The international news has been full of two things of late – the final fall of Bashar Al Assad’s despicable regime in Syria and the shooting killing of the CEO of one of America’s largest (for profit) health insurance companies, United Healthcare (UHC).
First, the murder of UHC CEO Brian Thompson. He was shot in the back on a Manhattan street by a masked gunman who escaped out of the city. It wouldn’t have been the only shooting death in America that day – but it sure did galvanize the police and the media. Was that because he was a CEO? What I found interesting was the reaction of many of my American Facebook friends. Because it highlighted how bad the American health insurance system really is. There was indeed, some sympathy for the alleged killer. Luigi Mangione wrote a treatise that explained his action. It’s available online. You can read the full article here.
In essence the article focuses on the author’s mother’s battle with severe neuropathy, chronicling years of pain, ineffective treatments, and the financial and emotional toll inflicted by the healthcare system. The author critiques the greed and inefficiency of United Healthcare, citing denial of claims, delays, and exorbitant costs that worsened their suffering.
“With every delay, my anger surged. With every denial, I wanted to throw the doctor through the glass wall of their hospital waiting room.
But it wasn’t them. It wasn’t the doctors, the receptionists, administrators, pharmacists, imaging technicians, or anyone we ever met. It was United Healthcare.”
And that is why that young man felt he had to do what he did. I’m not saying he was right. But let’s hope his action provokes a real, meaningful discussion in America, leading to a proper universal healthcare system. The USA is the ONLY first world country that does not have a proper health care system. We complain about ours but we never never never want to end up with the ‘system’ the Americans have to face.
Then there’s Syria. Al Assad got what was coming to him. No sympathy at all. But what comes next may be interesting. The rebels were originally supporters of ISIS and Al Qaeda. Let’s hope they don’t replace one nightmare regime with a different nightmare.
Which brings us to anti-semitism in Australia. The thugs disguised as pro-Palestinian supporters have ignored the sternly spoken words of our ‘leaders’ insisting there is no place in Australia for anti-semitism. One of Melbourne’s oldest synagogues, built by Holocaust survivors, was torched. And our PM thought it was more important to play a game of tennis in Perth, drumming up funds for the up-coming election. He’s finally been embarrassed into pulling his finger out and has agreed that the arson attack was terrorism. There have been so many other incidents, starting with the despicable joyous demonstration by a mob outside Sydney’s opera house celebrating the heinous attack of 7th October 2023 . Since then a Jewish professor’s rooms were invaded, cars and property in Jewish suburbs have been defaced, Jewish people have been doxed on social media, Jewish kids are too scared to wear their school uniforms. And so on.
This has got be stopped. I’d like to see a few people put in jail if they’re citizens, or have their visa revoked and sent packing if they’re not. Back in 1945 the world said ‘Never Again’. Never again is now.
On the home front we have a refurbished walk-in wardrobe, with more shelving and drawers. It’s nice to be able to organise our belongings in a more orderly fashion. And we’ve bought a pile of top soil to fill our raised garden beds. I’d thought the days of hard physical labour were behind me. Maybe that was a bit premature. Shifting dirt is bad enough – it has to be shovelled into a wheel barrow, then shovelled out again. But now it has also been thoroughly drenched by a day of rain. Ah well. We’ll get there.
I’ve started a newsletter about my books. I’ve tried it before, but this time it’s via Substack and I’m hoping for a little more success. If you’re not already subscribed and you’d like to support me, do sign up. There’s a free book in it for you. Of course, if you don’t want to be subscribed, unsubscribe. I’ll understand.
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