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Not a hero: He joins the Army so wife can battle cancer
This is the preceding story. Read the full story here
Like many others in this economy, Bill and Mary Caudle faced a predicament when it came to maintaining health care once Bill Caudle lost his job. In their case, Bill decided to join the Army to receive health care coverage, even as his wife was fighting ovarian cancer.
What do you think of their decision?
My opinion:
Nice, heartbreaking story, but I'll be damned before I see Bill as some big hero who's sacrificing his life for his wive. No, no, no. We should see Bill as someone who wanted to be so unaware of politics that he let himself be taken in by the Republican lies and distortions over the summer. We all make choices, but staying a-political, and especially these times, seems woefully inadequate to me.
Why were they a-political? How could they be? And were was the shouting coming from? Not from the left. No, the angry, ugly shouting came from the extremist rightwing, and the moderate rightwing stood idly by and did nothing.
If only much MORE people, the Caudles included, just had been a little LESS a-political, had just been a little MORE aware of what is going on. Then they might have persuaded their anti-Health care Senators not to be a party of NO, not to be in bed with the HMO's and Big Pharma. And to vote YES on the Democrats health care bills.
It really doesn't take a genius to see that Repubs are fighting against the people, and FOR some corporate interest.
This is a republican mess, and to use a republican solution, enlisting, to clean it up, seems crazy. So the Republican solution to all societies ills is, make peoples lifes so miserable, that they are forced to join the Army, something they don't want?
Ultimately, these troops are dying for the bottom line of Pfizer and such.
and both sides will use this to make their point, as if there's balance to this issue. as if this is a game, to score points on.
In the meantime, Republicans hope Mrs. Caudle will follow the Repub Health Care Plan which is: Don't get sick, but you do, then die quickly. Oh, I'm harsh? Well, 44,000 dead Americans each year, AVOIDABLE deaths through UNDER-insurance, say we're not harsh enough towards Repubs.
And if you think the majority of those dead Americans is either black or immigrant, then ask yourself this: Is Mary Caudle black? Or immigrant? Nope, she's according to Palin, a 'real American'. Now ask yourself the ultimate question: When will this happen to me?
And if Bill and Mary voted Obama, and voted for Democrat Senators who were willing to change, then I'm sorry. But "a-political" suggests they didn't even bother to vote.
This country made many choices AGAINST universal health care (which is NOT free, but simply a better spread) Solidarity is a dirty word in American politics, sticking out for one another is ... socialist? Nazism?
We choose to follow irrational, foolish leader because of some ideology which came down to being cruel to other people who never done us no harm. Then we killed them or poisoned them not just for life but for generations by spreading lowgrade uranium amongst them. Now we're suffering the consequences, and now Bill is a hero? Get real.
Bill is joining an instrument of destruction, not one of peace, of occupation not one of defense and no US soldier is a hero for defending ... country? Get real. The US army primarily defends corporate interests. Like it always did.
Like many others in this economy, Bill and Mary Caudle faced a predicament when it came to maintaining health care once Bill Caudle lost his job. In their case, Bill decided to join the Army to receive health care coverage, even as his wife was fighting ovarian cancer.
What do you think of their decision?
My opinion:
Nice, heartbreaking story, but I'll be damned before I see Bill as some big hero who's sacrificing his life for his wive. No, no, no. We should see Bill as someone who wanted to be so unaware of politics that he let himself be taken in by the Republican lies and distortions over the summer. We all make choices, but staying a-political, and especially these times, seems woefully inadequate to me.
Why were they a-political? How could they be? And were was the shouting coming from? Not from the left. No, the angry, ugly shouting came from the extremist rightwing, and the moderate rightwing stood idly by and did nothing.
If only much MORE people, the Caudles included, just had been a little LESS a-political, had just been a little MORE aware of what is going on. Then they might have persuaded their anti-Health care Senators not to be a party of NO, not to be in bed with the HMO's and Big Pharma. And to vote YES on the Democrats health care bills.
It really doesn't take a genius to see that Repubs are fighting against the people, and FOR some corporate interest.
This is a republican mess, and to use a republican solution, enlisting, to clean it up, seems crazy. So the Republican solution to all societies ills is, make peoples lifes so miserable, that they are forced to join the Army, something they don't want?
Ultimately, these troops are dying for the bottom line of Pfizer and such.
and both sides will use this to make their point, as if there's balance to this issue. as if this is a game, to score points on.
