Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

I must admit. I am perplexed. We live in the richest country in the world. In comparison to other countries, many enjoy a lifestyle of comfort and security. We enjoy the freedom of speech, assembly and worship. So why the debate on healthcare? There is an element in our country that would deny their own neighbors access to healthcare with the claim that it is a privilege, not a right. A privilege based on what? Many of these dissenters hail from the religious Right. While my background is Catholicism, there is nothing in the Bible that I can recall that even hints that the care of others is a privilege; and in fact I can think of numerous references to its opposite.  I freely admit, I am a Catholic on the fringe (bordering on excommunication at any minute) the ideals of Christ and social justice that I was taught are in direct contradiction to the opposition of healthcare for all. In fact, it is the ideals of Christ and the Church’s affirmative action on many social justice issues that keeps me aligned to the Church at all.

Am I my brother’s keeper?

Barack Obama uses that phrase often. That is the question that all of us will wrestle with at some point. How you answer that question now may be an indicator of where you stand on this issue. Recall these words:

……….This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time—to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth—that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people:  Yes We Can.

                                                                                                                                                            President Elect Barack Hussein Obama
                                                                                                                                                            Chicago, Il • November 4, 2008 

I have my answer. While we are many……. We Are One.

 

Make this your best day yet.

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~ by Victoria DePaul on September 3, 2009.