Health reform has passed. That's good. So why do I feel ill?

To heal what ails me, and countless others I'm sure, there is nothing in the health reform bill that passed the House late Sunday night. Sensibly, that hefty piece of legislation focuses on covering 32 million uninsured Americans, expanding Medicare prescription drug coverage, increasing federal subsidies to help people buy insurance, and banning denials of coverage for pre-existing conditions.  It does not contain a history lesson on the horrors inflicted on African Americans prior to the civil rights movement, though in hindsight that would have been a good idea. Nor does the bill carry pictures of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student who was tortured and murdered for being gay, although apparently such a footnote was needed. And it lacks a primer on decorum during sessions of the House of Representatives, which is probably why the words "baby killer" were shouted during a congressman's speech.

No, this health reform bill is about health, right? It's about fixing a system that has been hemorrhaging money for decades, isn't it? It's about avoiding health complications, including death and foreclosure, because someone lacks health care insurance, right?  Most of us who want health reform would like to think so. Most of us would like to think that the voices expressed in opposition to the bill represented legitimate policy differences and fears over the unknowns of the bill, including specific costs. And I know that's true of the vast majority of voices who opposed the bill.

But some of the events of the 24 hours leading up to the vote - and the threats that have been made since the vote - obscure the genuine policy differences in the health reform debate. Those few voices and threats inject the poison of hatred, fear, racism and homophobia into a debate already charged with emotion. By calling African American members of Congress the n-word during a protest, by using a homophobic slur on another member who is gay, by forgetting the setting of the historic House vote and shouting "baby killer" to yet another member of Congress during his speech, and by threatening the families of members who voted yes, those people illuminated a cancerous spot on our country that makes me sad to acknowledge. If only it were as easy to rid ourselves of that hate as it was for my dermatologist to rid me of that ominous spot on my shoulder.

So, I am feeling a little sick. But I know this will pass, though who knows what else the fringe elements will say or do before the health reform package comes in for its final landing. As much as I abhor the voices of hate, I admire the voices of courage and leadership that got us to this historic place in the first place. Is this legislation perfect? Far from it. And we will learn in the upcoming days, weeks, months and even years just how effective the health reform legislation is. But at least we appear to be moving forward. Help for those in need is on the horizon.

Wow - I am beginning to feel better already just thinking about the health reform bill. How do you feel?

Photo Credit: alykat