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| October 27, 2006 Alaskan in Exile by Neil Zawicki One very early morning last week, I found myself at a little table with a glass of orange juice, some coffee and some pastries, staring at a panel of political candidates. It was the Candidate’s Breakfast, a bi-partisan affair pitched by the Clark County Chamber of Commerce here in Washington. At the Breakfast, each candidate got three minutes to dazzle the crowd with rhetoric, and the words spoken were a perfect cross-section of the two big parties. One Republican candidate took his three minutes to deliver what sounded like a church sermon, while his Democratic opponent made sure right off the top to mention that her husband is serving overseas in the military. It’s really kind of funny. The Republican message is this: “God, God, God, fear, God, God, we’re not safe, God, fear, God.” The Democrats make sure to do this: “As I was talking to my husband, who is currently serving overseas in the military…” Underlying message: “I’m patriotic too. See? Look at my little American Flag pin I’ve displayed prominently on my lapel!” But the real fun started when State Representative Jim Moeller (D) and his opponent, Sharon Long (R) had their say. Before representing the state house in Washington’s 49th District, Moeller had a 25-year career as a chemical dependency counselor with Kaiser Permanente, a major healthcare service provider in the Northwest, and is on the house healthcare committee. Healthcare reform is a major part of his platform. He is a strong supporter of socialized healthcare in our country. Long, on the other hand, has an entirely different view. “Free healthcare violates human nature,” she said. Wanna read it again? Here it comes: “Free healthcare violates human nature.” I nearly spit my orange juice and then I elbowed my fellow reporter, Megan, who was already looking at me with shocked amusement. “Free healthcare violates human nature.” Violates. Human nature. I had to separate the two just to try and stuff them into my consciousness. “Free healthcare violates human nature.” Why? According to Long, free healthcare violates human nature because people will use it. “When I was a young mother, I didn’t have health insurance and, as a result, I learned to be very careful with my kids and just to watch them when they got sick. Later, when I had insurance, I would take them to the doctor all the time just because I was able to,” she said. So, it is human nature to do what is possible to keep your family safe and healthy, as long as it’s not free? By that logic, air violates human nature. Maybe people should be charged for the air they breathe so the filthy savages don’t take it for granted and just run around breathing it willy-nilly. I wonder if the free breakfast Ms. Long was served that morning violated her human nature? What about free speech? Does free speech violate human nature? Moeller just sat, and let her talk. She was his best case for reelection. And anyway, he wouldn’t want to violate her human nature. Neil Zawicki, exiled Alaskan, is Editor at Large for Insurgent49, a former reporter for the Alaska Star, and winner of the Alaska Press Club's 'Best Columnist' award. He is now living out the rest of his days in an undisclosed location in Oregon. He can be contacted at - hondo23@gmail.com |
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October 20, 2006 October 13, 2006 October 6, 2006 September 29, 2006 September 22, 2006 September 15, 2006 September 8, 2006 September 1, 2006 August 25, 2006 August 18, 2006 August 11, 2006 August 4, 2006 July 28, 2006 July 21, 2006 July 14, 2006 June 30, 2006 June 23, 2006 June 16, 2006 June 9, 2006 June 2, 2006 May 26, 2006 May 12, 2006 May 5, 2006 April 28, 2006 April 21, 2006 April 14, 2006 April 7, 2006 March 31, 2006 March 24, 2006 March 17, 2005 March 3, 2006 February 24, 2006 February 17, 2006 February 10, 2006 February 3, 2006 January 27, 2006 January 20, 2006 January 13, 2006 January 6, 2006 December 30, 2005 December 23, 2005 December 16, 2005 December 10, 2005 December 2, 2005 November 25, 2005 November 18, 2005 November 11, 2005 November 4, 2005 October 28, 2005 October 21, 2005 October 14, 2005 October 7, 2005 September 30, 2005 September 23, 2005 September 16, 2005 September 9, 2005 September 2, 2005 August 26, 2005 August 19, 2005 August 12, 2005 August 5, 2005 July 29, 2005 July 22, 2005 July 15, 2005 July 8, 2005 July 1, 2005 June 24, 2005 June 17, 2005 June 10, 2005 June 3, 2005 May 27, 2005 May 20, 2005 May 13, 2005 May 6, 2005 April 29, 2005 April 21, 2005 April 14, 2005 April 7, 2005 April 1, 2005 - also by this
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Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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