Some Canadians have written with feedback on my "what I won't miss" list. They are concerned that my expectations may be too high; they want to warn me that some items on my list "will not necessarily disappear on crossing the border".
Duly noted, and I thank you. I certainly want to proceed with both eyes open.
Three things - "republicans, democrats, where my taxes go" - seem to be the sticking point, so I will expound.
Where my taxes go:
When I think about the war - about the tens of thousands of Iraqi families (we will never know how many; that's American, too) who are dead, or grieving, or whose lives have been reduced to rubble, for absolutely no reason except someone else's power and profit - and I think about the hundreds and hundreds of American families who are forever without their son, daughter, husband, mother, brother, sister - and the thousands more coping with amputations, blindness, trauma, despair - when I think of all this, it just crushes me to know that my tax dollars have helped make that possible.
Yes, I am, along with millions of other Americans, doing everything in my power to stop the madness. But I ask myself, what would it feel like to simply not support this? What would it feel like to not be complicit in this oppression and destruction?
I think it will be a great relief.
When was the last time you heard Canada was bombing some other country for no reason?
Republicans and Democrats:
Both support the system that makes it possible to spend billions on useless foreign wars while so many Americans suffer for lack of health care, housing and other basic needs.
+ + + + +
On the other hand, some American friends are quick to criticize Canada's health care system. Long waiting times to see specialists seems to be the biggest complaint. (These Americans, of course, are people with ready access to health care through their employers.) I'm sure there are flaws in the Canadian system; go find a system without flaws. But imagine: every single person legally living in Canada is guaranteed health care, simply because she or he exists. It can be done.
It can be done here, too. This country doesn't lack the resources. It simply lacks the will.
So that's what I won't miss.
Duly noted, and I thank you. I certainly want to proceed with both eyes open.
Three things - "republicans, democrats, where my taxes go" - seem to be the sticking point, so I will expound.
Where my taxes go:
When I think about the war - about the tens of thousands of Iraqi families (we will never know how many; that's American, too) who are dead, or grieving, or whose lives have been reduced to rubble, for absolutely no reason except someone else's power and profit - and I think about the hundreds and hundreds of American families who are forever without their son, daughter, husband, mother, brother, sister - and the thousands more coping with amputations, blindness, trauma, despair - when I think of all this, it just crushes me to know that my tax dollars have helped make that possible.
Yes, I am, along with millions of other Americans, doing everything in my power to stop the madness. But I ask myself, what would it feel like to simply not support this? What would it feel like to not be complicit in this oppression and destruction?
I think it will be a great relief.
When was the last time you heard Canada was bombing some other country for no reason?
Republicans and Democrats:
Both support the system that makes it possible to spend billions on useless foreign wars while so many Americans suffer for lack of health care, housing and other basic needs.
+ + + + +
On the other hand, some American friends are quick to criticize Canada's health care system. Long waiting times to see specialists seems to be the biggest complaint. (These Americans, of course, are people with ready access to health care through their employers.) I'm sure there are flaws in the Canadian system; go find a system without flaws. But imagine: every single person legally living in Canada is guaranteed health care, simply because she or he exists. It can be done.
It can be done here, too. This country doesn't lack the resources. It simply lacks the will.
So that's what I won't miss.
1 comment:
My sentiments exactly. Exactly.
-- Mollie
P.S. It is an ENORMOUS relief.
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