Between Sicko and Live Earth this weekend, I'm a changed person. SPOILER ALERT!

[live love laugh]

Saw Sicko today in one of two theatres showing the movie in the whole city. The packed theater applauded at the end of the movie. I drove past the second theater afterwards and there was a long line waiting to get into the 7PM showing.

One quote stands out in the whole movie: "If we can spend money to kill people, we can spend money to help people."

After seeing what other leading nations do for their citizens, I know that America is no longer the greatest country in the world.

I am a manager for one of those uncaring corporations. I have toed the company line for years, disciplining and firing people for using sick leave. And then I see countries that not only provide ample sick leave for their employees, they provide more than enough. In America, people are arrested for using the same type of leave that is given away in other places (ie., Workers' Compensation abuse).

Tomorrow, like Melissa Etheridge said, I will look at the people in my office differently. I am awake. I will not hound them for using sick leave anymore.

And, though I never ever considered it or even desired it, I will be exploring the possibility of moving to a more humane country where there is free health care and even free college for all.

Americans are becoming the new "illegal immigrants". In true Republican hypocritical style, we are focusing on people sneaking over the Mexican border while our own people are sneaking across the Canadian border for the same economic reasons.

[MadMaddie]

1. I am Awake....

[live love laugh]

4. That makes two of us....

:hi:

[Maat]

2. When I became a social worker in 1993 ... that's when I truly ..

awakened.

I loved seeing Sicko and the LiveEarth concerts, because they re-inspire me - or give me that much more motivation to DO something.

[live love laugh]

5. I am inspired as well. I wish there was more we could do to change things quickly but

I believe that the positive vibes we have and millions like us will create the change we are hoping for. It's just a matter of time.

:hi:

[Maat]

18. Yes!

:hi:

[supernova]

3. Yes, this weekend made me more hopeful

as well. I was feeling really down. Not feeling like anyone in this blasted country would want to help create the kind of society I envision. I saw that I'm not alone. At least 1/2 the planet thinks the same way as I do. That's a very good feeling. :-)

But the this weekend was very inspiring, and Sicko is too.

I'm glad you've had a change of heart. :hug:

[live love laugh]

6. Even though the corporate media is trying to downplay it, LiveEarth

was a resounding success. I hadn't been on DU in the past few weeks very much and I saw a post here and there about it, but I had no idea that the scope would be worldwide. I just hate that I missed half of it.

If it wasn't for DU, I would have slept it.

One thing I am going to do is buy Sicko tickets for people as gifts and I'm definitely buying the DVD. Everybody should see it.

[luckyleftyme2]

7. A MUST

MAKE FOX NEWS RUN SICKO FOR 3 MONTHS 24/7 ! MAY'BE WE CAN GET THE TRUTH OUT
TO THE BRAINWASHED!

[supernova]

8. Wonderful idea

buying tickets for everyone.

Re: sick leave. I sure was jealous of that young guy from Germany or Scandinavia, not sure which, who had been hospitalized a while, like months, then went to the beach for an equal amount of months to recouperate, with his Dr's blessing and his job waiting for him when he got back.

[kaygore]

12. It was France and he had been living all his adult life in the U.S.

before he became ill and returned to his native land--France.

[Elwood P Dowd]

9. You can still watch all the Live Earth concerts.

http://liveearth.msn.com/le/video

[ChiciB1]

11. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You For The LINK!! The One I've

been looking for. Got one earlier about Melissa, but this one is more complete! I want the whole thing in my hand by way of DVD.... but this works for now!!

Going to see Sicko with my ex-son-in-law as soon as we can!

[marions ghost]

10. I saw SICKO this weekend too

I already was familiar with the difference in the health care systems around the world, and I thought Michael Moore did a brilliant job of telling the story so that Americans would finally awaken to the truth about this. I came away sad of course, but encouraged that there is a general awakening.

I have a sister who lives in Australia and both her son and husband died of cancer within a couple of years of each other. Through that terrible time she had a lot of support and no agony about costs of treatment. Her husband received particularly good medical care, which extended his life considerably. Her young son got palliative as there was nothing to be done for him, but it was still good care. For once I was so glad she lives there instead of here. This has not destroyed her life.

One point that Moore does not make very directly in the movie is how the stress of worry and expense of medical care takes such a huge toll on people's health. He leaves it to our imagination to estimate the effects of this degree of stress. It's implied in certain mortality & disease stats but I'm sure this stress factor could be more directly quantified if anyone wanted to. Can we even really IMAGINE what it would be like never to have a moment's worry that you & yours could get good medical care, dentistry, eye care, preventative care, proper monitoring of chronic conditions--all that good stuff--whenever you needed it? Also the divisiveness that exists between people in such an absurdly unequal system adds to the stress factor. If we ever did get universal health care, I hope somebody does a study PROVING how much peoples' health is positively affected by the eliminating the fear of getting sick or injured because you can't pay for treatment. It would change this country profoundly.

I also liked how Moore mentioned other quality of life issues in the course of comparing the countries with America. We really don't know how to invest in our people. It would be a good business decision to do so, but then that would mean that we'd have to think of "we" instead of "me" as Moore said.

[ThomCat]

13. I'm glad. And I'm sure you're employees will be glad too.

:)

[petunia.here]

14. oh sweetie,

"we are focusing on people sneaking over the Mexican border while our own people are sneaking across the Canadian border for the same economic reasons."

If only more saw it the way it is.

We are all the same.

Change is slow and down right painful for some, but it'a a commin'.

You are living proof.

:loveya:

[Soulshine]

17. Ditto

I think that was an excellent point too. I'm young, in my 20's and I've been disheartened to hear my friends say the have no pride or faith in this country anymore. I have friends that plan to be living in other countries by 2008!!! We need some more nationalist pride. Not the Bumperstick Patriotism the Republicans have been doling out, but inspired Americans that want their Great country back!

[pookieblue]

15. I was looking at a statment from my insurance company today

and so far, I've met 90,000.00 of my maximum lifetime benefit. And I'm only 37. Damn being sick is expensive. It scares me that one day I might lose the insurance and I'm sure that no company will want to touch me, being that I have MS. (not w/out charging me an arm and a leg for it).

I know that are many others who feel like. Worry every day about losing their insurance. And there are many others, who don't have insurance and have to go w/out health care.

Something needs to change in this country.

I hope that Sicko will help get the ball rolling. I know that most of us here know that we need a change in the health care system.

But there are still too many who are brainwashed by Rush and the rest of Fox Noise.

[blondie58]

19. I hear ya, pookieblue

I have the same ailment and gosh, I haven't even thought about whether I have a lifetime max- guess I had better check it, huh?

Yeah, and those injectible medications are not cheap- not to mention neurologist/specialist visits and other expensive treatments.

I saw Sicko this week and was really impressed. I am grateful to have a good job, but my insurance costs and co-pays have really increased over the years. If everyone could put all they pay insurance companies into a pool, it would be so beneficial.

How can everyone pooling the money together and negotiating medical costs be a bad thing? And as for having to wait for doctor visits, I already have to schedule WAY in advance for my neurologist or just see his nurse or someone on his team, as he is an MS specialist.

Scary, isn't it? I sometimes dream of the day when I can retire or leave- I have a physical job and you know how extreme the fatigue that one with MS feels, but I worry about medical after leaving. I am a single mom and it has been difficult.

[MasonJar]

16. The USA owes an enormous debt to Al Gore and to Michael Moore.

Now it is up to us to make their dreams materialize. I am in my 60s and even so I am not going to stay here in the USA if another "slimy toad" from the Republican corporate machine gets elected. Life is just too short now!