately cease when I am Governor,” he said.
On his podcast, Kirk discussed the insanity of this policy.
“So black and Hispanics are considered to be high-risk ethnicity groups,” Kirk said. “So white people if you get COVID you’re on your own in Texas. Good luck getting monoclonal antibodies. Good luck getting anything that might be able to save your life. No, no, no. Go to the back of the line.”
Kirk argued, “If there really is a scarcity of monoclonal antibodies and you have to discriminate then discriminate against young people, I get that,” he said.
“Could you imagine if a black person went into a monoclonal antibody treatment center in Birmingham, Alabama and they said, ‘Oh no our criteria says only white people can get Regeneron?’”
He continued, “The same (Critical Race Theory) that we have been warning you about for a year and a half is now a medical policy,” he said. “Who gets to live, or die is now based on the color of your skin. How is this any different than eugenics?”
