By Donna Smith, American SiCKO
National Co-Chair, PDA Healthcare NOT Warfare campaign
Communications specialist, California Nurses Association
DENVER -- Code Pink's Medea Benjamin and I placed a $50 bet with each other moments ago in front of the Mercury Cafe in Denver. Col. Anne Wright was in the wings as was SiCKO Larry Smith to witness. The bet? Out of Iraq first or guaranteed, publicly funded, privately delivered healthcare? The bet's on.
We're both here to make our voices heard during the DNC's convention. And we were so glad to see one another yet we keep up on one another's activties via the Web.
Medea and I first met last year as SiCKO debuted in Atlanta at the U.S. Social Forum. Then the Code Pinkers in DC embraced Larry and I with housing and deep support when we traveled to DC for our first annual healthcare justice week vigil in Sept 2007. She lifted me, and she showed me how commitment and action can and do make a difference.
Code Pink has been one of the groups unwilling to settle for anything less than what they believe is right. And that's a lot like the nurses of the California Nurses Association and the National Nurses Organizing Committee. Settling for less than what is just and what is right is not in the picture for the RNs I know and am blessed to work for...
Though my movement's warriors often wear red scrubs or T-shirts that say Healthcare NOT Warfare, we are as committed to true change as those who wear Pink and demand an end to the occupation of Iraq and the killing.
We are both as pro-life in the true sense of the words as anyone could ever be. We believe every life matters. Soldiers, patients and all included. Everybody in and nobody out.
So will we have single payer before we are out of Iraq? Both Medea and I agreed we'd be thrilled to pull a draw on this bet -- and sooner rather than later.
Onward. And join this fight. We need you. Three cheers from Denver. It's going to be an incredible week!
Please vote in the poll... I may not be back to comment too much until a bit later tonight so please talk amongst yourselves and let's pull this effort right along.