Give These People Some Low-Cost, High-Quality Chill Pills
August 8, 2009 by Julia King
I know two people in this video: My cousin appears briefly, standing on a table (wearing a white pair of pants and a reddish shirt, sunglasses propped on top of her head like a good Floridian). Her husband is the man with the ripped shirt near the door. And here he is again in The New York Times.
It’s been years since I’ve seen them, my cousin and her husband. I’ve always liked them though, considered them cool since the time I was about eleven and my sisters and I went sledding at their (then) rural Indiana home. They are therefore stashed permanently in my memory as good, lighthearted people… despite what appears to be their current-day hatred of health care.
Why? Why do they hate health care?? Who are these people anyway? Not just my cousin and her husband, but this entire angry mob? “Hear our voice!!” they shout over and over again. But what do they want us to hear? What? SAY it already, People.
I happen to want health care for all because… well, because it seems so clearly moral to consider health care a human right rather than a profit-driven luxury. I’m not asking for government-sponsored strappy sandals. I’m not asking to squeeze the profit out of manicures and spa treatments. Go ahead, price me out of a balloon ride. Or a weekend at the Cape. Profit is okay. A little elitism and exclusion is okay. But not where health care is concerned. Stupid, lazy, fat, drug addicts, immigrants, the sick, the really sick… I want to cover them ALL. That’s how I roll.
What do these other people want?
MORE LATER….
Okay, here’s the MORE: The family gossip is that my cousin and her husband (Randy) didn’t go to the town hall meeting with the intention of disrupting it. They went to watch and listen. They even claim to be open to some form of health care reform (although they are NOT fans of Obama).
Apparently they were in the hallway when the chanting started and when Randy saw the door being closed (and empty chairs still available in the meeting room), he tried to push his way through — and ended up getting more than he bargained for from two aggressive union guys. That’s the story anyway. It is worth noting, however, that Randy (and my cousin) are regular right-wing radio listeners, meaning that at this point they are poised and ready to pounce on anything that looks like “socialism.” (NOTE: health care for ALL looks a little bit like socialism.)
I’m sorry Randy got roughed up. It’s a sad day when a person goes to a town hall meeting and comes home with a ripped shirt and a bloodied chest. It’s also a sad day when the prospect of giving tens of millions of human beings access to health care is seen as a license to start a revolution; so I’ve spent the day trying to figure out whether Randy was a victim or an accessory. I’m still not sure.
What I do know is that democracy can’t work if people shout down (and shut down) their ideological opponents. It just can’t. So being part of the democratic process (showing up at public meetings, for instance) has to mean that a person is committed to sorting out all of the available information — and to listening to all of the viewpoints.
Randy showed up (and good for him, because a large part of anything is showing up!), but he acted not when the chanting started (which was the real closing of the meeting), but when the physical door was being closed… in order to drown out the disruptive noise. He tried to shove his body in, but it was too late.
(Randy, if you’re reading: I welcome your input here. I’m sure I need to be set straight!) 
Comments
11 Responses to “Give These People Some Low-Cost, High-Quality Chill Pills”
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Will these people feel like puppets (and idiots) if they later find out that Hannity and Limbaugh were being paid by Health Insurance companies to ignite “grass roots” opposition?
Our current system is literally killing small business. How far will we let it go before we fix our system? All Americans deserve the quality Health Care that other industrial nations take for granted.
Sorry about your relative’s abuse.
Thanks, Ray.
I’m sure he would appreciate that. I know the whole scene really surprised him.
Ideally, the citizens who were there to listen (or to make actual comments, not just noise) would have joined together to tell the noise makers to be quiet. You know what I mean?
I just wish Randy had used his energy to hush the chanters (instead of shoving the door), since the chanters were by and large his political allies. It’s always wisest to keep one’s own side in line before trying to fix an adversary.
Hey Julia, since this nastiness surrounding the health care debates doesn’t seem to ever go away, how about you write up something about the gun toting people at these rallies? I have a brother in law who has over 30 guns and handguns so I know people can get carried away about the second amendment. But bringing a gun, and an assault rifle even, to a Presidential visit? Sorry, that should just not be allowed. What say you?
