Here Let's Live Rant Free!
Posted by John
I played a benefit for pedal steel great Joe Savage last night. Prostate cancer. I reckon a fair sum was raised for his upcoming surgery and like many others, the money he needs is just to cover his high deductible… so in that sense, he’s lucky. If he were uninsured he wouldn’t necessarily be wiped out, but he’d certainly be looking at paying for years to come.
And I feel plenty of empathy given that my wife and I went through cancer a few years back, my brother in law is going through it now, and both my parents have had bouts with it. But here’s my larger issue: do we need to talk about health care policy HERE? No offense intended to Matt, or anyone who has commented, but personally I’d like to leave this subject for somewhere else. Go to Rush Limbaugh’s page and point out what an asshole he is to his listeners. Go to your local newspaper’s comment section and do battle with the people who want to engage on these sorts of issues there, where you’ll find plenty of people who need convincing.
Anyone who knows Matt and I knows where our political sympathies lie. For my part, I don’t really want to talk about policy here… it’s just too much of a bummer, even in a period of positive change.
For example, I happen to know that for many cancer survivors they feel like that subject is inescapable, that it continually lurches up to intrude on their lives. I’d like this to be a place free from that intrusion. I’m really not looking for engagement, or convincing on this one. I’m just stating my desire. I know that I wouldn’t be playing benefits for people who need health care coverage if we managed to get Universal Health Care… BUT
I’d rather have this be a place for calls to action of a different sort: make things, be goofy, love each other. The political beast will stumble on as it will and we can all do what we can to influence it, but let’s do it somewhere else.
6 Comments
Yay!
Posted by Kara
Oof.
Posted by Eric
I’m sorry…
Posted by John
don’t hate.
Posted by John
Well said, John.
Matt’s position on the health care issue is unimpeachable, but I’m clicking through here for some music and uplift, not read op-eds and calls to action by favorite artists. Reserve that energy for the next ProVention!
-psh
Posted by psh
that’s what we need socialized medicine!
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