The story and the video link below come to us from Dave Reynold’s Inclusion Daily Express and (as always) we are grateful to him for his watchfulness and persistence as he monitors the press for stories by or about persons with disabilities.
Reading this I’m reminded of Carl Jung’s observation that “nature, as we know is not so lavish with her boons that she joins to a high intelligence the gifts of the heart also.”
Of course even the smallest minded persons have high intelligence. That’s why these stories are so painful…
S.K.
Town Hall Hecklers Shout Down Woman Who Calls For Compassion On Health Care
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
September 3, 2009
RED BANK, NEW JERSEY–Marianne Hoynes read a prepared statement from her wheelchair during a town hall meeting last week, urging her Congressman to support health care reform.
What made national news, however, wasn’t her message, but the noise from those in the crowd who tried to drown out her voice.
“This country is a completely different place to live in when you get sick,” she read into a microphone.
Hoynes, who said she has two incurable auto-immune diseases, implored Democratic Representative Frank Pallone to consider our fellow Americans that do not have health care coverage.
“I worked hard my whole life and my house is bought and paid for,” Hoynes explained.
And, even though she has Medicare, “the copay for one of my medications is $389 every two weeks. And I’m afraid I won’t be able to afford my property taxes and I’ll lose my home.”
“Please hear this voice of the disabled. Don’t let the insurance lobby win this fight.”
“We all need reasonable health care coverage to be a basic human right, not a privilege.”
Throughout her statement, opponents of health care reform are heard loudly laughing, booing and yelling at her.
One of the loudest hecklers later told a reporter, “I don’t know how a handicapped woman in a chair has more rights than I do.”
Related:
Video of Statement From Marianne Hoynes (YouTube)
http://tinyurl.com/l2zqx4
Planet of the Blind 