From Marey in Massachusetts

By ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅
My friend, Marey sent this to me this morning and it is posted here with her permission:
I feel compelled to share this with you – whatever side you are ‘on’ for the future of our healthcare.   I am not advocating for the present proposal at all … what I am advocating for is more “humaneness” and civility and kindness and charity toward each other in this ongoing debate.
 
We are like angry and screeching coo-coo birds … yelling and accusing each other of horrific things.  I must say that it scares me sometimes … there are so many death threats and violence in the rhetoric.  I think it is a sad commentary of how our political system has evolved.
 
There are also outright lies being propagated.  I find this unsettling indeed.   I saw a well-researched segment last night that actually showed some of our most well known and strident voices (against the health care plan) actually talking totally in favor of and promoting things like “advanced planning”, living wills, and generalized health care initiatives in the past.
 
I was totally blown away!!!!   Here these famous people on TV and in the media (one of them is named the same as the city I grew up in) are now saying the total opposite of what they preached as “terrific” not that long ago.   Some of the verbiage is almost identical … except that they are now against it.   I still cannot quite get over it.
 
Yes, I know that in our political landscape, untruths are told… but this is beyond the pale.   I must say I am horrified by their bold-faced lies.   All this nasty kerfuffle over something that our government has been advocating for the last 3 decades…. telling your medical and family caretakers what you want them to do for you when you are  unable to do speak for yourself someday in the future.  Both my spouse and myself have this all done, signed, sealed and delivered!  My sister (still young!) has done this.
 
I have been thru this with both my parents.   I did NOT initiate the discussion.   The issue was brought up when my father was hospitalized … his doctor also talked to us at home when he came to visit Dad towards the end of his life.   It was a loving and kind discussion.   Basically, all you need to do is say you do NOT want extra-ordinary means to keep you alive … OR that you DO want all the high tech bells and whistles to keep you hooked up and still breathing etc.   
 
Why are they making such a ruckus about this?!?!?!   Geez Louise, this is just too much sometimes!!!
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