The Broken Health Care System

I finally made time out of my busy schedule to watch the ultra-liberal, Michael Moore's new documentary called SICKO. After watching this movie, I would recommend the world to watch it, or at least those living in the US. The movie is basically about how the US health care system is broken and how it is not as wonderful as we all claim it to be. There are about 50 million people in the US without insurance, but this movie is not necessarily about them. Instead, Moore focuses on how grossly inadequate health insurance is for the rest of the 250 million people living in this country and how the insurance companies control what can and cannot be treated.

He makes a great point about how we have grown up learning to despise a socialistic society where everyone is treated equally and works for the betterment of the community as a whole. We've been told over and over by schools and by our democratic government that a socialized or nationalized health care system would mean that the government would end up running peoples' lives and that important health decisions would be taken out of the hands of our family doctors. Some how our country has developed into one where we have an "Every man is for himself" attitude. We've bought into a capitalistic society where the laissez faire philosophy rules the day and the rich and powerful continue to get the best services. Who cares about those who cannot pay for all their medical bills? It's not your problem if someone dies of congestive heart failure because he had inadequate health care coverage through corporate insurance companies and cannot afford to pay out of pocket for certain necessary treatments. It's not my problem, right? Wrong. It is my problem because that same person could have easily been someone I know or a family member, or even me. Would you want to live in a country where the public cares about your health and well-being so that you can be a productive member of society? Why do the rich and the powerful only get fair treatment and the right to quality health care?

The right to quality health care. This theory gives me a segway into another good point that Moore made. I've thought about this point in the community health courses I took in college, but I never realized how true it is until now. Why is it that we do not consider health care to be a public right? Why is it that in our individualistic society we have left the poor, the sick and the old to die on the streets purely because of their inability to pay for medical care? I believe a mark of a great country is one where the government and the nation takes care of those who do not have the means to take care of themselves. That is why we have a somewhat socialistic society when it comes to our public education system, our fire department and our police department. We allow our children to go to public school without paying for an education. We allow people to use the fire department when there is a fire without paying extra. We also rely on the police to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe without paying extra. Why is it then that people have to pay extra for health care? Aren't people paying enough taxes so that they can receive quality care without having to pay deductibles and co-pays and relying on private insurance companies who will end up screwing them in the end? Oh wait, our taxes go towards funding the military instead. Apparently, people do not have enough compassion to pay for the health of fellow Americans.

It's a sad state when Americans rely on health insurance companies who only care about profit and the bottom line rather than one's health. It's also sad when our government continues to tell us that nationalized or socialized medicine will not work because it will take the decision power out of the physician's hands. It's just sad to hear this right wing propaganda when we can see that poorer countries in other parts of the world have better health care systems than ours while we are spending millions to line the pockets of the insurance companies. Instead, why don't we utilize that money in a more efficient manner and invest in a so-called Nationalized health care system?

Below is an article I found describing how the government is already controlling our health care and how it severely limits what doctors can do. I think we can do better than our current system.

Ex-surgeon general accuses Bush officials of censorship
Says they chose agenda over facts
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Los Angeles Times July 11, 2007

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's first surgeon general alleged yesterday that administration officials prevented him from providing the public with accurate scientific and medical information on such issues as stem cell research and teen pregnancy.
"The reality is that the 'nation's doctor' has been marginalized and relegated to a position with no independent budget and with supervisors who are political appointees with partisan agendas," Dr. Richard H. Carmona told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. "Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological, or political agenda is ignored, marginalized, or simply buried.
"The problem with this approach is that in public health, as in a democracy, there is nothing worse than ignoring science or marginalizing the voice of science for reasons driven by changing political winds," said Carmona, who served from 2002 to 2006. "The job of surgeon general is to be the doctor of the nation, not the doctor of a political party."
Carmona testified alongside former surgeons general C. Everett Koop and David Satcher, who served in the Reagan and Clinton administrations, respectively. They also told the committee that they faced political interference, particularly on morally charged issues such as sexuality and drug use.
But Carmona said some fellow surgeons general told him the interference rose to new levels during his tenure.
"The surgeon general has to be independent if the surgeon general is going to have any credibility," said Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and the committee chairman. The panel is considering changes that would insulate the surgeon general from political crosscurrents.
Administration officials had no immediate comment on Carmona's denunciation, but the Health and Human Services Department was expected to issue a statement. The House hearing occurred two days before a Senate panel is to meet to consider the nomination of Kentucky cardiologist Dr. James W. Holsinger Jr. to succeed Carmona. Holsinger already has drawn political fire from leading Democrats and gay and lesbian organizations. As a lay member of the United Methodist Church, Holsinger has strongly opposed the liberalization of church policies toward gays.
Surgeons general are viewed as public-health advocates who serve, in essence, as the nation's family doctor. Previous surgeons general have played pivotal roles in debates about smoking, drunken driving, mental health, and disparities in medical treatment between whites and minorities.
Carmona said that he expected that would be his role when he came to Washington, but that his attitude was politically naïve.
When the issue of federal funding for embryonic stem cell research came up early in Bush's first term, Carmona said, he felt he could play an educational role for administration officials and the public by openly discussing the latest scientific research.
Stem cells can be grown into any type of cell in the body, and some scientists see the promise of a cure for Parkinson's and other diseases in them. But producing embryonic stem cells has involved the destruction of human embryos, raising moral issues that some, including many religious conservatives, find profoundly disturbing. In 2001, Bush limited federal funding for stem cell research and has since blocked attempts by Congress to lift the restriction.
Carmona said he was told to stand down from playing any educational role because a decision had already been made. He also said administration appointees who reviewed the text of his speeches deleted from them references to stem cell research.
Likewise, on the issue of preventing teen pregnancy, Carmona said he was not allowed to deviate from the administration's position that abstinence was the best approach. In fact, he said, he believes a variety of approaches are needed, including contraception for sexually active teens. The administration did not want to hear the science, but wanted to preach, Carmona said.

