Thursday, August 7
HIV Positive Mexicans Detained by U.S. Allege Neglect
This story almost made me cry. Aren't we supposed to be the progressive country that cares about what happens with other countries? We can send thousands of our military forces into other countries to interfere in their lives, but we can't make sure that those on our soil, under our care, get their medicines on time? We're not talking about birth control pills for god's sake! We're talking about medications that help to save lives! A convict on death row will get all the medical care necessary to make sure he is in good health when we kill him, but a deportee we let die. Sometimes I am so ashamed that I am an American. Everyone in poorer countries dreams of coming here, other societies pick up their fads and fashions from here, people want to be like Americans, but if they only knew what it's really like down at the heart of it all, they'd stay where they are. They certainly would think twice about coming to a country that could (and would) cold-heartedly stand by and watch you die.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in this country that believe only Americans should be extended rights. We've become a culture of death and delusions.
I feel embarrassed lately more than I do proud...that is heart wrenching..Whatever happened to humanity? Compassion? Love thy neighbor?
What amazes me is the people who run around claiming to be so fair and open-minded and who say they're not prejudiced, who turn into rabid slobbering dogs at the mention of immigrants. A horrified look comes over their face, they break into a sweat, and begin shaking and stammering uncontrollably, "Th-th-those d-d-damn H-h-hi-Mexicans, they g-g-get all the b-b-breaks, and th-th-they d-d-d-don't even l-l-learn to sp-sp-speak En-en-our language!"
I'm not saying that I believe illegals should be allowed to come across the border at will, and then when they get here be allowed all the rights of people born here. Illegal is illegal any way you look at it. However, if they're here, and have been here for years and been working and all, why not allow them some rights? I look at it like this, regardless of how they got here, they're human beings. Some of those people have been in this country for years, have had kids who are legal, and have supported this country by working and spending what little money they are able to make on American goods and services. Why shouldn't they be allowed some of the basic human rights? I'm talking health care, the right to work, etc. It's a complicated subject, because on the one hand, granting them those rights could be seen as sanctioning people entering the country illegally. On the other hand though, what good are you doing these people or their families when you deport them? You've done nothing but break up a happy home, and it really hasn't affected anything here at all.
As you say though Dharma, we've "become a culture of death", and unfortunately Lori, "love they neighbor" is one of the things that has died.
There is another perspective to take on this tragedy. This death was one of 150 in a detained population of a million and a half. In this regard it is not bad...this is a low death rate even in a city of similar size with much more causes of death.
What disturbed me was so much that the right medications were available but the institution would not administer them. If they were available from her mother, then they wold have been at no cost to the government.
The marker of American indifference was the guard who used his boot to inspect the young woman in the cell because he wanted no contact with her. I'm fairly certain gloves were available, they are everywhere else.
Yes we treat death row and all other prisoners better than this woman but it is a different agency with a different agenda and we also treat convicts medically better than we do them, both citizens and non-citizens, without insurance.
Are "we" in such a minority now, those of us that try to be decent, help our fellow man? I am starting to think so. I believe in Karma,and that expression, there, but for the grace of God, go I..I can't stand to see human suffering..Suffering is expanding globally, daily and the group of people that actually cares is diminishing...
>>There is another perspective to take on this tragedy. This death was one of 150 in a detained population of a million and a half. In this regard it is not bad...this is a low death rate even in a city of similar size with much more causes of death.<<
If it had been a 'natural' death, I would agree, but this is a death that could have been avoided. This is a death caused by cruel, heartless, and probably (IMO) homophobic people who saw a trans gender woman and said, "Why not let IT suffer." They were probably hoping she would die. There's no way I can consider this "not bad"; under those circumstances, even one death is too many. It didn't have to happen.
Post a Comment