Dear Mountain Park Team–

I am sure most of you were as appalled to hear the President’s remarks yesterday as I was. As we approach Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it is important to pause and highlight what this day means to each of us.

At Mountain Park, we are very proud and humbled to be partners with and serve our diverse communities. We know that everyone who enters our doors has ties to amazing countries all over the world.

Even when elected officials in Washington seem to forget the meaning of the words “created equal”, Mountain Park will never forget we are a community—and a country—of immigrants; that’s what makes us special, and always will.

We pride ourselves on being strong advocates who will take action to celebrate and protect our communities. It is fitting after the remarks from Washington yesterday, on the cusp of the upcoming holiday, that we renew our commitment to standing up, speaking up, making our voices heard, and always being willing to do more.

I want all of our communities to know Mountain Park will actively oppose anyone—politician or other—who thinks this type of language and behavior is acceptable and also those who refuse to stand against it. Because as Dr. King said in 1963, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

Today, and each day going forward, we call on you to join us as we stand up against hateful rhetoric. We believe silence around these divisive issues is unacceptable.

Sincerely,

John Swagert, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Mountain Park Health Center