#blkgrlmgclwyr – blog

America’s healthcare system is an unmasked villain—a profit-driven, institutionally racist machine designed to exploit the marginalized while building wealth on their suffering. The tragic reality of African American life expectancy is not some unfortunate side effect of fate or biology; it is the direct consequence of systemic discrimination woven into the very fabric of this nation’s healthcare policies. Medical racism is not just a historical relic; it is a contemporary force that actively curtails Black lives every day. The intersection of race, poverty, and healthcare in America paints a grim portrait of inequity, one that far too many refuse to acknowledge.

A Deadly Cycle: Race, Poverty, and Health

For Black Americans, the narrative is clear. Access to quality healthcare is a luxury, not a right. This isn’t an opinion; it’s the lived experience of generations of Black people who have been denied adequate care, subjected to neglect, and underserved by the very institutions meant to protect them. The lack of access to timely and appropriate medical intervention contributes directly to a lower life expectancy in African American communities. While the overall life expectancy in the U.S. hovers around 78 years, for Black Americans, it’s lower—hovering around 74 years for men and 76 years for women. Those few years lost are not random—they are the result of systematic inequality, fueled by medical racism, that permeates every level of healthcare delivery.

Let’s be real: in America, being Black and being poor are too often interchangeable. Poverty, especially racial poverty, becomes the barrier between life and death when it comes to health outcomes. With Black Americans disproportionately represented in low-income brackets, it’s no wonder that healthcare disparities disproportionately affect our communities. Whether it’s delayed diagnoses, inadequate insurance, or outright neglect, the effects of living in a country that profits from sickness are glaringly evident.

Profiting from Illness: An Inhumane System

Let’s get something straight: profiting from illness is inhumane. It’s a perverse mechanism that exploits people at their most vulnerable. The fact that America’s healthcare system runs on a profit model should disturb every soul who claims to care about human life. Insurance companies, drug manufacturers, and healthcare providers capitalize on illness, making billions off the suffering of their policyholders. This isn’t just exploitation—it’s legalized violence.

In this system, the rich get richer while the sick get sicker, and Black Americans are often caught in the crossfire. The American healthcare system has created a grotesque form of inequality where healthcare is a commodity, and your worth as a person is tied to your ability to pay for it. This creates a situation where many Black families—already financially stretched due to generational poverty—are left with few options when it comes to quality care. No one can say this system is accidental. The evidence is overwhelming that it is designed to keep people, particularly people of color, in a constant state of ill health, all for the sake of profit.

International Law & America’s Violations

This isn’t just an internal issue; it’s an international one. America’s healthcare system, which denies life-saving care to millions, is in violation of international law. By failing to provide adequate healthcare for its citizens, especially its Black citizens, the U.S. is violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 25 of that Declaration clearly states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and well-being. But here we are—living in a country where access to healthcare is dictated by race, class, and wealth, and millions of people are left to die because they can’t afford the care they need. Let’s not kid ourselves: this is a violation of basic human rights, and America’s track record on this front is shameful.

America cannot point its finger at other nations, lecturing them on human rights violations, while allowing its own citizens to suffer and die for lack of basic healthcare access. The irony is thick, and the hypocrisy is suffocating.

The Trump Administration & Its Impact on Healthcare Inequality

Under the upcoming Trump administration, I predict that insurance companies will make record-breaking profits as the nation’s healthcare system continues to prioritize the interests of the oligarchy over the well-being of its people. Just a hunch. Trump’s rhetoric and policies surrounding healthcare—especially his attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—will only exacerbate the healthcare crisis, leaving marginalized communities like Black Americans to bear the brunt. These corporate giants will continue to rake in billions while millions of Americans are left without proper coverage. In fact, under Trump’s leadership, the gap between the healthcare haves and have-nots will widen, creating even greater disparities and leaving even fewer options for Black Americans who already face insurmountable obstacles.

To be clear, the problems we face in healthcare are not coincidental. They are the result of decisions made by powerful people who profit from the death and suffering of the masses. This isn’t a “consequence” of Trump or any other one political figure—this is a structural issue that pre-dates his presidency, and it will continue to plague us unless we radically change the way we approach healthcare in this country.

Michael Moore’s Sicko: Not a Coincidence, but a Warning

Michael Moore’s Sicko, which he recently made available for free on YouTube, paints a horrifying picture of the American healthcare system and its failures. But here’s the thing: the narrative of Sicko isn’t a mere consequence of capitalism gone wrong; it’s directly correlated with tragedies like the killing of Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione.

Now, you might be wondering: what does healthcare have to do with a killing? Allow me to explain. When people are denied the basic human right to healthcare, when they are left to suffer due to an inability to afford or access medical care, violence becomes an inevitable outcome. The mental, physical, and emotional toll of untreated health conditions creates a ticking time bomb in individuals’ lives, and when systems fail them, the fallout can be tragic. Whether it’s the despair felt by those who can’t get the care they need or the violent consequences that often follow, this isn’t some disconnected event. It’s part of a broader pattern of violence inflicted by a system that profits from illness.

The Social Response and the Need for Change

The social response to tragedies like the one involving Brian Thompson must not be about just pointing fingers or assigning blame. It must be about understanding the broader implications of the system we live in. The oligarchy that controls the United States, from its insurance companies to its politicians, is responsible for the climate of violence and deprivation that many Americans face. If we continue to let these companies profit from the large-scale murder of their policyholders, we can expect more deaths, more violence, and more blood on the hands of those in power.

America has been sleepwalking through this crisis for far too long. When our young nation is ready to get rid of its a system that profits off pain, the real healing work can begin.

Good luck, America. À votre santé.

#blkgrlmgclwyr

Author’s Bio

Latrice Burks-Palmerio, also known by her powerful online presence as #blkgrlmgclwyr, is an expert in American politics with a deep focus on the intersection of American fascism and the decline of empire. Latrice’s academic journey began with an International Baccalaureate class on totalitarian regimes, which laid the foundation for her nuanced understanding of authoritarianism. She graduated with honors in Political Science from the College of Wooster, where her thesis examined the dynamics of Black social movements in the U.S. Further refining her expertise, Latrice earned her law degree from USC Gould School of Law, gaining invaluable insights into U.S. Constitutional law.

As an impact litigator specializing in employment law for marginalized communities and representing survivors of sex crimes, Latrice combines her legal acumen with a deep commitment to justice. She has also contributed to the public discourse through self-published articles that analyze and critique the evolving political landscape of America. Latrice’s work examines how the structures of American fascism and empire-building manifest in law, policy, and social movements, making her a critical voice in understanding the political currents shaping the nation today.