We physicians also recognized that at any given time, we didn’t know everything about everything.  We were constantly learning by depending on scientific advances and research.    We never tried to hold ourselves out as perfect. We were “practicing” medicine – doing the best we could with what we knew.

We didn’t understand COVID when it first appeared in 2020, entirely because we hadn’t seen this completely novel infection before. Millions died while science tried to figure it out, but eventually, science got it right.  A vaccine was discovered in record time and because of that scientific discovery, the pandemic faded away.  Nor did we understand AIDS when it first surfaced in 1981. It took years of scientific research to find effective drugs, but eventually we got that right also. Same with tuberculosis until 1952 when treatment with streptomycin was discovered to be effective.  Same with smallpox – eradicated from the entire globe because of a vaccine, and the same with Ebola and the same with measles, and on and on.  Vaccines were discovered and the conditions faded away. Wonderful job by science, in my opinion.

So, what is it with polio these days?  Despite overwhelming data to the contrary, the US is being overtaken by a conspiracy theory based on a single, very faulty British study from the Lancet associating the polio vaccine with autism. There is a call by the potential future head of the Department Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to ban the polio vaccine from usage on children in schools – not based on science or its remarkably successful proven track record, but by Mr. Kennedy’s opinion as an attorney with a very limited science background.  If his recommendations are followed, with president – elect Trump giving him power with wide latitude, polio will resurface.  Countless Americans could die or experience paralysis, just like in the olden days before the vaccine.

We who trained for years and understand medical research and the imperfections of some medical studies are the experts when it comes to health care evaluations.  We don’t know everything, and we don’t always get everything right, but we know more about healthcare and treatments than politicians or attorneys or insurance companies, or noisy internet conspiracy theorists.   And the overall track records of physicians in America is still pretty good.  Americans need to smarten up and listen to their experts – sooner rather than later.  Betting against science and against the experts and following fools is a loser’s pathway.  Someday, all of our lives might depend on making that right decision.

Dr. Michael B. Teiger is from West Hartford.

I could start with observations about driving on the highway, for example.  Courtesy seems to be quite rare, and speeding is on the rise.  Town hall meetings erupt more frequently with angry outbursts by disgruntled citizens.  Flight attendants get accosted on a regular basis.  Violent crime is on the rise.  Congressional leaders are in the news almost daily with one angry argument against politicians on the other side.  Even Elon Musk publicly expressed his contempt toward corporate America with a searing explicative that was gladly and repeatedly broadcast by every news media outlet so that all of us could share in the excitement.  And don’t get me started with our newspeople on both sides of the political spectrum for their participation.  News reports highlighting anger and social unrest are ubiquitous.  Personally, I lean toward the left politically, but both right- and left-leaning news commentators facilitate the spectacles with biased and angry reporting.  It always seems to be one team vs. another.  And our already deep divisions widen further.

I have to keep reminding myself that things could be worse for us Americans.  As bad as our lives might seem, perhaps we should remember that we don’t live in Gaza.  Or the Ukraine for that matter.  Most of us have enough food, water and shelter and a thermostat to turn up when the weather gets cold.  We forget that compared to the rest of the world, Americans do pretty darn well financially.  We forget that gas prices and inflation are much higher in other countries — and lower in practically none.  There is always, always, always something to complain about, but honestly, when looking at a bigger global picture, I don’t think that complaints and anger are the correct response of the day.  Yet, Americans complain and seem to enjoy being angry as they express that anger about how bad things are with vigor.

I don’t necessarily disagree that we have things to be concerned about.  War in Ukraine, war in Gaza, global tensions between superpowers, protests in America regarding gun violence, abortion and LGBTQ rights, perceived economic hardship and rampant inflation, and now even the repeated rise, once again, in antisemitism — all are legitimate issues.  Even without a single word from the mouth or tweet of the king of anger and vitriol, Donald Trump, it would be hard to convince our angry fellow citizens that we live in perfectly happy times.  And yet …

I had a thought recently as I watched bits and pieces of Rosalynn Carter’s funeral and listened to all of her tributes.  Information about her life and her legacy filled prime time news channels for days.  She was beloved, honored, praised and remembered for all the good she did for other people in her life.  Never was there a mention of any anger she felt toward her husband, her friends, family or coworkers.  Her life mission was all about helping others in need, fighting for important causes, and giving her time and energy where she could in the service of others.  Note the word “others.”

I suspected that she heard the message that John F. Kennedy gave to the nation in his Inaugural Address in January 1960, when he declared for the whole nation to hear, “Ask not what your country can do for you.  Ask what you can do for your country.”  His call was for Americans to reflect on what is important when we ponder our identity as individual citizens and as we shape our national image.  Who we are as a nation is always on display for the world at large.  I think Roslyn Carter lived that message to its fullest.  She was a giver — not a taker.

