In 1776, five physicians risked their lives to sign the Declaration of Independence. They weren’t just healers—they were revolutionaries. Dr. Benjamin Rush, Dr. Josiah Bartlett, Dr. Lyman Hall, Dr. Matthew Thornton, and Dr. Oliver Wolcott stood for liberty, truth, and the belief that medicine and justice are inseparable. Nearly 250 years later, their legacy echoes through the voices of modern physicians like Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai, who are once again called to defend not just their patients—but the soul of their profession.

In a recent episode of the KevinMD podcast, Dr. Rifai reflects on the historical role of physicians in shaping the Republic and draws a powerful parallel to today’s climate of institutional pressure, legal persecution, and moral erosion in healthcare. His message is clear: physicians are being silenced, indicted, and stripped of their independence. And it’s time to speak up.

Dr. Rifai knows this battle firsthand. As a psychiatrist and internist, he built Blue Mountain Psychiatry to serve vulnerable populations through telemedicine and ethical care. His work saved lives—and saved the government millions. Yet he was indicted, accused of fraud, and forced to defend his name in federal court. He refused to plead guilty. He fought back. And he won.

But his story is not unique.

From Dr. Eitan Hine, prosecuted for speaking out about gender-affirming care, to Dr. Potter, interrupted mid-surgery by an insurance denial, to Dr. Christopher Russo, whose memes and tweets about DOJ overreach were cited in legal briefs—physicians across America are facing unprecedented threats. Their voices are being suppressed. Their judgment questioned. Their compassion criminalized.

Dr. Rifai reminds us that this is not just a legal issue—it’s a moral crisis. The Hippocratic Oath is being twisted into liability. The sacred bond between doctor and patient is being eroded by bureaucracy, surveillance, and fear. And the Constitution, once a beacon of liberty, risks becoming a museum piece unless those sworn to protect life also protect truth.

Today, 21 members of Congress are physicians. But thousands more practice medicine in silence, afraid to speak out. Dr. Rifai calls on them to remember their roots—not just as clinicians, but as citizens. As patriots. As defenders of justice.

The founding physician-signers didn’t just treat illness—they treated injustice. They believed that healing and liberty were intertwined. And they risked everything to prove it.

Now, in 2025, as America faces political polarization, institutional distrust, and a healthcare system on the brink, physicians must once again rise. Not with weapons, but with words. Not with silence, but with advocacy.

Dr. Rifai’s voice is one of many. But it carries the weight of history, the urgency of experience, and the clarity of conviction. His podcast, his memoir Doctor Not Guilty, and his work with SHIELD are not just personal projects—they are lifelines for a profession under siege.

This Independence Day, we remember the physicians who helped birth a nation. And we honor those who continue to fight for its soul.

Because medicine is not just science. It is service. It is sacrifice. And sometimes, it is resistance.