Denial of racism in sports and in general

1) As an Asian American person, race issues have always been very interesting to me, especially in the world of sports. Understandably, most race discussions are purely about white and black issues in this country given our history. Unfortunately, as a result, Asians and Asian Americans are often left out and generally invisible in the gereral discourse of race. On the other hand, as more and more Asians are playing American sports (i.e. Yao, Dice-K, Ichiro, etc...) Asians are slowly becoming part of the general discussion. This is a good thing.

2) Unless a person of color is seriously being unreasonable, they should never be told that they are being "too sensitive" when it comes to being discriminated against, either overtly or subtly. As a person of color, one of the most irritating things to me is when a white person tells me that I am being too senstive because I thought someone commmitted an act of racism towards me. When a person who comes from a class of people who have traditionally been discriminated against feels reasonably offended for some reason, those from other groups should not be telling them that they are "too sensitive" because it is simply a way of dismissing what happened. In general, I think that when you've never experienced something, don't think that you know better,IMO.

3) In regards to overt v. institutionalized racism towards certain groups, overt racism may be on the decline (i.e. Imus' situation), but there is still plenty of institutionalized and sytemic racism in America. It's not surprising that people in power, generally white American males, do not notice the systemic racism and will continue the status quo. Why not continue the status quo when, for the most part, your group is successful? This is usually not a conscious decision anymore, or at least I hope. Unfortunately, because of past and poorly made historical decisions by people in power (i.e. legislators) many minority groups are still affected by institutionalized racism. For example, between 1882-1943, the US government enacted the Chinese Exclusionary Act, which prevented Chinese men and women from immigrating into the US. Don't you think those 60 years have affected how Chinese and other Asian groups have been percieved in the US? Now, think about all the other racial minority groups who have been negatively discriminated against in the past and think how that has affected them in today's society. It's no secret that white American males are still, for the most part, going to better schools, getting better jobs, and getting paid a higher salary. As a result, there are many more white Americans who are in power, who either consciously or subconsiouly want to maintain the status quo.

Keep in mind, racism is not just an American phenomenon. Institutionalized Racism = racial discrimination + power. What group has power will most likely be the group charged with racism. However, this does not mean that individuals cannot be prejudiced towards each other.

So, next time someone of a racial minority group claims that they have been racially discriminated against, please don't just say "you're being too sensitive." That's just an easy way out from having to talk about why that incident has occurred.

What does it mean to be Asian in America today?

What does it mean to be Asian in America today? When I think about this question, which I have many times, many thoughts run through my mind. The first thought is that I am an American just like everyone else. Though on the other hand, there are things I have to be conscious and aware of that other non-Asians don't have to while being in America. For instance, I have to be conscious of the fact that I will be looked at and judged differently and also that others expect certain things of me just because I'm an Asian American (e.g. model minority). I also have to be conscious of the fact that I might not be visible within "mainstream" America and that I might be overlooked. Why is it that when this country talks about race issues, any discrimination against Asians is dismissed? Yet, when there are overt and even subtle discrimination against other races, the media and the country gets into a frenzy. On the same token, I think about how Asian American men, like myself, are barely visible on mainstream television shows, and when they are, they don't speak English fluently. Is it that the audience doesn't care to see Asian Americans on their television screens, or is it that the media doesn't care to portray Asians in America as Americans? Why do I, as well as many other fellow Asian Americans, feel necessary to point out an Asian person on television if we do see one? Is it because it's not yet natural for even Asian Americans to see other Asians on television?

From my experience traveling abroad, I know for a fact that when people think of America, they think of white Americans. Obviously, this perturbs me greatly as I am an American, but I'm not white. Although I was born here in America, I've consciously tried to fit into the culture, but I've never tried to fit into white America. I've never really liked the word "assimilation" because that word connotes fitting into white America. The word "assimilation" is taken from the out dated view that America is a melting pot of cultures. On the contrary, I would suggest that America is more like a mixed salad rather than a melting pot of cultures, which I think is a good thing. Instead of assimilating to the white culture, I've tried to "integrate" both my Asian culture and my American culture together.

