Lately I have attended two very large, peaceful demonstrations in favor of health care reform. The press was in attendendance at the first vigil, but didn't even bother to show up at the second. Neither event was mentioned in the local news, although they did take the time to show videos of people frolicing in one of our parks as the day was sunny and warm. It occurs to me as I muse on this disregard for the feelings of the majority of Americans by the media, that I've seen this before.
I was a child of the 60's as so many of you were. I remember the peaceful protests for civil rights and against the war in Viet Nam. I also remember that they were covered by the media, but not with much vigor until the riots began and war protestors became violent. That's when the eyes of the media became fixed on those causes and suddenly the people who had been preaching peaceful protest became our heros. Please remember that we got moving on civil rights legislation AFTER protests turned violent. We ended the war in Viet Nam AFTER protests became violent.
Why am I not hearing more anger in the voices around me? I hear horror stories about insurance companies that are murdering people by denying them the benefits they counted on and PAID for. Our banking system is no better shape than it was when President Obama took office and yet we are STILL supporting a health care system that is forcing thousands of Americans into bankruptcy and putting further strain on that system. We can't afford to bail them out a second time. Where is our outrage? Do we not realize that what is happening to the health care victims today could be happening to us tomorrow? Do we not realize that we are digging our own financial grave by doing nothing?
I am told the difference between our country and France is that the goverment of France is afraid of the people AS THEY SHOULD BE. I am so angry that one political party is standing in the way of change that a clear majority of Americans want. They no longer work to help our nation, but to spoil their rivals. We need to get angry and stay angry all the way to the polls. Write down the names of the Congressmen and women who are standing in the way of this important legislation. Contact them online and let them know that you are fed up with business as usual. I prefer the pen to the sword and I fear that if we can not move just legislation forward, we will see history repeat itself.