Both Rosalynn and her husband, past-president Jimmy, lived a life of service to others with morality and decency, with honesty and integrity.  They commanded respect from others by their actions and their deeds. They did not demand respect by demanding loyalty.  They lived with faith, selflessness and humility.  By all measures, they were just good people who thought of others before themselves.  And by measure of the news reporting at the time of her funeral and America’s response to her passing, it would be quite fair to say that the life she lived was enviable and a model for our children to follow.

So where does anger fit into the Carter legacy.  The answer is that anger fits in nowhere in their personal mission or their life’s work in the service of others.  They both accomplished much, and then gave back.  No complaints.  No excuses.  No revenge or hostility or bullying when life dealt difficulties or disappointments.  They gave their time and energy for others expecting nothing in return.  Their lives sound remarkably refreshing.

America needs more Carter families to shine the light on the correct path that we all need to follow in order to survive as a nation.  Our anger today in politics leads to deep divisions in our society, to chaos, revenge and destruction of the pillars that democracy needs to survive in difficult times.  The Carters might not have been the most effective political forces Washington has ever seen.  But they both stood as models for parents who want to teach their children how best to be successful citizens and leave a proud legacy.

Michael B. Teiger is from West Hartford.

BFJ claimed that any finding released must first be cleared with the study’s oversight body, Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) and with the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, or DEEP. A draft report, again not for public disclosure, will be completed by the end of August. However, a final report to be made public for review will not be available until October. Those are BFJ’s directives from the DECD. Fair enough.

After all these months of study, however, there is a glaring deficiency that left us a bit troubled. It was surprisingly disappointing to learn that BFJ has, as of yet, failed to look into in any detail the future plans of Hartford Jet Center owner Lindsey Rutka, or his substantial roadblocks to development over the past several years because of closure uncertainty. It was also shocking to learn that BFJ has failed to interview Barry Alexander, CEO of Aquiline Drones; the Rowleys of VIP Avionics; Mr. Neligon of Total Aircraft Parts; Senior AME Dr. Robert Dodenhoff whose medical office is at midfield; Phil Smith of Learn2Fly flight school or any of the other flight school owners about their present contribution to the economic activity of Brainard. These leading business people are on the field, and have significant economic activity that supports the airport, the general aviation community, the city and the region. All owners had been available to share informed economic data. The pushback by one of BFJ’s managers that they surveyed only a list provided by CAA is hardly an adequate excuse.

Hartford-Brainard Airport flight school sees airfield taking off in futuristic world of air travel

Thoroughly surveying and documenting present business activity in detail is absolutely essential and should have been BFJ’s first step.

Several strong recommendations exist for what could be done to make Brainard much more valuable. It is curious that BFJ apparently has not reached out further to specific local pilots and other business users of the airport, beyond a very abbreviated questionnaire, so it could gather all possible information regarding Brainard’s present activity and future potential. HBAA, a grass roots organization representing pilots and business users, also took exception that they were not contacted directly for comment either.

The stated purpose of BFJ’s intervention in the first place was to assess the “best and highest use” for the South Meadow property. Taking aside the alternative usage possibilities, such as mixed use, shopping, residential or warehouse development, the proper answer to the question requires a complete understanding of what goes on at Brainard today. It also requires a complete understanding of what will happen to the airport in the near future should the “umbrella of uncertainty” regarding closure be lifted and Brainard be allowed to develop to its fullest potential as a vibrant center for general aviation in the Northeast.

The question of whether to close Brainard is complex, and anyone familiar with the property knows that its environmental, socioeconomic and political issues interact heavily. Brainard is clearly an important aviation-oriented facility, well positioned to benefit from the explosion of new and exciting aviation technology. The effort to close, championed by a very few Hartford politicians with unclear motivations has been a very contentious issue in Hartford politics and is a prominent campaign issue for the upcoming Hartford mayoral race.

Our state legislators need and should expect clear, complete and unbiased data to come out of the present BFJ study that is relevant for our specific airport in order for them to make the best decisions. Clearly, the scope of the study is vast, indeed, and BFJ is commended for its efforts in gathering as much information as they have. However, present observations suggest that BFJ must extend itself much further. It must document the present vibrant business and commercial activity as well as clearly outline the bright future Brainard will have if allowed to flourish. A failure to do so will cast an “umbrella of doubt” as to the validity of BFJ’s study, no matter what the final conclusions might be.

Michael B. Teiger is President of the Hartford Brainard Airport Association, Inc.