Comments on: Basic Human Rights http://projectmultiplexer.com/2009/09/23/basic-human-rights/ Ramblings in a State of Insanity Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:30:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: zenith http://projectmultiplexer.com/2009/09/23/basic-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-158 zenith Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:52:06 +0000 http://projectmultiplexer.com/?p=190#comment-158 (I have changed my theme AGAIN. But this doesn't have the comments issue.) Lots of people disagreed with me vocally over on LJ about how health is not a right but a commodity. But there's sort of a strange dualism going on here. It's okay that we have a system of public schools to which everyone citizen not only has right to use but up to age 16 is /compelled/ to use, complete with teachers who are /compelled/ to teach. But we cannot have the same standard for basic health care. Maybe we'd be better off if we were a society of illiterate sick people? (I have changed my theme AGAIN. But this doesn’t have the comments issue.)

Lots of people disagreed with me vocally over on LJ about how health is not a right but a commodity. But there’s sort of a strange dualism going on here. It’s okay that we have a system of public schools to which everyone citizen not only has right to use but up to age 16 is /compelled/ to use, complete with teachers who are /compelled/ to teach. But we cannot have the same standard for basic health care.

Maybe we’d be better off if we were a society of illiterate sick people?

]]> By: Kim http://projectmultiplexer.com/2009/09/23/basic-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-157 Kim Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:04:23 +0000 http://projectmultiplexer.com/?p=190#comment-157 I can't even begin to add anything to what you say here. I think I know people who agree with this jackass, but they don't have the guts to talk about it where anyone can actually hear them. I can’t even begin to add anything to what you say here. I think I know people who agree with this jackass, but they don’t have the guts to talk about it where anyone can actually hear them.

]]> By: zenith http://projectmultiplexer.com/2009/09/23/basic-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-155 zenith Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:04:44 +0000 http://projectmultiplexer.com/?p=190#comment-155 I will accept that it is the responsibility of an affluent and developed modern economy to provide a floor of very basic health care to all who happen to live within the borders of the country. Is it a basic human right? That's a debatable point. Is it something that a real country should do? I believe absolutely so. I find people who want to deny basic health care because of pure classist reasons ('you're too poor to have a good job to provide you health care!") to be the lowest level of human life. I will accept that it is the responsibility of an affluent and developed modern economy to provide a floor of very basic health care to all who happen to live within the borders of the country. Is it a basic human right? That’s a debatable point. Is it something that a real country should do? I believe absolutely so.

I find people who want to deny basic health care because of pure classist reasons (‘you’re too poor to have a good job to provide you health care!”) to be the lowest level of human life.

]]> By: Jeff http://projectmultiplexer.com/2009/09/23/basic-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Jeff Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:00:05 +0000 http://projectmultiplexer.com/?p=190#comment-154 A basic human right is really tough to define. Do we have a right not to be sick? Well, in the natural world people get sick, injured, die... do we have a right to expect anything different? However, I think the human right argument is the wrong way to approach it. What we really should be asking is "Do we, as an affluent and developed culture and country, have the *responsibility* to provide some level of basic care to those who are unable to provide for themselves." My answer is an unequivocal yes. But then, as a paramedic, it would be difficult for me to morally justify watching someone go into cardiac arrest in front of me and I simply step over and ignore them instead of using my resources and skills to try to help them. The debate is being twisted... it isn't some bum who won't work and won't take care of himself... it is our neighbor, our parents, our kids, and ourselves. A basic human right is really tough to define. Do we have a right not to be sick? Well, in the natural world people get sick, injured, die… do we have a right to expect anything different? However, I think the human right argument is the wrong way to approach it. What we really should be asking is “Do we, as an affluent and developed culture and country, have the *responsibility* to provide some level of basic care to those who are unable to provide for themselves.” My answer is an unequivocal yes. But then, as a paramedic, it would be difficult for me to morally justify watching someone go into cardiac arrest in front of me and I simply step over and ignore them instead of using my resources and skills to try to help them. The debate is being twisted… it isn’t some bum who won’t work and won’t take care of himself… it is our neighbor, our parents, our kids, and ourselves.

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