Curing often. caring always.
Unapologetically Christian; Unashamedly Flawed; Intimately Human
Curing often. caring always.
Unapologetically Christian; Unashamedly Flawed; Intimately Human
Society is at its best when a person in power looks into the eyes of the least, and sees the same thing that God sees; himself.
Dr. Rushing
Dad-Beats: When a Father's Love Goes on Trial
By Marcus Rushing, MD, MPH, MS
A Letter to My Children — and to the Society That Took Them Away
To my children — and to everyone who still believes in justice,
There was a time when my world began and ended with the sound of your laughter. I can still feel the weight of you on my shoulders — little hands gripping tightly as I carried you through the park. I remember your giggles when I pretended to lose balance, your sleepy smiles when I tucked you in, and the soft goodnight whispers when I kissed your foreheads and said, “Daddy loves you.”
I named you. I raised you. I taught you how to read and count, how to be kind, how to look people in the eye and tell the truth. I walked you to school every morning, proud and grateful that you were mine. I made learning an adventure — not a chore. Together we discovered the world, one question at a time.
And then one day, without warning, that world was taken away.
There was no crime. No violence. No danger. My only “offense” was speaking up — using my voice to question a system that protects itself instead of its people. I spoke out about judicial immunity, about fairness, about what happens when courts forget that they exist to serve justice, not power.
For that, the doors of the courthouse began to close. Papers were filed without notice. Hearings appeared that never happened. Orders were entered without my presence. And in the silence of that system, I lost what no parent should ever lose — you.
Now, I’m miles away. I wait for the phone to ring, never knowing if today will be the day I get to hear your voices. Our conversations are short and unpredictable — a few precious minutes to remind you that your father is still here, still fighting, still believing in the truth.
I write this letter not to make you sad, but to help you understand — and to help others see what’s happening in plain sight. When a court system becomes a maze of paperwork and politics, it forgets the human hearts it was meant to protect. When judges are immune from accountability, when the record itself can be rewritten, justice ceases to be justice.
But I still believe in you — and in the idea that good people can make things right again. I believe that one day, society will have the courage to see what’s happening behind courtroom doors, where parents are erased not because they are unfit, but because they dared to question authority.
If you ever wonder why your father is far away, know this: it is not because I stopped loving you. It is because I refused to stop believing in truth.
One day, when you are old enough to understand, I hope you’ll know that every motion I filed, every plea I made, was not just for me — it was for you, and for every parent who believes love should never be judged by power.
Until then, I will keep fighting, not out of anger, but out of faith — faith in you, in the goodness that still exists in people, and in the idea that truth, once seen, cannot be unseen.
You are my heart, my reason, my courage. And though the system may have taken us apart, it will never erase the bond that made me your Dad.
With all my love,
From Dad
See Full Story at www.EqualRight2Dream.com
The Waltz of power
A Poem by Marcus Rushing, MD, MPH, MS
Step 1: Choose Your Dancer
Find someone tender, fragile, or true —
Maybe a truth-teller, maybe a few.
Bonus points if they fight for another’s despair,
They twirl best when the weight’s unfair.
Step 2: Whisper the Rules
“You’re too honest for your own good,” they’ll say,
“Truth shines bright — until it burns away.
The world’s unkind to the ones who won’t bow,
To those who can’t bend, or don’t know how.”
Translation: compliance is how you survive,
Integrity’s costly — it won’t keep you alive.
Step 3: Pair the Partners
The best dancers? The JDs & the corporate kind,
Masters of loopholes, rehearsed and refined.
Each step calculated, each turn well-planned,
While the vulnerable reach for justice’s hand —
Ever hopeful, reaching through the abyss,
But justice, they say, was never invited to this.
Step 4: Showcase the Illusion
Invite the vulnerable — dress them in dreams,
Watch how they stumble through legal schemes.
Overdressed in ideals, underdressed for the floor,
While “equal protection” hangs by the door.
The Constitution? A dance card, old and torn,
A promise worn thin, a tradition forlorn.
Step 5: Maintain the Mirage
Permit a victory — rare and small,
One case to prove there’s hope for all.
The press will call it progress, the system will say “proof,”
The vulnerable still dances amid this fractured truth
Step 6: Take a Bow
When justice falters, the phalanx grins,
The music swells, the cycle begins.
The curtain falls, applause rings sweet,
The waltz repeats its practiced beat.
Same partners, same tempo, same deceit —
And the carpet still hums with the echoing feet
But a dream, though trampled & deferred, still rises – refusing defeat.
About Marcus Rushing, MD, MPH, MS
Professional Background
Dr. Rushing has clinical experience in full-spectrum Family Medicine, Clinical Pathology, and Occupational and Environmental Medicine. He brings significant expertise in biomedical research, complemented by extensive teaching and mentorship at the primary, collegiate, and post-graduate levels. Deeply committed to the well-being of vulnerable populations—including pediatric, elderly, and disabled individuals—he integrates this passion throughout both his clinical practice and scholarly work. His research interests center on the sociopolitical determinants of health and the ways in which environmental exposures, injury risks, and social factors shape functional outcomes in medically complex and vulnerable groups. He is equally committed to advancing equity in medicine. His professional interests include injury and illness prevention, Environmental Toxicology & One Health Initiatives, and process-improvement paradigms that enhance Clinical Operations and Resource Utilization.
Dr. Rushing thoroughly enjoys interacting with patients, and his clinical practice is grounded in compassionate service, strong advocacy, and a steadfast commitment to diagnostic accuracy. His leadership style emphasizes team building, inclusiveness, and open communication, fostering environments where both patients and colleagues feel supported, respected, and empowered.
Education
University of Dayton School of Law | Juris Doctoral Studies
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Doctoral Studies (ABD)
University of Kansas School of Medicine | Doctorate of Medicine
University of Minnesota Twin-Cities | Master of Public Health
University of Chicago | Anatomic and Clinical Pathology
McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University | Family Medicine
Board Certification | Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Marcus Rushing, MD's OTHER PROJECTS
Speaking Engagements & Collaborations
Your Voice Matters. Our Voice Matters.