You want me to comment on these charming gentlemen (and I use the term loosely): http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/08/17/obama.protest.rifle/index.html ? What is there to say? Sometimes when people can’t find their words, they resort to intimidation. That’s all this is about, a bunch of guys trying to intimidate their fellow citizens. I have to say I’m pretty confused by the fact that it appears to be perfectly legal to add deadly weapons to an already highly charged atmosphere. I don’t object to gun ownership as a rule, but I do object to marching around with weapons during what is supposed to be a civil, democratic dialogue.
How about you, Ray? What’s your take?
Seriously, as I was reading your reply, I was thinking that that was exactly how I felt. I know it’s legal to carry guns, but certainly you should have to stay outside of a perimeter if you have a rifle slung over your shoulder. I agree, it certainly is for intimidation. I always tell people that between my brother in law and me, we have over 30 guns. I have one, and he has 30 last I knew. Probably more than that now. I see Jackie Walorski is coming to the church on the corner out by the Goshen Middle school. I certainly want to go and see what kind of BS she is once again going to spout. There’s a sign in the church yard about this that I just saw this morning. I will be the guy with the Obama shirt if indeed I can make it.
Speaking of guns again, I saw a sign in someone’s yard yesterday that made me gasp.
Glenn Beck
Ted Nugent
White House
OMG! Really, someone would actually want those two running the country? I am so shocked.
Julia, and everyone and anyone who wants affordable health care, I wasn’t that clear above on the Jackie Walorski alert. The sign in the church says something about health care forum. So I am guessing she is speaking out against health care which just blows my mind. Why does she want voters to die due to lack of health care? Anyway, it’s on Aug. 27 at 7:00pm if anyone is interested. It’s at the church on the corner of Indiana Avenue and State Road 119 in Goshen IN. Come one, come all.
What fascinates me most about all this ill will, and even hatred, is that the most poisonous vitriol seems to come from so-called “Christians.”
Are these the lessons learned from Jesus?
My parents and husband will die when (if) they see this but I have to say this is the best line I’ve heard regarding health care, and really the best way ever to put it :
“Stupid, lazy, fat, drug addicts, immigrants, the sick, the really sick… I want to cover them ALL. That’s how I roll”
My Dad’s little mishap at the meeting that night pretty much made any convo about healthcare touchy, (well that and I voted for Obama) but I’m still very unclear as to why the hatred for healthcare. I’ve gotten the standard “socialism” response but nothing more. A year ago I probably wouldn’t of been too interested one way or another but since my son Brennan was born last May with huge and crazy medical issues since day 1, I have an invested interest I guess at this point. His uncovered medical bills alone have done ridicolous harm to our credit, his medical formula has continued to be denied by our insurance company since Oct, yet it’s only available via prescription- and for this I pay a premium of every month?!! Oh, and did I mention that his formula is his sole source of nutrition and comes at the friendly cost of almost $2000/month. Seems to me that Brennan’s care and my sanity (and wallet) would be much better without our current private health insurance, and I have to assume I’m not the only Mom in this position.
So, I would love to hear or understand the great debate on healthcare- any answer besides socialism- from anyone because socialism is just not the answer that satisfies me, not when I find myself debating on do I pay my mortgage or do I buy Brennan’s prescription formula this month?
( My personal observation only but it seems my Dad must really have some very strong opinions against healthcare considering what I just described above. Considering this is his daughter and grandson that would essentially have a huge relief from reform, his relief in hopes to not have it passed I hope are strong and valid and not just socialism!)
Sidenote::: I just came across your blog tonight but love it!
Randa! How nice to see your name here!
First, let me say how sorry I am about your son’s health and all the struggles that go along with his condition. I can’t imagine how tough that must be.
And you’re certainly right when you say you aren’t the only mom in this position. How many times have you seen those big community fund raisers that people hold when their kids are sick? Or a collection jar on the counter at the gas station with the picture of some cute little girl who needs heart surgery? As a society, we have decided that it’s perfectly okay to make sick people (or their families and friends) hold parties and beg for money in order to get medical care. How embarrassing. Where is our collective compassion?