Saturday, November 7, 2009

Health Care Reform

I had a dream. No not a MLK type dream but a dream about the health care debate. Don't ask me why but the debate was set up like an episode of JAG. There were three representatives on each team. The for and against teams. The debate lasted all of thirty seconds, the “for” team stood up and asked “how could you not be for health care reform, premiums are too high, co-pays are ridiculous, you can be denied for preexisting conditions or for no reason at all. We want to change that.” The “against” team responded, “socialism, the government should not be involved in your medical care.”

I woke up and thought to myself, that for the most part is how simplistic this “debate” has become. We went to sleep one night last spring and the health care debate that began when Democrats took over the Federal government became politicized. The Democrats ran on the promise of changing the health care system to a form more fair and effective for everyday Americans. The Republicans almost overnight became the part of “no.” Not no because health care did not need reform but no because if the 'crats were successful, then they would not be relevant in the coming years.

We must remember that like anyone else in society, politicians are interested in self-preservation. They don't want to lose their jobs any more than any other worker in America. So their every decision is calculated toward the effect it may have on their chances of retaining their jobs in two to four years. Democrats do the same thing. Even though according to their own polling numbers that show that even the majority of their constituencies want reform, as a body politic, they believe that their only option is to oppose the party in power. Is that what we elected to represent us? A party that just says no for no other reason than to oppose?
Lets be real and talk real. Most of us that are not considered upper middle class or wealthy in America are one really bad injury or sickness away from bankruptcy. Sure we have health insurance, usually provided by our employers but what happens if that company drops our policy. What if our only option is a high deductible plan. What if we don't have $5000 to pay for the deductible, or even $500? Sure, in some cases we can get the treatment but how do we pay back the debt? What has been proposed is a public option to compete against the private companies. The party of no immediately responded with attack ads indicating that this option would lead to socialized health care. We should ask them “and???” What exactly is wrong with so-called socialized health care. Other countries have had it for years and it seems to work. Sure there are problems, but is private health care so much better?

What must be realized is that there has been “socialized” health care in this country for decades, its called Medicaid and Medicare. It seems to work fairly well. Yes there are issues with the two, yet there are literally thousands of Americans that would literally be dead without it. What is amazing is that the observer cannot see why there is opposition to the public option. The party of no could care less about their constituents that have reservations about it. They do, however, care that lobbyists and special interests in the insurance industries do not want it.
Ostensibly the argument against the option centers around cost, and taxpayer support. Keep it real, according the to nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, enactment of health care reform will actually reduce the deficit as opposed to increasing it. What that means is that our “grandchildren” will not be paying for this reform and even if they did, they will be paying for Bushes wars for decades to come, so at least they will get something out of health care reform. What will they get out of the “war on terror,” that's right, protection against terror. You know what terrorizes me, to need an appendectomy and not have the money to pay for it. I'm terrified that my son will need braces in a few years and they cost as much as a new car. It terrorizes me that I have only a few options, options that cost too much and are totally dependent upon decisions made by others to maximize profits.

We need to resist the urge to be blinded by statistics and opinions, mine included as my personal reality differs from everyone else's. We need to look at the debate realistically. Will reform improve my situation or harm my situation. Do I need someone to tell me what is best for me or can I simply go to my mailbox and remove the past due bills from the specialist that my PCP referred me to that happened to be “out of network?” We are a smart, intuitive people, why don't we act like it?

I'll tell you why and continue the thought in my next blog. Because we have a President that happens to be African-American and some of us are naturally resistant to anything he may suggest.

