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WRITE ON: Progressive News for Northern Michigan Issue 6 August 2003
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| Local Links Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice Northwoods Wilderness Recovery State, National and International Links
Write On Issues August We would like to thank everyone who read the previous issue of Write On. Write On needs funding and articles on subjects that interest you. If you or your group would like to help us cover the costs of printing, $60 for 175 copies, please let us know either by telephone or by email. This assistance is needed if you would like to continue reading this newsletter. Articles for Write On should be no more than 600 words. Please send any questions, comments, upcoming events, or article submissions to writeonup@yahoo.com or call 228-2962. Look for the next issue of Write On in these locations: PWPL, Emma Joe's, Food Co-op, Sweetwater Café and others
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Hello Readers, We are providing this monthly publication to inform our neighbors of news affecting the people of Northern Michigan. This newsletter will consider such subjects as environmentalism, social justice, and local activism, which do not receive adequate coverage in other media outlets. Table of Contents National Healthcare Reform, Part II A: Good Health & Drugs Katy Nelson, VT Licensed Naturopathic Physician, Marquette Resident New Peaceful Foreign Policy Needed Rich Bourgeois Support for Universal Single Payer Health Care Is Building Dr Quentin Young Focus on a Peacemaker: Hendrik Willhelm van der Merwe Kim Donaldson Connecting for Peace Ryan Backlund
National Healthcare Reform, Part II A: Good Health & Drugs Katy Nelson, VT Licensed Naturopathic Physician, Marquette Resident
Review of Part I: A recent World Health Organization study ranks the US 37th out of 191 nations in disease prevention as a function of national healthcare expenditures. It’s not that we don’t spend; we don’t spend effectively, preventively. Under pressure of the 2004 Election, Congress is currently considering an expanded drug benefit, for seniors especially. Because they are the largest consumer group of prescription and over the counter drugs (numerically even larger as Baby Boomers age), we’re looking at a significant taxpayer expense. Is this a boon – a cost effective health expenditure, worth our real tax dollars -- a move toward prevention? Or a boondoggle -- facilitating the overmedication of seniors, and undermining our nation’s health and well-being? Are there alternatives? If we become dependent on the pharmaceutical industry, what keeps it going? What might we expect from them? Let’s consider. Increased health and prevention through increased use of prescription drugs is the marketing viewpoint of the pharmaceutical industry (www.phrma.org). Accepted by many, this view is not accepted by all. Conrad Schmitt (executive director of The McDougall Health Institute), quoted in the Wall Street Journal (7/1/03), wrote regarding the drug benefit plans: “It is fairly well accepted by many very prestigious pharmacological researchers that at least one half of all prescription drugs are used to treat the medical problems caused by the other half. Which half should we pay for?” The problems associated with prescription drug use, including side effects and negative drug interactions, can be complicated, consequential and health significant, especially in seniors due to the number of simultaneous prescriptions, age related metabolic slowing and slower drug clearance. Side effects mimicking symptoms associated with age, i.e. changes in blood pressure or heart rhythms, constipation, confusion, anxiety, and depression, are mistakenly overlooked and underestimated. According to a Massachusetts study funded by the National Institute on Aging, Incidence and Preventability of Adverse Drug Events in the Nursing Home Setting, Aug. 2000, American Journal of Medicine, 546 “medication related injuries” were identified, of which preventable adverse drug events accounted for more than half. “Psychoactive drugs (anti psychotics, antidepressants, sedatives and hypnotics) and anticoagulants were the most common medications associated with preventable adverse drug events such as oversedation, confusion, hallucination and falls” (www.healthquarterly.com/winter_2003/). Would either lowering the cost of these drugs or making them more available improve this picture? Drug related health problems are not limited to seniors. As early as their 30’s, men, and women especially, are frequently prescribed antidepressants for symptoms caused by changing hormone levels. Later, synthetic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women, and Proscar for men for hair loss and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) are prescribed. These prescriptions (1) never effectively address the true cause, (2) increase either the risk of cancer or more aggressive cancer growth, (3) do not decrease the likelihood of surgery and (4) decrease or fail to increase quality of life at an earlier age. Since the average life expectancy of a white female (2001 statistics) is 79.8 years and of a white male, 74.4 years, we may be talking about a prescription benefit for 14.8 years and 9.4 years, from age 65 respectively. Prevention and natural therapies, where and when they can be used, would be more salutary, more safe, AND more cost effective. A cost comparison by Dr. Alan Gaby, M.D., contributing to the National Institute of Health (www.lightparty.com/Health/NIH.html), estimated annual cost/person/year for Proscar = $540 vs. Saw Palmetto at $150, without including reduced cost of fewer surgeries or other oncologic therapy. Natural vs. synthetic hormone replacement therapy in women might have a similar cost comparison. If treatment for both men and women also included education about the adverse sexual health consequences of “exogenous” estrogen (commercial meat, poultry & dairy and public water supplies), higher prolactin levels (hops in beer), and the contributions of alcohol to sex hormone profiles, we could have a more vital national health even at today’s expenditure levels. With every purchase in the market place we create demand. Do we really want to purchase and demand more prescription drugs? Is drug cost or access really the prohibiting factor in wellness? We need to be care-full in our choices. New Peaceful Foreign Policy Needed Rich Bourgeois Protestors and courageous politicians like Dennis Kucinich and recently Al Gore have spoke up and said that the war in Iraq was unnecessary and President Bush's preemptive war strategy is not making us safer and our soldiers are wrongly being put in harms way. Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich has opposed the Iraq war from the start - stating that a pre-emptive strike is illegal and no imminent threat from Iraq exists. A growing number of Americans now recognize that the Iraq War was based on the false impression that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the 9/11 attacks and was planning to give al-Qaida terrorists poison gas, deadly germs and nuclear bombs. The Iraq war is also being criticized by Kucinich and protestors in costing the United States $1 billion a week - funds that could be better spent on providing health care - medicare for all - and public education - Pre K thru college - and public work jobs - providing living wages. Until recently, the news media and many politicians have been unwilling to question the Bush administration on the reasons for the Iraq war - perhaps out of fear of sounding unpatriotic. Also, questions are being asked concerning the excessive military budget and development of new nuclear weapons. Also, why are the United States and its allies only allowed to develop nukes? But as the cost in lives and dollars keeps rising in Iraq more Americans will become aware of the need for a "regime change" in Washington in 2004 and the need for an alternative and "peaceful" foreign policy - in the words of Dennis Kucinich "Time to tell the world that we wish to be their partner in peace, not their leader in war." A peaceful foreign policy - will include cutting bloated and unneeded weaponry from the military budget - including space based weapons - and the US will lead world wide efforts in nuclear disarmament. A new American peaceful foreign policy is needed to truly make us American citizens safer and to respect the lives of our military personnel and the lives of others. Support for Universal Single Payer Health Care Is Building Dr Quentin Young In a
year of war and recession, double-digit health premium increases and the
predictable spread of the health care crisis to the middle-class, there's
a beacon of hope. On February 4, I proposed a new bill for single payer
national health insurance to the Congress with Rep. John Conyers, Dean of
the Congressional Black Caucus, and Dr. Marcia Angell, former
editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. "The National
Health Insurance Act: Expanded and Improved Medicare for All" (HR 676)
was launched with Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Chair of the Progressive
Caucus, Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), and Rep. Donna Christiansen (D-VI) as
original cosponsors.
Focus on a Peacemaker: Hendrik Willhelm van der Merwe Kim Donaldson
The life of HW Van der Merwe (1929-2001), a South African, is a story of conversion and determination that should inspire all of us working for a world where peace and justice are within reach. This white Afrikaner grew up believing that apartheid was the will of God. In his early twenties, however, he realized that people were people and all deserved respect, and he began to view himself as an African, not just Afrikaner. But he didn't stop there; HW, as a student, began an interracial study group and invited “coloureds" to address the group in the face of danger. He soon began to befriend Winnie Mandela when she was visiting her husband in prison. HW also formed a close relationship with Nelson Mandela himself. In 1968 he was the head of the Centre for Intergroup Studies (later the Centre for Conflict Resolution) where he began bringing sworn enemies to talk to each other. Van der Merwe was instrumental in opening up a dialogue between the exiled members of the African National Congress and the South African government which later led to official talks between the two groups. In 1974 he joined the Quakers and dedicated himself to bringing peace to South Africa. "His success in getting people who loathed and distrusted . each other to trust him enough to meet at his home and talk rested on a humility and frankness that disarmed the initial, often considerable, hostility he met. He never preached, moralised, judged or condemned. In fact, he said little once he had brought opposing parties together. He saw himself as a facilitator rather than a mediator." (Barron, Sunday Times 4/2001). Van der Merwe was widely published on peace and justice issues and his two most recent books were "Pursuing Justice and Peace in South Africa" (Routledge 1989) and "Peacemaking in South Africa-A Life in Conflict Resolution" (Tafelberg 2000). Despite failing health, he traveled to Australia to deliver the annual Backhouse Lecture to Quakers in January 2001. Perhaps more important than his literature, was "his role as a peace practitioner who applied his theoretical knowledge to achieve permanent resolution of conflict. He played a significant part in bridging the gap between the Apartheid regime and elements of the African National Congress in exile"(Ellis, Cape Times 3/2001) HW Van der Merwe emphasized forgiveness in the path to peace and justice. Peace and justice go hand in hand and one cannot be sacrificed on the road to the other. Connecting for Peace Ryan Backlund Van Riper State Park was the site of a wet and rainy, yet wonderful, gathering of people striving to fill their lives and communities with peace. Father John Grathwohl from Kalamazoo provided an account of his recent visit to Iraq as a witness for peace. The day continued with folks from around the U.P. discussing what their respective groups are doing and how they are coping with the violence surrounding us. Other workshops varied from the current state of foreign affairs to the perception of Americans by others around the world, from the tenets and moral obligations of Christian non-violence to the effects of depleted uranium. The afternoon, though gloomy in weather, shone brightly in spirit and enthusiasm for the work of all of the local peacemakers who attended. At the very least, Connecting for Peace provided a relaxing day for activists and their families. Perhaps, however, ideas were exchanged and expanded, bonds were created between folks from around the northwoods, and the boundaries of peace were expanded. |
