[Oe List ...] Ruah

[Susan Fertig]

David, I think that is heartbreaking and is an example of what we do need to
make provision for if there are no non-profts that can help.  On the other
hand, my car (and I'm thankful I have one and don't take it for granted) had
a problem this morning and I had to take it in and use the garage shuttle to
get to work -- and the shuttle driver from the garage desribed a friend who
lost his job, was able to sign up for food stamps and whatever other welfare
available and has decided not to continue looking for work.  Something wrong
there too.  Difficult balance on government assistance.  Maybe not possible
to get it right.
 
Susan
 

  _____  

From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf
Of David Dunn
Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 1:00 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] What do we mean by a right? To Jim, Dave,et.al.
re: Conservativism


Colleagues.


I listed what I thought were the implications of what Susan was asserting,
among them:

. caring about people is the purview of civil society and not of the public
sector  


To which Susan replied:


Yes, but not entirely.  Certainly I think the government has a role in
caring for its citizens, but not as the grand public teat that eliminates
all motivation to provide for yourself because everything is taken care of. 



In the clear light of Friday morning, it seems to me that the much more
helpful contribution I can make is to tell a story.


The job my daughter Ruah was slated to begin at Home Depot in Atlanta fell
through without explanation. The economy has dried up the in-home child care
that has been her fall-back "plan b" in the past. She continues to
diligently seek employment. 


She has a life-threatening condition that requires surgery. $100 a month in
child support makes her ineligible for Medicaid. The hospital to which she
was referred by a social worker was unable to attend to her, let alone help
her. Now, both her emotional wellbeing and her body are at risk. And her
father is writing an email to a listserv when he should be working.


An energetic 38-year-old single mom is now medically indigent because of a
series of unfortunate events beyond her control: the collapse of the Detroit
economy; the migration to Georgia in search of greater employment
opportunity; a recession and an Atlanta economy that has also "gone south." 


Because she does not have access to health care, she and her children are
without hope for health. All of this, in a society that professes belief in
"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," but is unable to formulate a
workable consensus plan to provide for the first, and most basic need: the
lives of its citizens.


What's wrong with this picture?


Neither shouting about socialism, government coercion, or destroying our
society (at this summer's town hall meetings), nor the concern about a
public teat that destroys motivation and individual responsibility (in the
present dialog), speak the two most important questions in my life today:


1. How is my daughter going to get the surgery she needs?


2. How can I add something useful, grounded in concrete, innocent human
suffering, that would make a difference in my daughter's prospects for a
healthy, happy life?


I do not have the answer to either question. I acknowledge that posturing
about liberal this and conservative that does nothing to move us closer to
the answers.


I wonder how many others have stories to tell about family members or
friends who are without health care.


David


---
David Dunn
dmdunn1 at gmail.com






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