Tag: healthcare

Healthy and Selfish

~ AlienCG ~ 1 Comment

“Why should healthy people have to pay for sick people?” –A common question asked by “healthy” people

There are a lot of Americans (and probably people all over the world) who think that sickness, disease, and chronic conditions are somehow caused only by lifestyle choices, whether it’s following a “proper” diet and exercise, or leading a truly “moral” life according to some criteria of someone’s choosing.  People get sick and hurt for myriad reasons, and it’s rarely due to their morality. However, some politicians of certain stripes keep using this faulty logic so that their base will continue to defend a system of healthcare that can bankrupt families.

What will it take for people to learn? During this pandemic, we’ve seen several anti-vax, anti-mask radio hosts lose their lives to COVID-19. They preached selfishness and ended up losing their lives and yet, most of their listeners will still tow that deadly line. And for what? So that from now until they contract this awful virus they can say that they avoided it? Then what? Their endgame appears to be trying out a new ventilator.

I don’t have a lot of followers here or on Twitter, but if I can reach one person and change their mind on vaccines and masks, then this would be worth it. Read that previous paragraph again. There are people in this country who are at risk and, even with the vaccine, can still suffer greatly if they contract this virus. A mask is not a sign of weakness or being “sheeple”, it’s a small gesture that shows people that you’re not a dick.

Saturday Sermon: Am I Pro-Life?

~ AlienCG ~ 3 Comments

What does it mean to be pro-life? Is it simply enough to be anti-abortion? One would think that there is a lot more life out there to be in favor of preserving.

Dear reader, I would like you to pause here, minimize your browser window, and take a few minutes to think about what the term, “Pro-life” means to you, not what it means to other people or what it doesn’t mean.

[START NOW]

Pro-life to me is…

  • Ensuring that everybody has access to comprehensive healthcare which includes check-ups, health screenings, preventative care, testing, and treatment. This ensures that nobody has to ignore that lump or pain until it gets unbearable and only then do they find out that they have a serious illness.
    • This includes especially women, who have many different needs from men, including family planning, pre- and post-natal care, and access to safe abortions because no woman should be forced to give birth against her will.
    • This also includes children, who also have very different needs from adults including being vaccinated for childhood diseases, pediatric care, and dental care (see the next note)
    • This also includes access to mental healthcare for anyone who needs and an end to the stigma that goes with it.
    • I also believe that dental care should not be separate from medical care. We are all born with teeth and they should be taken care of.
  • Ensuring a good education for all of our kids so that they can have the tools necessary to be good stewards of this planet and to all of us when we get old. This especially includes offering comprehensive science education including discussing the problem of climate change.
  • Ensuring equal rights to all people regardless of age, sex, race, religion, color, sexual identity, disability, or mental illness.
  • Completely abolishing the death penalty. Human beings are imperfect and make mistakes, including by convicting and executing innocent people. Nobody should have burden put on them that they were responsible for execution of an innocent person.
  • Making wars the absolute last resort and instead, finding diplomatic solutions.
  • In light of the pandemic that we are living through, getting vaccinated and wearing a mask to help protect other people who may not be able to get vaccinated. Also, for those people in positions of authority, following the recommendations of the CDC and science-based health experts, and allowing communities with high rates of infection to institute mask and vaccine mandates without the fear of reprisal from the state.

So, am I pro-life?