Spirit Of Truth
Inactive
My latest blog:
AN OPEN LETTER TO GLENN BECK
‘Please stop helping to kill my friend…’
From Memorial Hospital on October 30th @ ~1am
Dear Glenn,
I'm typing this from the waiting room of an ICU where my friend Rodney is hospitalized in critical condition due to complications following surgery to remove his bladder and prostate. My friend is in a fight for his life because he has bladder cancer that was successfully treated a few years ago but came back with a vengeance.
You see, in 2008, Rod lost his job after years of service with his company because his health insurance was more expensive than other employees due to his cancer history and his being over 55. Given his age and health history, my friend proved to be unemployable. Also, while unemployed, he lost access to healthcare. When he became one of the 99ers, he was sufficiently impoverished to get Medicaid and when he finally saw a doctor this summer they noticed a tumor in his bladder. The tumor was removed, but subsequent trouble led the doctors to look further and see that the cancer had spread into the bladder wall. Hence, on October 19th, he underwent a cystectomy to have his bladder, prostate and local lymph-nods removed. A few days ago he learned that cancer was found in the prostate and lymph-nods, i.e., it was metastatic stage-IV bladder cancer that is most likely terminal within a year-or-so even with chemotherapy.
This evening Rod called me to let me know he was going in for emergency surgery because his white blood cell count surged and his blood pressure was dropping. I rushed to the hospital and prayed with him around 5:00pm and then he was taken to the operating room. Several hours later one of the surgeons informed us that he was out of surgery and in critical condition. It turns out that a leakage developed from a rupture of his bowel resectioning and this in turn flooded his system with waste requiring more bowel resectioning, emergency irrigation and, at this time, massive infusions of full-spectrum antibiotics and other medications to counter the systemic infection killing his body.
Rodney’s prognosis is grim. Even if he were to survive the next 24-72 hours, he will then face the possibility of another life-endangering rupture in the new resectioning over the next three months. If my friend manages to survive this, he still has bladder cancer spread throughout his body to fight with chemotherapy over the next 12-18 months before the cancer likely ends his life anyways.
Now the whole insanity of this situation is that it would never have occurred in "socialist" nations like Canada, France, Denmark, Sweden, and the majority of advanced nations, because there you have national healthcare systems such that, even when unemployed and/or less fortunate, you'd have access to care. Thus, a 55+ person with a history of bladder cancer will get regular check-ups to make sure that their cancer is not redeveloping and, if it is, it will be dealt with early before spreading such that massive surgery is necessary and death becomes the likely prognosis. Furthermore, the total cost to society under such a situation is far less given that preventative treatment is pennies on the dollar(s) compared to the healthcare now required in, for instance, Rodney's case, and this with a far worse prognosis.
So, Mr. Beck, I would like to ask you to please stop helping to kill my friend Rodney and others like him who are dying because every time you pontificate from your cable television bully pulpit on the evils of socialism and national healthcare you persuade American voters that it is somehow wrong to have a common healthcare system, paid for by sharing God's wealth blessed to our nation, that would prevent senseless tragedies like the one unfolding around me. Do you really think people like Rod are getting what they deserve?
Furthermore, given that Rod is a devout Christian, I’d like to ask that in his honor you please refrain from abusing Christ's name in your misleading sermons effectively against the virtues of caring for others. You are touting “independence” from collective responsibility IMHO. Jesus was aware that we are each part of an interdependent whole in which we must make sacrifices to love and care for one another lest society dysfunction and people die. God's "Golden Rule" is not that gold rules (watch the commercials during your program someday). I hope you soon figure out what He really means and where your love and words are due.
Sincerely,
Jay
-------------
UPDATE: I just came back from West Hartford where Glenn Beck was visiting for his book signing tour for Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure where I was hoping to deliver my letter to him personally. I couldn't find my wallet before going, so when I got there I was surprised to learn you had to purchase the book from Barnes & Noble to get it signed (I bought my copy through Amazon), so I couldn't get in the ridiculously huge line to have my copy signed. I then checked with security to see if I could have my letter, along with a copy of Robert Buchar's book, And Reality Be Damned, be delivered to Beck to apprise him of the truly mortal threat posed to our nation by the forces of so-called "Communism" unbeknown to almost everyone. Unfortunately, there was no way to do this so I decided to leave.
As I was walking away, Glenn Beck's bus started to pull in so I stood beside it to see if I could hand him my letter and book as he went in. As I was waiting, an NPR correspondent started to preposition beside me and I joked with someone nearby that she best not mention if she gets nervous when she's on a plane boarded by Muslims. Soon someone came over and clued us in that Glenn was not on the bus and already had surreptitiously slipped into the bookstore. I then went into the store and asked one of the fellows that had stepped off the bus if he could hand Glenn my book and letter....again to no avail.
