[ExI] Health system, again

[Olga Bourlin]

From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin at rawbw.com>
To: "ExI chat list" <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>

> It's terribly interesting to me that some people are vastly, vastly
> more interested in condemning institutions dead nearly 150 years
> ago (especially if it's an American or western past institution),
> and seldom if ever criticize any non-western nation for the same
> crimes, *taking place RIGHT NOW*.

Well, I'm certainly not one of them - I try to criticize (as well as give 
praise) as appropriate.  But that's me - I'm an equal opportunity dragon 
lady.

Your remark about "institutions dead nearly 150 years ago" does not take 
into account de jure segregation that existed in parts of the USA into the 
1960s, and many instances of de facto segregation since then.  Those 
institutions are interrelated - and not all dead.

Not that they're exempt from condemnation, but many "non-western nations" 
out there now don't pretend to be democracies - we USAmericans are (and 
were) supposed to be a democracy.  That put us then (and puts us now) at a 
different, and higher, standard.

I am an immigrant (and naturalized citizen) of the USA.  I like it here.  I 
can't think of any other place I'd rather live.  I like the idea of "nation 
of nations" that we have going here.  I would like to see this country 
strive for greatness - but, in looking at the past, you're not going to find 
it (IMHO).

To garble a phrase Quentin Crisp used in The Naked Civil Servant:  There was 
no great shining country (and no shining city on the hill, either - except 
in Ronald Reagan movies).

Olga