US Health Care
Aug. 13th, 2009 09:35 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
selenakI've been following the American Health Care "debate" in varying degrees between being appalled and amused (with a sideline of "if this were fictional, critics would complain that the author has gone too far in satirizing Republicans - nobody in real life would behave in such a way, surely, there should be at least some sane conservatives in this story), until Sarah Palin came up with her "death panel" statement. At which point any trace of amusement vanished in favour of an urgent need to throw up. I've visited Auschwitz this year. Though even if I hadn't, I would still feel sick at this particular demagogery, which, if the Obama/Hitler signs are anything to go by, is eagerly adopted by a lot of her fellow party members.
While the dead of the holocaust can't protest at this outrageous display of cynicism and ignorance, Stephen Hawking, similarly appropriated by the American right, thankfully can. In reply to an editorial at Investors Business Daily, which stated that:
“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless"
Stephen Hawking, who is, and always has been, British, replied:
"I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived."
The eternal optimist in me hopes one can combat ignorance and misinformation with facts, so, two links on people on lj who try just that:
Health Care Facts
and
Talk about your own Health Care experiences, for Americans and non-Americans in comparison.
Finally, I'd like to quote an American who on June 9, 1954 asked a question that vividly comes to mind every time I switch on the news or read papers these days. And I'm waiting for someone to ask this question. Preferably it should be someone conservative, because I really want to believe that not all American conservatives have to descended to what we're seeing on loud display right now.
"Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
While the dead of the holocaust can't protest at this outrageous display of cynicism and ignorance, Stephen Hawking, similarly appropriated by the American right, thankfully can. In reply to an editorial at Investors Business Daily, which stated that:
“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless"
Stephen Hawking, who is, and always has been, British, replied:
"I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived."
The eternal optimist in me hopes one can combat ignorance and misinformation with facts, so, two links on people on lj who try just that:
Health Care Facts
and
Talk about your own Health Care experiences, for Americans and non-Americans in comparison.
Finally, I'd like to quote an American who on June 9, 1954 asked a question that vividly comes to mind every time I switch on the news or read papers these days. And I'm waiting for someone to ask this question. Preferably it should be someone conservative, because I really want to believe that not all American conservatives have to descended to what we're seeing on loud display right now.
"Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
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Date: 2009-08-13 10:11 am (UTC)The Australian system is not perfect by any means, but it has taken good care of me and my family over the years. I think I'll go add my own anecdotes to that post this evening ...
no subject
Date: 2009-08-13 04:40 pm (UTC)But really, I'm almost glad the Stephen Hawking insanity came along, because I didn't trust myself to post on the "death panel" comment when I was still shaking with rage and disgust. I keep thinking of the hair of dead women, of the shoes of dead children, of all those suitcases with names scribbled on them and those endless blocks I saw just a few months ago, and then this woman and others like her dare to use this imagery to promote their political agenda...