People are Suffering and it's all YOUR Fault

The Roanoke Times recently carried an article describing the plight of a local artist who has incurred large medical bills, yet has no health insurance. Several letters to the editor have expressed no sympathy, pointing out the artist and her husband chose to save their money to buy a house, and voluntarily did without health insurance. They have a point, regardless of how bad we feel at seeing someone in such a terrible fix.

This morning the paper carries commentary by a woman who basically states it is the artist's mistake to have been born in a society that doesn't value artists enough to pay their health care bills.

Uh, huh. And also to be born in one where personal responsibility and independence are seen as antiquated values.