The Insanity

One of the greatest paradoxes of your physical senses is that your eyes actually show you what you believe, not what you see."

~Notes From the Universe

This week in politics has been completely nuts. I have been so sad to see the hate and fear-mongering that has grown out of something that I believe to be positive... and yes, I do mean the passage of the health care bill. I think the thing that I find so amazing is that we are the only industrialized country IN THE WORLD that does not see health care as a moral imperative. The Christian faith is about helping those in need, right? Wasn't Jesus all about taking care of those that had less, the sick, the infirm, the helpless - even if it meant his sacrifice? I think the insanity is that so many of the people that are against this health care reform, many of whom practice the Christian faith, can't see it for what it is - our country finally committing to help the sick, those that are in need. Because of everything else that has happened this year - bank bailouts, the TARP funds, saving the auto industry, etc... All the opponents see is one more thing that we are spending money on, one more way government is growing.

Does it scare me that we are spending too much money? Absolutely. But I would rather stop spending so much money on the various wars we are waging. They are aimed at protecting the idea of our future when there are people here, living among us today that need help. I am OK with paying higher taxes if that is what support of this reform means. Because I believe it is the right thing. Because I want health care to be available to my family, my friends, my neighbors when they need it.

Finally, I am curious at what point in our civilized society it became OK for us to express our dissent by physically threatening our lawmakers or for our political figures to openly advocate hostility. Have the sides always been so very opposite? Sadly, this animosity is spreading into individual interactions between people who hold opposing political views too. People insult others so quickly now when they encounter disagreement - especially when they are not looking each other in the eye but writing through email or comment sections. This country is supposed to be a place where differing opinions can be expressed and respected... where people work together toward compromise. I pray that somehow we can move back toward the middle on both sides. I wonder what would force that type of change though? It seems impossible after weeks like this.