I have always thought of myself as a bleeding heart. I may not cry while movies, but I'll save the tears for the man who can barely walk into our library because his diabetes is so bad and who I am pretty sure is homeless. I am a Democrat and proud of it. I may even end up changing my parties one of these days because I think often more needs to be done and my liberal-ness may need more room to stretch. But oh, today I am very proud to be a Democrat.
I do believe that everyone in this country has the right to their opinion, but that people who try to stand in the way of a bill that helps people have healthcare and protection in their lives boggle my mind. I know people, and love and respect, people whose opinion on this matter is very much the opposite of mine.
But I want to ask to people who so angrily fight healthcare for all, talk about Obama and his fans being socialist and spew even worse comments, "Have you ever known someone to have a catastrophic illness who didn't have insurance," "What type of people do you think aren't insured," "Why should be people be denied coverage because of something they had in the past," and "Why should people go bankrupt to pay for the health of their loved ones?"
Because I have and it breaks my heart.
I've had a family member, struck with a horrible cancer when just out of college, with no insurance who has had to battle costs on top of worrying about her health.
I am the type of person who has not had health insurance, even though I've been gainfully (and thankfully) employed since the day I left Allegheny College.
I am the person who has had to pay hundreds of dollars out of her own pocket every month, to be covered, and subsequently not been able to money in savings.
I know the people who cannot be covered today because of cancer, diabetes, Huntington's Disease and more.
I am the one who has seen medical bills pile up, for those insured and those not, and see the worried looks on faces.
So today, I am happy there is hope. I am thankful that maybe in the future, people will not need to be so worried about the ones they love. We live in the United States of America, where we have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Seems to me that you need your health in order to gain the other three.
4 comments:
Well said, Shannon. I always wonder the same thing: Who do these naysayers picture when they talk about "THOSE people?" Are they refering to my own mom-- a divorcee who got her GED, put herself through college by surviving on PB sandwiches and working under the table doing backbreaking work at her brother's upholstery shop--all in an effort to support herself and her three children. Yeah, because that person doesn't "deserve" health care.
I just posted about this on Brenna's FB wall after your comment. I'm on the local board for the Huntington's Disease Society of America and so many of our families are scared to let it be known that they are at-risk for HD because the insurance companies might find out and they won't be covered. I've seen people be denied insurance because they're at risk (you have a 50% chance of having the marker if one of your parents has the disease) and I've seen people suffer through the later stages of the disease with no insurance and the toll it takes on their families. If someone could look one of those people in the eye and tell them they don't "deserve" health care because they are at risk or unable to work, they're nothing but heartless.
This bill may not be perfect, but it's a step in the right direction and it's a giant step for families affected by genetic diseases and people with pre-existing conditions. I hope these people who are so against it never have to go through what so many others have and thanks to this bill, if they do, they won't have to add the worry of being without insurance to the burden.
Bravo! It certainly is hopeful and a step in the right direction. Love that I stumbled across your blog and that you're a librarian. My aunt and grandmother are both retired librarians and I grew up surrounded by big readers and good books. XO Katie
Thank you, Katie! I'm glad you've stumbled and hope you stick around. I headed on over to your blog too, and just love the pictures. What a great day it is when we find people who a treat to read.
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