I decided to give up, but on the way out I handed my letter to the NPR gal and gave a quick interview regarding the message I was seeking to convey to Beck. In a nutshell, what I said is that America is not "Broke". Far from it. Our nation has wealth to the tune of $40 trillion (even if mostly 'fictitious') and that what is broken is Americans capacity to choose to share their wealth in order to take care of each other. I really could care less whether sharing is through the mechanism of our grossly inefficient and corrupted government or likely more efficient private organization, but the bottom line is that we have more than enough means to provide a modicum of decent healthcare to all and our failure to do so is why my friend Rodney is now fighting for his life for a condition that could have been treated early on for little cost such that his prognosis would be a full life instead of a death sentence as now appears to be the case. What's more, I mentioned that Glenn Beck does not speak for Christ and his message of freedom is more about freedom from responsibility to care for one another than anything else, and his idea of the "Golden Rule" is that gold 'rules' not God. This is antithetical to the message of love taught to this world by Jesus some 2000 years ago IMHO.
I don't know what will come of this, but if some beneficial meaning can be derived from the seemingly senseless tragedy into which my poor buddy Rod has been drawn, then thank God. I'm remiss to politicize the suffering of my friend in this contentious political season given what he's going through, but what God is speaking to my heart is that He is truth and so telling the truth, even if brutal, can not upset Him. To the contrary...
Another update: On that final note I have to admit that I'm not aware of the exact circumstances that have led to this plight. Of course, the ultimate problem is my friend's cancer, and that's for God to understand. Nevertheless, I do not know if my friend foresaked his individual responsibilities after he lost his job. Obviously, since he had had bladder cancer, he should have used a portion of whatever resources he had, i.e., unemployment compensation, to keep health insurance if that was possible. His failure to do so, if this is what occurred, might now end up proving to be a fatal mistake. I'm at the ICU and would ask him, but he's unable to speak and is unconscious, so it is what it is. Don't know if it's even worth asking about at this point. The bottom line, however, is that it is ridiculous that some 50 million Americans have no health insurance and are literally, in some cases like this, dying around us and somehow "We The People" can't see fit to sacrifice a larger portion of their wealth for others' endangerment and suffering. It's all about me, myself and I in this day and age, and God is watching. You best pray our Creator's patience not wear out...
AN OPEN LETTER TO GLENN BECK
‘Please stop helping to kill my friend…’
From Memorial Hospital on October 30th @ ~1am
Dear Glenn,
I'm typing this from the waiting room of an ICU where my friend Rodney is hospitalized in critical condition due to complications following surgery to remove his bladder and prostate. My friend is in a fight for his life because he has bladder cancer that was successfully treated a few years ago but came back with a vengeance.
You see, in 2008, Rod lost his job after years of service with his company because his health insurance was more expensive than other employees due to his cancer history and his being over 55. Given his age and health history, my friend proved to be unemployable. Also, while unemployed, he lost access to healthcare. When he became one of the 99ers, he was sufficiently impoverished to get Medicaid and when he finally saw a doctor this summer they noticed a tumor in his bladder. The tumor was removed, but subsequent trouble led the doctors to look further and see that the cancer had spread into the bladder wall. Hence, on October 19th, he underwent a cystectomy to have his bladder, prostate and local lymph-nods removed. A few days ago he learned that cancer was found in the prostate and lymph-nods, i.e., it was metastatic stage-IV bladder cancer that is most likely terminal within a year-or-so even with chemotherapy.
This evening Rod called me to let me know he was going in for emergency surgery because his white blood cell count surged and his blood pressure was dropping. I rushed to the hospital and prayed with him around 5:00pm and then he was taken to the operating room. Several hours later one of the surgeons informed us that he was out of surgery and in critical condition. It turns out that a leakage developed from a rupture of his bowel resectioning and this in turn flooded his system with waste requiring more bowel resectioning, emergency irrigation and, at this time, massive infusions of full-spectrum antibiotics and other medications to counter the systemic infection killing his body.
Rodney’s prognosis is grim. Even if he were to survive the next 24-72 hours, he will then face the possibility of another life-endangering rupture in the new resectioning over the next three months. If my friend manages to survive this, he still has bladder cancer spread throughout his body to fight with chemotherapy over the next 12-18 months before the cancer likely ends his life anyways.
Now the whole insanity of this situation is that it would never have occurred in "socialist" nations like Canada, France, Denmark, Sweden, and the majority of advanced nations, because there you have national healthcare systems such that, even when unemployed and/or less fortunate, you'd have access to care. Thus, a 55+ person with a history of bladder cancer will get regular check-ups to make sure that their cancer is not redeveloping and, if it is, it will be dealt with early before spreading such that massive surgery is necessary and death becomes the likely prognosis. Furthermore, the total cost to society under such a situation is far less given that preventative treatment is pennies on the dollar(s) compared to the healthcare now required in, for instance, Rodney's case, and this with a far worse prognosis.
