Editorial

The editorial I found was called "Messages of life -- and death" Seeing how the health care debate is a huge issue right now I thought this article seemed appropriate.  But I have to be honest, what drew me to this article was the quote smacked in the middle of it all italic and fancy that said:

"If you're very old, we're not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of weeks."

    WHO SAYS THAT?  Seriously.  I couldn’t believe it when I saw it, so I had to blog about it.  Saying this is putting a strain on many people, I mean, how couldn’t it?  Knowing that when you get old, people may give up on you just because you will die eventually?  Well guess what, everyone will die eventually.  How can anyone think they have the right to choose whether or not someone lives or dies?

The article basically discusses a former Harvard professor talking to a university about health care and the misinterpreted messages people throw out there.  Because of the recent health care debate, people have been worried about what may happen if certain decisions are made.  This can especially affect the elderly, but is extremely significant to everyone, of all ages.  Without health care, many bad things can happen, and after hearing something like this, you are pretty much given proof.

The quote mentioned above came about when Reich, the former Harvard professor, who is also former Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton, spoke to the students, he told them that the statement above is what a candidate for president of the United States would say, if he was honest, if they asked about the health reform.

Reich then gave a speech, playing the role of a “straight talking presidential candidate”.  And he really did give it to them straight.  He told them he would give the young people all the help they needed to stop them from getting sick and to heal them when they are sick.  But that if this were to happen the young people would have to pay more money, and as for the old people, we will just let them die.  It makes you really think, once the decision is made, nothing else can be done, so we have to do something about it right now.

This was a very important, very significant, personal story that absolutely affects everyone, and when you are hearing the truth, it makes you open your eyes to the truth and it really makes you want to do something about it.

http://jerz.setonhill.edu/EL237/2009/10/editorial_1/