Patriotic societies seem to think that the way to educate school children in a democracy is to stage bigger and better flag-saluting. ~ S.I. Hayakawa

While thousands of people without health insurance drove miles to the Forum near Los Angeles to receive free medical treatment, our representatives in Washington, D.C., who have the best health care coverage in the nation, are digging in their heels over health care reform while bickering and probably blocking the addition of a public option.

How would our representatives feel if they couldn't see a doctor for a fever? What if our representatives faced cancer but couldn't afford surgery or chemotherapy? What if our representatives couldn't afford medication to reduce their high blood pressure and ward off a stroke or heart attack? Or buy a much needed antibiotic? Or buy insulin for diabetes in order to prevent diabetic coma, blindness or even death? What if it were their spouses, children or parents going without adequate health care? How would they feel then? How would they vote? How much longer would they argue? Would they continue to risk their lives and those of their loved ones while bickered over whose obligation it was and the taxes that would be necessary? Or would they work to find the solution...now?!

Our representatives say they love this country. They say they are patriotic and they wear flags on their lapels to express their patriotism. They say the United States of America is the greatest nation on earth, but are we? This is a photo of Americans in Los Angeles waiting for health care. The clinic that set up in the Forum was only seeing 1,500 patients, but there were thousands more than that. It looks like the aftermath of some sort of disaster or a care center in a third world country...


Patients without medical insurance wait for treatment in the Forum, a music arena in Inglewood,
Los Angeles.The 1,500 free places were filled by 4am. Photograph: John Moore/Getty Images

While our representatives and their families receive health care from the best doctors and health facilities in the nation, Americans are standing in line at the freaking Forum hoping and praying for a chance...just a chance...to see a doctor...ANY DOCTOR or other health professional.

An online dictionary defines patriotism as "actuated by love of one's country; zealously and unselfishly devoted to the service of one's country."

"Love of one's country."

"Zealously and unselfishly devoted to the service of one's country."

Conversely, the online dictionary also defines "unpatriotic", "showing lack of love for your country and being "disloyal = deserting your allegiance or duty to leader or cause or principle"

While these and millions more Americans live and die without access health care because of their inability to afford or qualify for health insurance, we spend billions for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We gave billions of dollars to automobile companies when CEO's said if they didn't get the money, massive layoffs would ensue. They received their money and layoffs ensued anyway. We bailed out banks and lending institutions whose leadership has advocated the riskiest of business practices. And, didn't I read somewhere that we've given $2 billion dollars to Israel? Money, money everywhere....everywhere else, that is.

When you look at that photo, do you see love of our country or unselfish devotion to the service of our country? I don't. I see blatant disregard and desertion of our country and it's people.