A gentleman, who used to live in our Maine neighborhood, was too poor to afford health insurance. Like an estimated 59 million Americans, the 50ish-year-old man didn't have yearly physicals. He used to but not anymore. Unlike people who live in other industrialized countries where they have universal health care, he ignored or made excuses for the occasional chest pains that came his way because health care is so damn expensive. Yesterday, after snowblowing his driveway, he walked into his home feeling dizzy, suffered a massive heart attack and died.
But, hey, if you take the pinheaded mind-set of the Tea Partiers at one of this year's GOP debates, fuck 'em. It doesn't matter he leaves behind two teenage kids, an ex-wife, a girlfriend, relatives and friends who loved him. So what if he's a human being whose early death could have been prevented. He's nothing. You don't know him. Right? Fuck 'em. That's what a civilized society does to our disadvantaged? Blame the victim. Find excuses to ignore the 59 million by saying that "it was God's plan" or "he deserved it" or "it's his fault" or "who cares?" He was a nice man who had traits which made it difficult for him to economically succeed in our dog-eat-dog world. He needed help. But so what? Fuck 'em. Right? Many Americans say we're the greatest country in the world. Not from my vantage point. A human being prematurely died yesterday because, like so many in this country, he couldn't afford simple health care.
I have met and talked with oodles of hard working people who don't have health insurance or the means to pay even for simple checkups. They're scared and they are of all political persuasions; liberal, conservative and independents. Blaming the victim isn't humane, Christian or moral. But what the hell. That's the American way. Right? Fuck 'em.
But, hey, if you take the pinheaded mind-set of the Tea Partiers at one of this year's GOP debates, fuck 'em. It doesn't matter he leaves behind two teenage kids, an ex-wife, a girlfriend, relatives and friends who loved him. So what if he's a human being whose early death could have been prevented. He's nothing. You don't know him. Right? Fuck 'em. That's what a civilized society does to our disadvantaged? Blame the victim. Find excuses to ignore the 59 million by saying that "it was God's plan" or "he deserved it" or "it's his fault" or "who cares?" He was a nice man who had traits which made it difficult for him to economically succeed in our dog-eat-dog world. He needed help. But so what? Fuck 'em. Right? Many Americans say we're the greatest country in the world. Not from my vantage point. A human being prematurely died yesterday because, like so many in this country, he couldn't afford simple health care.
I have met and talked with oodles of hard working people who don't have health insurance or the means to pay even for simple checkups. They're scared and they are of all political persuasions; liberal, conservative and independents. Blaming the victim isn't humane, Christian or moral. But what the hell. That's the American way. Right? Fuck 'em.
No comments:
Post a Comment