In the meantime, Republicans hope Mrs. Caudle will follow the Repub Health Care Plan which is: Don't get sick, but you do, then die quickly. Oh, I'm harsh? Well, 44,000 dead Americans each year, AVOIDABLE deaths through UNDER-insurance, say we're not harsh enough towards Repubs.
And if you think the majority of those dead Americans is either black or immigrant, then ask yourself this: Is Mary Caudle black? Or immigrant? Nope, she's according to Palin, a 'real American'. Now ask yourself the ultimate question: When will this happen to me?
And if Bill and Mary voted Obama, and voted for Democrat Senators who were willing to change, then I'm sorry. But "a-political" suggests they didn't even bother to vote.
This country made many choices AGAINST universal health care (which is NOT free, but simply a better spread) Solidarity is a dirty word in American politics, sticking out for one another is ... socialist? Nazism?
We choose to follow irrational, foolish leader because of some ideology which came down to being cruel to other people who never done us no harm. Then we killed them or poisoned them not just for life but for generations by spreading lowgrade uranium amongst them. Now we're suffering the consequences, and now Bill is a hero? Get real.
Bill is joining an instrument of destruction, not one of peace, of occupation not one of defense and no US soldier is a hero for defending ... country? Get real. The US army primarily defends corporate interests. Like it always did.
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There will be a contingent of mouth-breathers and opportunists who will will spin Mr. Caudle as a hero. I read the article and perceived nothing of the kind. What I saw was an economic draftee, exactly the kind of individual entering the armed forces who would otherwise never do so. The armed forces remain the only avenue for gainful entry-level employment with health, life, and housing benefits. Without the traditional manufacturing union jobs, a citizen is often compelled to find work where one would otherwise never look.
Their apolitical nature does not make them deserve their circumstances. Their apolitical nature makes them typical Americans. Liberal values presume that no matter their politics, they deserve better than what they are getting. Our job as political beings is to encourage the wayward to become more active, but always remain compassionate. Further, the nature of their apolitical views is never elucidated in the article You presume that they didn't vote and then excoriate them from an untenable position.
Finally, where do you get off insulting the military as being corporate enforcers? You are committing a reductive fallacy by saying that entire group of people is nothing but something you despise. That is also not a liberal point of view. The military is being exploited, and patriotism often escalates to nationalism. There is collusion between business and military interests that has allowed our nation to blossom into a turgid and violent empire. But the compulsion to serve, at its root level, is a noble enterprise. Mr. Caudle is not only serving his country but potentially sacrificing his body, mind, and life for his family. The level of emotional pain he is going through never breaks the surface of your polemic.
Overall, in order to score some cheap and easy purity points, you are telling a family whose matriarch is stricken with a terminal illness that they deserve what they get. Further, you are denigrating his choice to potentially die on behalf of his wife and country that he doesn't rate compassion because of his politics.
Please tell me that I am misinterpreting. I want to hear that.
October 20, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Zipperupus,
What have the military done, to be above insults? I really don't get that. For that matter, why the police, why the firemen? I'm not sure if you get all the statistics, if a job as nurse, lower-income neighbourhood teacher isn't deadlier, especially with the amount of guns our dear police lets out on the streets these days.
But I digress.
Every time the US Army did not defend its territory or us citizens, but only acted to further US interests in influence and power, it was an extension of corporate interests. I'm not saying that is immoral, but for sure it aint "noble".
The Bosnian war, fought (or rather executed) by remote control, was the only war which served no direct US interest, other than prestige.
"Their apolitical nature makes them typical Americans."
Well, that's one of my points. If typical Americans expect to get away with this apolitical stuff, they're wrong, have wrong and will be wrong. Caring about what happens around you, this is not some hobby you can pick and choose. too many americans think politics is some hobby or whatever. If you can't be bothered to participate, you get the government and Health Care you deserve: one that doesn't care about you
PS
I wanna thank you for you well written reply though, even if we don't agree on some points.
October 21, 2009 6:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
I understand your outrage, CEO. I haven't clicked the link yet to read the context of their being 'apolitical.' And surely there were other ways out than his joining the army. I don't know that the troops are dying for Pfizer, exactly, but at least for Empire and the war over resources and influence. We need to grasp that the US is declining as the only Superpower, and budget the military accordingly. I hope our President can help in that. He's fighting some stiff wind there.
Peace be with you.
