What About Me, Me, Me?
I've mentioned before how disgruntled I am that the building where I have my class has Fox News permanently locked in on their lounge tv. Unfortunately, it's the only place in the building to sit and rest between classes so I try to block it out but no matter how much I try the nattering nabobs' of negativity (remember Spiro Agnew?) get through and cause unwanted cranial friction. Now I have an added source of irritation.
Yesterday I was trying to listen to a speech on healthcare that President Obama was giving when a pasty guy behind me started mumbling and hissing. He edged forward to get beside me. Then with a conspiratorial look at me he said "what he's not telling you is that if he gets his way all of us with insurance are going to suffer so he can give everyone else insurance. But he's not gonna tell you that! Oh nooooo." He expected me to give him one of those brotherly "I know what you mean" nods. Instead, I bit my tongue, narrowed my eyes and turned my back on him.
What I wanted to say was something along the lines of, "I'll bet you consider yourself to be a Christian (95% probability in Peavine) don't you? I'll bet that when the preacher talks about being your brother's keeper you at least mutter amen, don't you? Maybe you even tithe 10% (95% improbability). Well what about all your fellow Americans that don't have insurance because they can't afford it, can't get it or have been canceled by their former insurers? Why can't you share your good fortune with those people? Do you even know what it's like to have no insurance and no healthcare?
I won't belabor the debate over healthcare here but even if I had to pay a bit more so everyone could get healthcare I'm happy to do it. Consider it tithing - and a tithing that would be more useful than giving the money to many tv preachers and churches. As it happens, the Congressional Budget Office says I might not even have to pay more for my insurance, but even if I did have to, I'd gladly do it if it helped get 30 million other people some basic healthcare and save thousands of lives a year.
Yesterday I was trying to listen to a speech on healthcare that President Obama was giving when a pasty guy behind me started mumbling and hissing. He edged forward to get beside me. Then with a conspiratorial look at me he said "what he's not telling you is that if he gets his way all of us with insurance are going to suffer so he can give everyone else insurance. But he's not gonna tell you that! Oh nooooo." He expected me to give him one of those brotherly "I know what you mean" nods. Instead, I bit my tongue, narrowed my eyes and turned my back on him.
What I wanted to say was something along the lines of, "I'll bet you consider yourself to be a Christian (95% probability in Peavine) don't you? I'll bet that when the preacher talks about being your brother's keeper you at least mutter amen, don't you? Maybe you even tithe 10% (95% improbability). Well what about all your fellow Americans that don't have insurance because they can't afford it, can't get it or have been canceled by their former insurers? Why can't you share your good fortune with those people? Do you even know what it's like to have no insurance and no healthcare?
I won't belabor the debate over healthcare here but even if I had to pay a bit more so everyone could get healthcare I'm happy to do it. Consider it tithing - and a tithing that would be more useful than giving the money to many tv preachers and churches. As it happens, the Congressional Budget Office says I might not even have to pay more for my insurance, but even if I did have to, I'd gladly do it if it helped get 30 million other people some basic healthcare and save thousands of lives a year.
posted by Kevcham at 4:39 PM
3 Comments:
I've encountered this "locked on Fox" phenomenon in West Peavine myself numerous times.
I had presumed that the business owners were right-wing fanatics.
However, I read a story about that on another blog. The receptionist at a medical office had the TV on a non-Fox news station. An angry patient came up to her and practically threatened her to get the channel changed. She said she was fearful of him and his Fox-lovin' compadres.
Part of Fox' game plan is to indoctrinate their viewers that any other source is a bastion of liberalism. Seems to be working well on W. Peavinians.
Amen brother!
I can remember when I would have been so thankful if I could have bought into Medicare before I was 65. At 56 I could find only one company that would sell me insurance and I was healthy and it wasn't very good insurance.
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