If you know me, you know that I am not one to stir the pot. I do not like confrontation. It makes my stomach hurt. But tonight, I can not get to sleep. I am wound up so tight that I am shaking. Not so sure why this issue has struck a chord with me…or maybe I do know. It really has become personal. I know people that are affected. And I am worried for them.
Today, I posted the following as my Facebook status…
“No one should die, go blind, or be crippled because they can’t afford health care. No one should go broke because they get sick. No one should be unable to change jobs because of a pre-existing condition.”
For that, I was called a clueless communist and told that I should just move to Russia. Ok…*I* was not told that *personally*, but all of us that think this way were labeled as communists and it was suggested that if that is what we really thought that we should just leave.
Hear me now. I am not claiming to be an expert at what is being proposed in Washington. I am NOT saying that I agree with it either. What I AM saying is that health care in this country is broken. BROKEN. There are elderly people TODAY that are being denied health care by their INSURANCE COMPANIES. There are cancer patients TODAY that are being denied medical treatment by their INSURANCE COMPANIES. There are people TODAY who cannot get coverage from an INSURANCE COMPANY because they have a pre-existing condition. There are hardworking, productive people (this is where it gets personal for me) TODAY who cannot afford INSURANCE for themselves and their children because it costs too much money. The system is broken. BROKEN. We have to fix it. And burying our heads in the sand and thinking that everything is ok “because *I* have insurance” is not ok. NOT OK. These are people. Your neighbors. Your co-workers. Your friends. MY friends.
If believing that my fellow American should have the same opportunity that I have to maintain a healthy life is communist…maybe I *am* a communist. And if having compassion for another human being makes me a communist and you can not be my friend because of it, I can accept that. I am not sure that I will understand it, but I will accept it. And to end it on a hopefully lighter note (although maybe not…hmmmm)…to quote Izzie Stevens “What would Jesus freaking do??”
I love you all.
I am right there with you! A HS friend posted a great article… I’ll link on FB when I get a chance.
Amen! There’s a church I drive by en route home from work every day and they have the best signage out front. Last week it said, “Who would Jesus insure?”
About Jesus, the bible says “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27 NIV Obviously this is not happening and something needs to change drastically.
Can I get an AMEN!? WE are one of those people. Dealing with a child that cannot get private insurance due to his extensive medical history and pre-existing conditions. This year has been the worst years of our lives thus far. ONE surgery to the tune of nearly 100K and he’s needed several. The system IS broken and we cannot go around sticking our heads in the sand any longer. One day any of you may find yourself to be in the same shoes. (((HUGS)))
I love you! You are so right. I am still dealing with bills from Madison’s first month of life 6 years after she was born. (And I had health insurance, it just didn’t cover everything). It is truly crazy what people are going through and what they have to endure. I am proud of you for saying what you did. Something has to change!