For two-and-a-half days, about 800 doctors, nurses, dentists and optometrists treated 2,700 uninsured and underinsured people, most from Appalachia. No one was asked for an insurance card. There were no co-pays. And there were no bills. Full Story »
Posted by Derek Hawkins
This was more of a vignette than an actual story - by virtue of its editing and presentation. Nonetheless the Berkes describes the "Third World" status of our precious America. The story invokes scenes from the 'Grapes of Wrath' and 'The King's New Clothes.' As a piece of journalistic opinion, it didn't preach, just reported with the addition of a very personally relevant observation. The rest is left to the reader - including whether to heap scorn on the multitudes of uninsured or snickering at the those that still believe Charity is a responsibility.
No doubt the resident News Trust ideologues will feel it's more important to register their disdain at the content and disregard the mission of NT - to evaluate quality journalism rather than throw rotten tomatoes at those who argue opposing positions. We generally expect to see reports of this nature from foreign correspondents residing in developing African nations or those in the rubble of war. It makes it difficult to remain passive in a battle with those that insist we are a "Christian" Nation but in large part practice a life-style that doesn't embrace mankind's well-being as something we should shoulder together. The politics of the people arriving at these free-clinics doesn't come into play. Leave the prostitution of politics out of this discussion and the story is a simple one.