Public Education and Health Care

I’ve got a suggestion for the health care debate. Someone may have already brought it up, but I haven’t heard it put the way I thought of it. That is, to treat health care the same way as education.

This would make health care an obligation for all citizens. It would also make each community, district, and state responsible for organizing and providing health care to its citizens. Finally, while all taxpayers would financially support this system, they would be free to use alternative, private schools.

I don’t think public schools are perfect. I’ve seen many of the problems, both as a student and educator. But I do believe its model provides a core system that effectively benefits citizens and society alike, while constantly adapting and seeking to best serve them. Plus, if we pay doctors as much as teachers then it’ll be affordable. Though I guess we couldn’t give two months of summer vacation to doctors too.

Comment Tester Ton Ami (Pt. 2)

He put his hand on the cutting board right when I brought down the knife. I tried to pull it back, but couldn’t. It’s a weird feeling to commit your body and mind to a sudden motion, and try to stop it in the middle of the act. First I saw the blood spray out, hitting the wall near us. Then I stared at his hand. He, much smarter than me, yelled to get something to cover the wound. I grabbed a rag, but he said, again with a clear mind, that it was filthy. We ran to the sink and put a clean towel over the gash, both of us applying as much pressure to it as we could.

In Defense

The first section of the French history textbook, picking up after WWII, focuses on globalization. Though it’s not overt in its anti-globalization stance, subtle is often more effective. I don’t want to defend globalization, but two things bother me as I read.

First, I’m tired of the suggestion that consuming US products and culture is forced. If people don’t buy it, if there’s no demand, then corporations can’t profit. That’s not to say corporations and media aren’t aggressive, but that consumers aren’t helpless victims.

Second, I don’t think the French, historically, have a right to claim moral high ground on the issue. Why do citizens of some African countries speak French? Napoleon undertook massive military and cultural invasions, and, unlike the decision to buy a coke or watch a Hollywood movie, his were occupations by force.

Comment Tester Ton Ami (Pt. 1)

He squatted in front of the mini fridge to stock portioned lobster roll and cole slaw. Or was it tuna salad? I still wondered about the newly delivered knives, which came with the warning, “careful, you know, these things are real sharp.” We had tested the big knife on various things, and nothing could slow it. I looked at the three-inch stack of square, American cheese slices. That’d take some force to cut through. So I placed it on the white, textured cutting board mounted on top of the mini fridge, and raised the knife just below shoulder height. I like to think I remembered to then say “don’t move” to him, that I’d made him aware of my plan – reckless as it was – in some way. But I’m not sure. I do know that I chopped as hard as I could, cause the block of cheese didn’t figure to split easily.