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PAGE 8-THE CLUSTER, MARCH *, 1JW
Editorial/Opinion
Nice, neat labels impede freedom
We, as a group of human beings (take that any way you
want to) have hit the ultimate low. In an age of labeling
everyone and evetthing, we have become lost in the
misconceptions of ideals and meanings. No, it's not that we
have lost our ideals, we just can't see two feet in front of
our faces to understand them. We just throw everything in
to nice, neat categories in order to pass judgment on other
people and their beliefs,
1 sat at the Amnesty International table in the lobby of the
fnmWtl Student Center for over an hour last Wednesday.
We luri petitions for people to sign. Urgent Actions for peo-
ty*International is trying to do. Amnesty is just idealistic
enough to try to free all the world from persecution.
HUMAN RIGHTS! That's what Amnesty International is
about: the fight for every person's basic human right to
believe ami say what they wish without the fear of being im
prisoned for doing so.
Now, that doesn't sound loo bad. -ue» it? But 1 doo't know
how many times 1 heard people use the word ''liberal" or
any reference to that weed's steroetypical meaning. I became
just cynical enough to begin using the word myself. I even
yelled at someone for not taking the time to understand what
they were judging. I just can't believe that some of us ac
tually think that human rights are a "liberal" cause and an
outrageous thing to fight for. What a "liberal" idea that
anyone should be able to believe what they wish, to believe
How is it possible that we can confuse HUMAN RIGHTS
with a label? Why is it that we must categorize everything
in terms of liberal and conservative? Human rights are not
for the liberal, they are for everyone, so why do those who
consider themselves to be conservative run from the idea of
u,ruling up for human rights?
Amnesty Internatsonal opposes the death penalty. Now,
I understand that this is a touchy situation for many people,
but it is what the organization stands behind because there
are places in this god-awful world that a person can be put
to death for a belief. Now, the idea of abolishing the death
penalty may be what we classify as "liberal." but the whole
idea of Amnesty International is to let every individual
believe wh* he/rfie wishes and not be forced to believe other
wise. In other words, we can believe the death penalty is
good or bad: it's up to us. It's called freedom. Now, do all
of you who call yourselves conservative really oppose
freedom?
Do we all see the stupidity of these labels yet?
People are jailed daily, throughout the world, because they
ate of different political and/or religious beliefs than their
respective governments. Just let your mind imagine this. The
greatest problem with people is that they refuse to see en
tire situations; we go through life with blinders on and never
see the world in its entirety. Just imagine what a life of sup
pressed beliefs is like. The vast mqority of Meroer is Chris
tian. Well, there are places in this world where certain
religions cannot be practiced, and could you imagine being
taken from your family and jailed without a charge or fair
trial bxause you believe in Jesus Christ. All the world is
not 'he United Stales, or our perception of the U.S. Not
everywhere can you go to church or synagogue every Satur
day or Sunday. Not everywhere can you speak out against
a governmental policy. Not everywhere can you believe what
you warn to believe.
The 1988 elections are over. Kid it’s time to drop the name
calling and labeling forever. Take off the blinders. Let go
of the stereotypes. In the words of Bob Mariey. “Get up
Stand up. Stand up for your rights." h’s time to come
together and make the world a better place, but not just for
you and me. Human rights are not for a few chosen people,
they are for everyone.
Pout Alexander is Editor-in-chief for the Cluster
‘C’ and ‘L’ words just cofifuse the whole mess
Is a safe to come out yet? For the past two weeks I've
been watching with interest the ongoing debate flying about
in the Cluster between the two wings of campus ideology.
On the one hand, there arc those who declare themselves
Conservatives, wearing the name like some redeeming label.
On the other fopd. on the other side, there are the Liberals.
themselves to opposing the conservatives and
wearing their title like some political Red Badge of Courage.
I kind of fad out of place. I'm not a (Gibson) conservative
and I'm'not a member of the liberal press as defined by
Webster and Ms. Itzoc 1 don't even have a chip on my
sholder. God help me! I must he moderate! I'm doomed!