Consciousness


The subtitle of all my blogs is real talk from real people with real problems. I wonder sometimes whether all my readers really know what that means. Back in the mid to late 1980's there was a consciousness movement going around, a consciousness movement that was quickly co-opted by society for monetary gain. It began when rappers began producing music that spoke of our cultural heritage as African folk. You remember, it was the KRS Ones, Arrested Development, Native Tongues, Queen Latifah (before she started making G rated comedies and CoverGirl ads), Paris Jackson, Digital Underground (featuring this new youngster named Tupac before someone convinced him that being an asshole was more lucrative than being conscious), Tribe Called Quest and X-Clan. I'll post some of their music on my page one day (short for when I figure out how).
These groups had one thing in common, they believed that the time had came for us to raise our voices and serve notice that we are not just passengers on this train ride to nowhere that America seems to be going. The wanted everyone to know that we had thoughts, deep, reflective thought that “others” needed to hear. For decades we had been an afterthought in America with only a handful of representatives in the mainstream of society. Remember when not too long ago, the richest of us were athletes and R&B singers? That was a time when we had no Senators in Congress, a few Representatives but they were relegated to the “Congressional Black Caucus” that couldn't pass gas without an act of Congress. Yeah, they named a few post offices, even named a few streets in honor of prominent black preachers, but for the most part did not and still do not represent us. Anyone who disagrees, list the major initiatives that have benefited us as a whole not just the relative few in their constituency.
I, however, digress. As you can see I have problems with our political structure. Back to the point, We as Afrikans (spelled with a “k” to differentiate us from our cousins from the continent) in this country seemed to be looking around and noticing for the first time that the world was passing us by. That we were spectators watching the game instead of playing in the game. What then happened was nothing less than tragic. Slowly, insidiously, we began being more concerned about the fashion statement made by wearing a medallion shaped like Africa than what was actually happening in Africa. Suddenly there were Dashikis and Kufi hats for sale on every street corner. Rap degenerated into boast contests about who had the biggest car, the most gold and the most bullets in their gun. Our Queens became My Bitches. Hard work and sharing among us became puttin in work. Education became soft and credibility became linked to tattoos and “bids.” (going to prison)
Let me digress again. To all you children out there who idolize the Lil Waynes, Jeezies, T.I.'s and Jim Jones of the rap world. Real drug dealers don't get record deals. Who approaches you on the corner serving and tells you “I wanna make you a star?” Real drug dealers don't wear makeup and shoot videos. The only videos that exist of real drug dealers are in the hands of the Feds and believe me when you see it, it will be in an interrogation room before you're charged under the RICO act and sent away for a good portion of your life. If you don't believe me, ask an uncle or cousin, maybe even Mommy and Daddy what prison is like cause we are all related to someone who knows. Ask them if they had it to do all over again would they sacrifice a decade or two for a few dollars. Prison doesn't make you hard, it just makes you old.
That is the new consciousness, we are conscious of our immediate surroundings, many times of only what happens on our block. We cry and moan about the level of violence in our community, about the pervasiveness of poverty around us but we refuse to take the steps to change it. We look for outsiders to change it for us. The common remedy for our situation is to send in the troops and lock more of us up, or give us more food stamps or TANF. That is what we vote for. That is the solution for the fools that we send to Washington. Ask yourself, would you invite someone from across town into your home to resolve a dispute with your spouse or child? Then why do we ask someone in Washington to solve our problems in the community? Its the same thing. You want the violence to stop, then stop it. You want to rise out of abject poverty, then invest your money in your community. You want to stop giving your money to the vultures that inhabit our communities, then instead of buying rims or plasmas, pool your resources and YOU own the minimarts and gas stations. Don't believe it can't be done because the Arabs, Pakistanis and Indians (from India) that do own the stores did it and they came here poor too.
In other words, our consciousness has to change. We have to stop looking at ourselves as being powerless as opposed to being powerful. We have to begin to command respect as opposed to demanding respect. We're not respected because we don't have a rudder, we just drift from one latest thing to another. Our desire to separate ourselves and define ourselves as a people are misdirected into hairstyles, modes of dress, manners of speaking and conspicuous consumption. That MUST change, and until it does we will remain the led not the leaders.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Togetherness

Recently talked with a friend of mine who lamented on the lack of unity among our people. Truth be told, I have to agree with him. I simply have a different take on the situation. Has anyone noticed that out of all of the different groups there are in America, only us as Afrikans have a totally fragmented existence. Northern Afrikans are distinctly different from Southern Afrikans. Eastern Afrikans are different from Western Afrikans. Afrikans that are 40 years old or older have a completely different mindset than those younger.

There are many reasons for this, but I choose to take it all the way back to our slave heritage. Unlike our Caucasian neighbors, we didn't come here in groups. We came here like luggage, with bags of all different types thrown together. We never had the chance to develop distinct cultural identities. Instead, we learned to coexist with each other and pass along this supposed homogeneity to our offspring. Even a casual glance at the continent of Africa will evidence a hodgepodge of different cultures even physical features. We, on the other hand, all look essentially the same. Sure some of us are lighter, some heavier, etc, but for the most part you can tell an Afrikan from here from an African from there fairly easily.