So, Mr. Beck, I would like to ask you to please stop helping to kill my friend Rodney and others like him who are dying because every time you pontificate from your cable television bully pulpit on the evils of socialism and national healthcare you persuade American voters that it is somehow wrong to have a common healthcare system, paid for by sharing God's wealth blessed to our nation, that would prevent senseless tragedies like the one unfolding around me. Do you really think people like Rod are getting what they deserve?
Furthermore, given that Rod is a devout Christian, I’d like to ask that in his honor you please refrain from abusing Christ's name in your misleading sermons effectively against the virtues of caring for others. You are touting “independence” from collective responsibility IMHO. Jesus was aware that we are each part of an interdependent whole in which we must make sacrifices to love and care for one another lest society dysfunction and people die. God's "Golden Rule" is not that gold rules (watch the commercials during your program someday). I hope you soon figure out what He really means and where your love and words are due.
Sincerely,
Jay
-------------
UPDATE: I just came back from West Hartford where Glenn Beck was visiting for his book signing tour for Broke: The Plan to Restore Our Trust, Truth and Treasure where I was hoping to deliver my letter to him personally. I couldn't find my wallet before going, so when I got there I was surprised to learn you had to purchase the book from Barnes & Noble to get it signed (I bought my copy through Amazon), so I couldn't get in the ridiculously huge line to have my copy signed. I then checked with security to see if I could have my letter, along with a copy of Robert Buchar's book, And Reality Be Damned, be delivered to Beck to apprise him of the truly mortal threat posed to our nation by the forces of so-called "Communism" unbeknown to almost everyone. Unfortunately, there was no way to do this so I decided to leave.
As I was walking away, Glenn Beck's bus started to pull in so I stood beside it to see if I could hand him my letter and book as he went in. As I was waiting, an NPR correspondent started to preposition beside me and I joked with someone nearby that she best not mention if she gets nervous when she's on a plane boarded by Muslims. Soon someone came over and clued us in that Glenn was not on the bus and already had surreptitiously slipped into the bookstore. I then went into the store and asked one of the fellows that had stepped off the bus if he could hand Glenn my book and letter....again to no avail.
I decided to give up, but on the way out I handed my letter to the NPR gal and gave a quick interview regarding the message I was seeking to convey to Beck. In a nutshell, what I said is that America is not "Broke". Far from it. Our nation has wealth to the tune of $40 trillion (even if mostly 'fictitious') and that what is broken is Americans capacity to choose to share their wealth in order to take care of each other. I really could care less whether sharing is through the mechanism of our grossly inefficient and corrupted government or likely more efficient private organization, but the bottom line is that we have more than enough means to provide a modicum of decent healthcare to all and our failure to do so is why my friend Rodney is now fighting for his life for a condition that could have been treated early on for little cost such that his prognosis would be a full life instead of a death sentence as now appears to be the case. What's more, I mentioned that Glenn Beck does not speak for Christ and his message of freedom is more about freedom from responsibility to care for one another than anything else, and his idea of the "Golden Rule" is that gold 'rules' not God. This is antithetical to the message of love taught to this world by Jesus some 2000 years ago IMHO.
I don't know what will come of this, but if some beneficial meaning can be derived from the seemingly senseless tragedy into which my poor buddy Rod has been drawn, then thank God. I'm remiss to politicize the suffering of my friend in this contentious political season given what he's going through, but what God is speaking to my heart is that He is truth and so telling the truth, even if brutal, can not upset Him. To the contrary...
Another update: On that final note I have to admit that I'm not aware of the exact circumstances that have led to this plight. Of course, the ultimate problem is my friend's cancer, and that's for God to understand. Nevertheless, I do not know if my friend foresaked his individual responsibilities after he lost his job. Obviously, since he had had bladder cancer, he should have used a portion of whatever resources he had, i.e., unemployment compensation, to keep health insurance if that was possible. His failure to do so, if this is what occurred, might now end up proving to be a fatal mistake. I'm at the ICU and would ask him, but he's unable to speak and is unconscious, so it is what it is. Don't know if it's even worth asking about at this point. The bottom line, however, is that it is ridiculous that some 50 million Americans have no health insurance and are literally, in some cases like this, dying around us and somehow "We The People" can't see fit to sacrifice a larger portion of their wealth for others' endangerment and suffering. It's all about me, myself and I in this day and age, and God is watching. You best pray our Creator's patience not wear out...
Last edited:
You libs do nothing but repeat the lines you messiah obama gives you.