As an Asian American person, it has been important to me to try and maintain some semblance of my Asian culture as well as adopt and fit into American culture. It is this bi-cultural fence that separates many Asian Americans from other non-Asian Americans. As many more Asians are emigrating to the US year after year and many more Asian American generations are developing (e.g. 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation families), it will be important for these people to reconcile this bi-cultural fence and somehow develop their own "American" culture. As for me, I have reconciled what it means to be Asian American. Being Asian in America today means celebrating the culture of your family's homeland and incorporating that into what it means to be American.

R.I.P. to those from VT 4.16.07

Presently, I am still reflecting on what occured at Virginia Tech and I have yet to fully comprehend what happened. I will write more once I can synthesize my thoughts, but for now, I will have to continue to absorb as much information as possible from the various news outlets and interpret the various thoughts floating through my head.

Engagement....April Fool's

As I was sitting at Starbucks reading through my Torts textbook, I came to the deep realization that it was April Fool's Day and I hadn't pulled a prank on anyone yet. So, of course, I stopped reading, put my book down on the table, and pondered what I could do that would be relatively easy and harmless. As I sat there thinking of tricks I could do to my family and friends, I thought, "hey, maybe I should do something that realistic."

Before I continue, I'll provide some background to the story. My girlfriend and I have been together for a little over six years now and we've recently started talking about our future plans. I've even started to talk to my friends and sisters about the potential of getting married to her after I finished law school. Keep in mind, I'm only in my first year of school and have two more years after this. By the time I graduate, I'll still only be 26 and my girlfriend will only be 25. So, you can imagine, we're still rather young to get married. Anyway, both my sisters agree that I should wait at least until I'm done with school so that both of us will be a little more settled in our lives.

Now back to the story. I decided to text message my sisters and a few of my friends and told them that my girlfriend and I just got engaged. Thinking that my sisters and friends would know that I was joking, I thought they would simply dismiss my text and give me the obligated, "you're such a dork" comment. Oh, how I was wrong, at least with my sisters. As always, my friends knew I was pulling their legs and didn't believe me at all. However, the way my sisters responded surprised me a bit. First, my second sister responded more enthusiastically than I had expected. She truly seemed happy for me. She said that she knew all along that we'd get engaged, but that she was just a little shocked that I had proposed so early, and without talking to her about it first. She then told me that my eldest and pregnant sister was having a conniption because she was so upset that I had simply texted her rather than called her to tell her of the good news. She was in such a hysterical fit (happy and shocked) that she felt like she was going to give birth. Because nobody was home to talk to about it, she felt it necessary to call my mother, who was at home sleeping. She woke up my mother just to tell her that I had gotten engaged.

At this point, I decided it might be a good idea to call home and quell this joke of mine. I didn't even send the text to my mother because I hadn't even spoken to her about my future plans yet with my girlfriend. I assumed she and my father presumed that we'd be getting married, but not until after I finish school. In any case, I called home to speak with my mother. When she picked up the phone, I could hear her disappointment. She said that even though she was married at 24, she and my father were not ready yet. She said her disappointment had nothing to do with my girlfriend, but more to do with the fact that we were still so young and that I had not spoken to my mother about proposing earlier in the day even though we had lunch together. After I told her it was a joke, you could hear her sigh of relief. She started laughing and said, you better call your sister before she gives birth. So, I called my sister and told her the truth (after about a minute on the phone making her think I was telling the truth). She also claimed that she was very excited that I had gotten engaged to my girlfriend because she loves my girlfriend. She was just disappointed that she only received a text message rather than speaking to her personally about it.

Lessons learned from this April Fool's joke:
1) my family loves my girlfriend and think we do belong together
2) don't get married until after law school
3) call or talk to them personally when I do get engaged instead of mass texting people the news

My First Post

I know I probably don't have a surplus of time to keep this blog going in the future, but I will attempt to document my life as it progresses. I recently read a friend's blog and I was rather intrigued by the vast amount of information I didn't know about him. By reflecting on his life and translating his thoughts into words, he has become a master of language. This skill that he possesses is one I too would like to develop as I attempt to engage in self-reflection.

It's been years since I have kept a journal where I could write about my daily thoughts and emotions. I probably haven't written in one since my time traveling abroad in Australia, which by the way, was the best time of my life.

Ok, I definitely won't have much time to write in the future. I just looked down at the time and saw that I've already spent 20 minutes setting up this blog and writing in it. That's 20 minutes I could have spent reading about the Uniform Commercial Code in my Contracts Law text book. Unfortunately, I will not be able to write as frequently as I would like to until the summer time. About 4 weeks are left until finals start and about 6 more weeks until my first year of law school is complete. In other words, the next 1.5 months will be the toughest and most grueling period of my life as I try to absorb the information I have learned in contracts, property, torts, civil procedure and constitutional law and then apply that knowledge on my finals. Wish me luck!