Lillian O'Briant Jordan: On Hometown Heroes

As Sir Buzz-of-the-Armfields (whose latest exploits in Forsyth County are the stuff of legend) has noted, the Courier seems determined lately to parade a series of "local heroes" through their headline-blurbs-above-the-paywall . . . no matter how tenuous the connections to Asheboro may be (I'll have more on Justice Newby later - I KNEW there was a reason I recognized the name). 

A lot of it seems to be about cleaning up the reputation of our local bar (the lawyers, not the drinkers).

The latest article is on Lillian Jordan (speaking of re-hab, it's written by Chip Womick - who inexplicably still has a job).  Growing up, I knew her as Lillian O'Briant - the Mother of one of my childhood pals, Tom (we sat beside one another for years in band - we both played trombone - and, for a long time, I had a wee bit of a crush on him).  Later-on, I served as kind of a surrogate Pediatrician to one of her grandchildren . . . who was born with an ultimately-fatal complex-congential-heart-defect in 1998 - way back during the six-month "notice period" imposed by RMA.  There was nothing "noble" about what I did.  I had "free" time on my hands, I was a friend-of-the-family, and I gave a damn.  I didn't want anything in return.  I was being me.  It's as simple as that.  It was also something . . . anything else but the nightmare back home . . . to focus on.

The details of that child's very sad story are not cannon fodder for the blog.

Despite our political differences, I have nothing but the greatest personal/professional respect for Lillian.  She did indeed blaze a trail in Randolph County.  Once, while testifying for the state in a child-abuse case over which Lillian was presiding, a defense attorney addressed me as "Ms. Johnson" instead of Dr. Johnson (it's a common tactic employed by lawyers to demean professional women).

Let's just say, he didn't do it again;)

But I've also been very disappointed in Lillian.  Because, after I found out I had been swindled in a Randolph County civil Court proceeding - by perjury, contempt and fraud on the part of "non-profit" hospital executives - I contacted Lillian for some unofficial advice.  My personal finances in ruins, and my ability to find local work severely compromised - first by the blackball and then the fight (it makes "moving on" real tough), I had no money to finance another years-long Court fight - especially in a Court that was clearly so easy to corrupt.  I needed guidance.  I needed to hear that the system could work.

I went to Lillian's (new) home in Randleman and I sat in her living room and we talked about the case in great detail.  She knew the players.  I'd like to say she was surprised, but she wasn't.

I showed her the evidence, and I asked for her help . . . as a matter of legal ethics.

But apart from pointing me in the general direction of the State Bar (something she had to have known would be an exercise in futility - as the Bar, like the Medical Board, does nothing if not cover the asses of its own) Lillian did not help.  And it was not because she did not find the evidence compelling, but because she was a judge and could not get involved.  It would not be "proper".

It would hurt her career.

Having gone through what I've gone through courtesy of the incestuously-incestuous mill-town goons running Randolph County, I cannot say that I blame her for that.  But still . . . well . . . nevermind. 

On second thought, NOT nevermind.  To this day, if "ethics" is all it's cracked up to be in North Carolina, I do not understand WHY, as an officer-of-the-Court, Lillian could not pick up the phone, call the Attorney General, and say (honestly), "Look, this woman brought this to me . . . I've seen it with my own eyes . . . it SMELLS . . . and we need some outside eyes."

And, even if she couldn't do that, there is more than one way to skin a cat.  Lillian's family had connections in the press all the way to Oprah.  I've always wondered if I was left to rot because my story-of-woe in the good-ole-hometown would not reflect well on the all the noble social solutions promoted by the blue-side-of-the-aisle.

Oh well.  I guess I need to "get over it".

And/so, the local doctor whose practice in Asheboro was dashed against the rocks in order to service a medical cover-up . . . the Pediatrician who defied threats and saved a life and blew the whistle . . .  the physician who lost almost everything for bucking medical (and ultimately legal corruption) in her own hometown . . . the home-girl who was called a liar for telling the truth . . . the woman who put ethics above her own welfare and happiness . . . has stayed mired-down in the muck . . . abandoned by even her childhood mentors and friends as they pursued their own ambitions.

And they are getting the awards now - and the write-ups in the local newspaper. 

They are the "heroes".