In reality. throwing the "C" word and the "L " word about
makes lithe sense Mr. Gibson might say. "I'm a conser
vative. " Oh. really? Are you politically conservative? Are
your religiously conservative? Are you conservative of
speech? Or do you use water conservatively? Do you dress
conservatively’’ Just what is it that makes you conservative ’
On the other hand, what is the liberal,press’ Does it ex
pound "left-of-center values’Ordoes it merely expound
things optimistscally? Perhaps it is a bit wasteful in the
number of words it uses, being a bit liberal in that regard.
{Perhaps because we drank too liberally last night?)
Guest opinion
By DAVID PARISH, MD
The follmnng is the first of a two part guest editorial by
Dr David Parish. Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine
at the Mercer University School of Medicine. Dr. Parish
received bachelors degrees from Ole Miss and the Univer
sity of Men Orleans He has completed advanced graduate
work at Tnltme and his M.D. comes from the LSU School
of Medicine. This piece wat originally published in the
Blueprint for Social Justice, nhtch comes from Loyola
University of Men (Means. Dr. Parish is also a member of
the Writing Committee for Physicians for a National Health
Program, which published "A National Health Program for
the United Slates: A Physicians Proposal " in the lanuary
12th edition of The New England Journal of Medicine
Patchwork Qn* Provides Inadequate Coverage
joey
Bishop
The point of the matter is that the "C" word and the “L"
word hive been abused so much that they have lost any mean
ing they once had. They are no longer specific. What do yoi
call someone who supports economic sanctions against South
Africa and likes environmental protection, but favors a large
military, sees SEM as favorable, and believes state govern
ments should have more power? This person supports the
Democratic patty in local and state affairs, yet supports the
Republican party in national issues. Is be a liberal, or is be
conservative, or (like me) just plain confused with the whole
mess.
To dear up another point, yes, sometimes I don’t believe
the liberal press. Then again, sometimes 1 don’t believe the
In sum. we are faced with a patchwork quilt of coverage
for our society. The poor suffer most, with a crazy quilt war
ming the toes but leaving the torso uncovered. Our financ
ing system favors high technology, high cost services and
discourages preventive, ambulatory services. Care is pro
vided to the poor person who
has a stroke because he or she
was unable to obtain care for
hypertension. A diabetic, who
could not obtain care when
chronically ill*but stable, is
covered for dialysis when
his/her kidneys foil due to poor
i control of the underlying
Dr. Parish disease
conservative press. To put it simply, sometimes I don’t
believe the press. Neither the liberal side or the conservatives
side (their terminology, not mine) has a monopoly in the ob
jectivity market. Call me a fool, but what I try to do is gather
the facts as they are presented to me. weight them against
one another, and make a (usually) carefully considered opi
nion. Very rarely do I allow myself to be swayed by "Heroes
of the Media", be they Dan Rather. George Will. Pat
Buchanon. or Jack Germond. Andy Rooney has a better
chance of swinging my opinion.
I know Mr. Gibson and Ms. Itzoc. They are both in
telligent, active people convicted of their beliefs. (There are
times, however, when I wonder if Mr. Gibson will be con
victed by his beliefs.) Maybe they don’t have the same views,
but that isn’t a call to let lose the "C” and "L" words. Let’s
debate issues, not ideology; and debate laws, not labels. To
pul the "C" and "L” controversy to rest. Mr. Gibson and
Ms. Itzoc are conservative in defending our constitutional
rights and fiberal in letting us know about it. which makes
them both moderates like me.
Now, lets just let the issue lie.
Joey Bishop is a political columnist for the Cluster
why we don’t have it
A basic reform in our country's health care system is need
ed. It is justified on grounds of equity, overall health of our
population, and local con to society. Programs which fund
care specifically for indigent patients arc inadequate, because
they arc susceptible to being cut when felt to be loo expen
sive. Two-tiered care is unacceptable because separate but
equal has always been untrue. Seperalc systems arc easily
allowed to decay. If everyone has to use a system, everyone
is commuted to keeping u strong. The separation of the poor
into old. ditty, substandard facilities which have more pa
nents dun can be cared for properly, gives a message ihai
they arc not valued members of our society.
A prominent econimist has described our system as evoL
ing into three tiers of care, boutique medicine wab hospital
Continued on page It
Universal Access Health Care: Why we need it and