October 20, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
What other ways were there for him to obtain insurance for his wife in the private workplace? Where in the public or private workspace could his qualifications net affordable health insurance for a dependent who is dying from cancer?
Name some reasonable alternatives. Please.
October 20, 2009 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Medicaid, I was hoping. My daughter had to go on medicaid, and it has saved her child many times over. I said I hadn't read the link yet, perhaps they wouldn't qualify.
October 20, 2009 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't get it. The guy needed health coverage with a wife battling cancer. If he went the "non-apolitical" route ... best case scenario, something changes in 2013. Wife's dead by that point.
The guy did what he had to do.
October 20, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"
I don't get it. The guy needed health coverage with a wife battling cancer. If he went the "non-apolitical" route ... best case scenario, something changes in 2013. Wife's dead by that point.
The guy did what he had to do."
eeeh, my point is that he DID NOT do what he had to do. He didn't get informed. THEN He was too intimidated by harsh words (which mostly still come from rightwingnuts, NOT from the left) to get really informed when it was clear as day that he should, ESPECIALLY WITH A SICK WIFE.
To feel pity for him .... I guess you could, but I won't. Bill stuck his head in the sand, every chance he got. Why should we feel sorry for HIM now? ESPECIALLY since he's NOT a soldier to be noble to make a "sacrifice" for country, but to get money, in the form of health care. I wanna bet if he could get the same benefits by becoming a teacher, he would do that.
Most Democrats already knew that Health care was a big problem. If they knew it, why not Bill? Democrats are, on average, in no way smarter than apolitical Republicans, I'll assume he's right wing cos of the story.
October 21, 2009 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wrote the story about the Caudles. Maybe I can help those who are curious understand them a little better. First, Bill Caudle never asked anyone to call him "a hero" or anything of the kind. Second, the family stayed out of the politics of this issue for reasons that should be all too clear from the comments on this site right now. They're disgusted by the kind of us-versus-them mentality surrounding the health care debate. It has gotten to the point where the debate has been framed as a referendum on whether or not people like President Obama. A lot of the media coverage has been dragged in that direction ever since the Town Hall meetings. What has gone missing too often is a look at what is actually happening on the ground, in the hospitals and clinics across this country. The Caudles are one part of that larger story. It might be more useful to focus on the experiences of American patients rather than our opinions of the president.
October 21, 2009 5:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear mr. Johnson,
You're suffering from the same misconceptions as a lot of right wingers aka reagan democrats: being apolitical (read: accepting right wing ideology as the norm, but not bothering to really think about it and not bothering to go vote) is a responsible way of living your life. It's not.
First, if you didn't want to invoke a hero-big sacrifice sentiment, then you shouldn't have written your story as if he WAS a hero. Especially using an almost fictional narrative style .... well, this kinda takes the cake.
Second, the family stayed out of politics of this issue? What right did they have to do that? As Americans and as grown-ups they had a responsibility to get informed. If they didn't wannna do that, then they shouldn't complain about the consequences. And maybe they don't, but then they shouldn't accept/collaborate with an article like yours which DOES make it out as if they DO complain about the consequences.
Thirdly, "at what is actually happening on the ground, "?????
This really makes me mad. The only ones who are looking at what is actually happening on the ground, are the Democrats.
The ones who are obstructing this are the Repubes.
And anyone who STILL thinks Health Care is about preventing poor (read: black) people profiting from middle class (read: white peoples') taxes, deserves every bad thing that falls on them, sorry to say.
Read up. Do the math.
Solidarity amongst Americans? Yes, only when its about killing people. Taxes to pay for stuff that benefits everybody? Yes to the FAA, yes to NASA, and other stuff that doesn't really benefit all and especially poor people, but NO to Universal Health Care or even the already squeezed Public Option? Which is more like a community college vs Harvard-Yale-Princeton.
I mean, get real.
October 21, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Coloured European Observer:
I don't think I'm suffering from anything. My job is to report, not take sides. Partisan reporting is quickly dismissed, and thus, a waste of time.
Second, the way the story was written was the way I watched it unfold. That's all. It's simply what happened. The "hero" labeling has nothing to do with it--in fact, the use of the word "hero" has become a tired cliche trotted out by people who prefer labels to real life.