So why the difference? Its because like the old adage, water only rises to its natural level. Some of us are standing in ankle deep water, while some of us are drowning. We try to lead the blind out of darkness but sometimes darkness is comforting. If I stay in the dark, no one can see just how ignorant I really am. If I maintain this job and pay all my bills, then I'm okay, never once giving thought that the purpose of work is to not have to work eventually. We don't think high enough. We are content to let all other groups be at the forefront. We relegate ourselves to being eternal consumers. We place more value on buying the rims than selling the car. Even if we do make a "come up" by whatever means, we spend it rather than invest it. I know that bills have to be paid, what I'm referring to is disposable income. An extra $2000 instantly makes the average one of us think about flatscreen tv's or maybe dvd player for the backseat of the car, even if we don't have children to sit back there and watch it.

I have become convinced that it is my job to raise the bar. It is my job to pull the blinders off those of my people that want to listen. Of those that don't want to listen, I can only hope that the work that we put it will benefit them in the long run. In Islam it is said that only a small group of people can make a change. Let me be the first one.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

We think of conflicts as happening "over there" where "those people" live not realizing that its everywhere. Don't misunderstand, I am not a naysayer, not a gloom and doom prognostictor, neither am I a hero nor am I a villian. I'm just that guy that will tell you what he feels and truth of things. (at least as I see it.)
What I feel is a sense of urgency in our lives. As if some mystic sixth sense is telling us collectively as a infestation of this planet to "hurry, shit is coming." You better get what you can get and enjoy what you can enjoy because somethin' ain't right. That sense of urgency, whatever it is caused by, has us . . . what's the word . . .scurrying around mostly for crumbs. That's what tells a brother to go in back yard of a not so run down neighborhood and throw up his hands with a Go-rilla. I'd be scared of that cat with a gun. Imagine that: "BANG, BANG!!" A cold distant voice replies, "Nigga that's all you got!" Anyway, that's life for some of us, literally getting my eye put out for a piece of the money that my "guys" are going to get the most of. Damn, a veritable cornicopiea of hoodness. But guess what, its happening all over the country. Those could have been two white boyz ( I know a few and believe you me, some of these white boyz can bump, remember, this ain't prize fighting where there are rules. I can beat your ass into a coma and you just lost the fight. People are doing this shit to feed their kids all over Amerikkka) AIDS is an epidemic but not being poor is pretty good insulator from dying because of lack of good medical care. Where you at Gates, Buffington, Allen, etc.?) This could also have been two Asians, two Native Americans, two Hispanics. Poverty is the great equalizer. A poor white guy suffers probably less than a black guy but he also suffers in a different way. That's what we need to tackle. There is no logical reason why a country that can spend billions to fight an unpopular war in a country 5000 miles away cannot find money to provide even the most basic universal health care for all its citizens.

That's where I came from Ladies and Gentlemen. A world that few of you could possibly understand. A world that affects your outlook on life as well as your response to that life. I believe that life is both external as well as internal. You live your life but life around you forces you to respond to it. Litmus test:: how you respond to a life or death situation. Fight or Flight. My position is that a person never knows what they will do until they are presented with the situation where their decision may affect their life as well as the lives of those they love. I say that we have become as a loose gathering of conflicting interests much more selfish and violent. Where we use to avoid danger, we now respond to it with such overwhelming force. A man crawls through your window, you hear it, you turn on the lights and its Boo Boo the crackhead, Ms. Lucy's son. Who kills him even though Boo Boo is soft as doctor's cotton? I say 80 to 85 percent of us kill him. Hey, he shouldn't have been in my house. I'm with it. I kill him too. Principle of the thing. We'll have a thousand reasons why and very few reasons why not. We have become a nation of people who support politicians who pass laws that give police officers the right to kill a fleeing felon for shoplifting. Boo Boo didn't have a gun and was shot in the back running away. His ass shouldn't have been stealing. His theft makes my prices higher. He may get high on drugs one day and rape and kill my great-grandmother (which ironically has become much more common these days but STILL not nearly as numerous as us over the years getting executed by law enforcement agencies.) Again, don't misunderstand. I love the police, I call them so they can kill Boo Boo, that way my ass stays out of jail. No one reading this blog knows better than me why we need prisons. One day I'll tell you how I know.

That's it for now. I must go and destroy my old ass eardrums with truly loud music. Peace, hit me back with thoughts about that piece. (the poem, for you Denise Hayes because that may be a reference that you're not "hep" to. Peace to the DFR in Seven Nina (G.I. or Gary, Indiana) to all over like 30 years old. Hit the blog up, any ideas?