Friday, November 9, 2012

Heading South!

So I finally downloaded an app to blog from my phone. As some of you know, I'm pretty quiet before shows. Even the day of, I try to keep my talking to a minimum. So it's kinda annoying to be in a van with my band and not able to join in much of the conversation. You don't realize how much you miss talking until you can't.

So instead, I'm gonna blog! Specifically, I'm gonna blog about the conversation they were having about what's on everyone's minds; the election. I have a confession! I was a registered Republican, as recently as when I lived in Virginia. I truly believed in conservative ideals. I liked their strong Christian values. Then Obama was elected. Suddenly I realized, all those "Christian values" were, were a thinly veiled way of controlling other people. How did I come to this conclusion? Health care.

So, I grew up without health care. I had asthma and terrible allergies and we never knew why. I had no idea I was allergic to dogs until I was in college and I started to see a pattern, but like most families, we had dogs. I loved my dogs! But I was constantly sick, I caught flus easily, my asthma was bad. My mom would take me to the doctor whenever it got serious. High fevers, ear infections, that kind of thing. As a kid, I never understood the value of those doctors visits. My mom paid cash. My dad was the only one working because it would have costed MORE for my mom to put us in daycare than it would for her to just stay home and take care of us. They made me feel like we were normal, but once I got up college and my asthma got worse, I knew that wasn't true.

One winter, I got asthma bad. Really bad. Dry air always hurts me, but my attack got so bad I couldn't breathe. I felt myself getting light headed as I struggled to breathe, so my mom did the only thing she could and took me to the ER. Some treatments later, I discovered it cost over a thousand dollars. Yes, more than a thousand dollars. I was in college and suddenly the value of health care made sense. I tried my best not to get sick, but things always happened and my asthma didn't get better.

Fast forward to my first job. Right out of college I got a good job and they offered health care. Suddenly I could see a doctor when I needed to. I saw her for asthma, she gave me Advair. I saw her for whatever I needed, and never had to worry about more than a $15 copay. I've had health insurance ever since, and now I understand that value. I understand what it's like to grow up sick, in a nation full of opportunity.

Well I'm one of those "haves" in a world of "have not"s, now. I have a good job, a home, and a family. I'm lucky but there are so many others who aren't. I don't think it's right that children should grow up without health insurance when all it would take is for us to share a little. I understand that some people think that being forced by the government to share is wrong. I get that they don't like the feeling if government control. I get it. And I'm against a lot of government regulations. I just think that maybe we, as Americans, should look at the big picture. Our country will only be stronger if we all have access to health care. That kid who gets treatment for his asthma, he might be your doctor someday. That kid who gets treatment for a birth defect, he might create the greatest invention the US has ever seen. But they can't if we don't help. And I can think of no greater Christian value than charity, especially charity that helps treat the poor and destitute. Double especially when they live in the same country--, hell, the same city as you.

If you are a "have", please think of the "have not"s. Nobody is "entitled" to health care, food, clothing... But in a country as great as ours, shouldn't we want them to have it? I do. That's why I voted for Obama. He sold me on Obamacare. Because of his campaigning on the subject of healthcare for all, he made me into one of his biggest fans. I just want to hug him for all those kids and adults who might never have to live in pain ever again.

1 comment:

Sçôttícüs Möshérüm (VirtualScott on FB) said...

I don't normally read blogs or follow blog links, but what the hell - you lured me in, Nina. I basically agree with everything you said here (well, except the fact that though I am an official independent libertarian minded liberal, I was never conservative). I'm all for taxes going towards health care and education - after all, an unhealthy, uneducated populace ISN'T going to do the US GDP or workforce any favors in the long run.

Word!

Scott