Thirdly, who are you to tell this family they should or should not stay out of politics? Those who condemn the lack of activism might be better off looking in the mirror and asking Why people do not wish to yammer away at the podium. Frankly, I don't see too many "grown-ups" debating health care. I covered one of the Town Hall meetings and it was not exactly a proud moment for democracy. Lastly, my only point in mentioning the view from the ground is that too many people are using the health issue to vent their feelings for or against the president. They'd be better off talking to someone they know who has been sick and has experienced our health care system.
October 22, 2009 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mark,
He stayed on the sideline, that's an irresponsible life choice, especially in the last 8 years. And if you choose to do the same, or if you shrug this choice off as just something that people do, then yes, you ARE suffering from something, namely an illusion: That "staying out of politics" is 'okay'.
So Bill doesn't get my sympathies. There are far more people who have it worse than him or his family who did not stay on the side line, and they are far more deserving.
The story was clearly written to garner sympathy for this man and his family. But there's no questioning by you of whether his life-choices are good, bad or even a tat immoral, because choosing to ignore the ugly side of conservatism can be seen as immoral.
It's akin, but not equivalent to (of course not), pretending not to see the jews asking for a hiding place during WW2.
Do you deny that the ugly shouting comes for 95 per cent from the rightwing? You seem to assume complete balance on that front. The real insulting and revolting comparisons of Obama with Hitler, Stalin, the Joker (that one's puzzling since he won an Oscar and a sympathetic villain, so ... I guess that's just me ...), and whatever, these all come from the rightwing. Most of them are easily disprovable lies, like the Palin Deather lies, the Birther lies and the Joe Wilson illegal alien lie.
Do you really think that its as ugly on the left side? I'm curious.
I wonder, do you think this health care mess is something that "just happened" to us, like an act of God, and that Gawd will get us out of it?
Given Bills situation, joining up was the easiest and quickest way to get health care for his wife, sure. But how did he get there? Aren't the repubs big on own responsibility? Or only in the case of inner city blacks? When disaster strikes Wisconsin whites, then it's a case of "gods will"?
And this unspoken assumption which is woven into your whole article, and perhaps your outlook on life (given your reaction) is what really pisses me off the most.
October 22, 2009 4:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Dear Mark,
You said: "My job is to report, not take sides." yah right. Nick Nolte, you're not. Not by a long shot. I'm here to tell you that if you write sympathetically about a right wing head-in-stand-sticker, who refused to participate, you ARE taking sides. Especially since right wing solutions (fighting against clean water, 40 hour workweek, labor codes, womens right to vote, Civil Rights) tend to be on the wrong side of history.
If you are pretending you are NOT taking sides, then you suffer from even MORE stuff, than I previously thought.
October 23, 2009 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
"head-in-stand-sticker" should be "head-in-sand-sticker"
October 23, 2009 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Your ham-handed attempt to bait me by bringing race into the story only proves my point. Like far too many Americans, you're more interested in name-calling than intelligent discussion. Shame on you. It's no surprise people like Bill Caudle (not just white, but of all races) are turned off by folks who would rather fight in the sandbox than act like thinking grownups. As I mentioned before, the story was a reflection of what I saw, not an attempt to build sympathy. That's why I explained that Bill had been interested in the military for some time. The story is what it is. I actually saw what happened, but if you want to pretend you know more about it, go right ahead. No need to let the facts get in the way of a good rant.
October 25, 2009 6:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mark,
I have no way of knowing that Bill wanted to be soldier all his life. That could very well be true. He just didn't do it until it was his only way out, truly his last resort? Okay, still does not deny love for the military.
But that's not the main point. You can throw a hissy fit all you want, but that doesn't make it less true that race is a part of the health care debate. Like it is of all debates.
Fact of American life is that money set aside for poor people is so little, because middle-class people (which are predominantly white) are being told that poor people, (which are predominantly black), are lazy bums who want to live of their tax money.
If moderates keep denying this, people like Bill will keep falling by the wayside.
And frankly, accusing anyone to play the race-card is a sickening practice in any circumstance, and very racist in itself, but in these foam-at-the-mouth-teabagging-with-Rash-Limpballs-and-FoKKKs-townhall times ... even more so. Have you really opened your eyes at your townhall? Maybe you went to a relatively subdued one, it's Wisconsin after all.
But it's been ugly, and racist in most other places and that's mostly from the right wing loons.
Did you see liberals with guns? Bet you haven't. Guns to a public debate, that's scary and fascist.
October 28, 2009 6:21 AM | Reply | Permalink