> Colleagues,

I don't know whether I am the only British contributor, but I feel I have to
respond to Bob Yates's comment about our National Health Service.  I hope
you will excuse me making such a response in this milieu but I would like to
show Bob, as a pro-Obama citizen, that things are not as bad as Fox News may
have led him to fear.

These opponents of a health service have probably got their gothic accounts
of a 'death panel' from the existence of the committee which judges on
whether the latest drugs can be made available to all hospitals.  It is
obvious that some new, specialized, and hideously expensive drug cannot be
immediately made freely available to all hospitals because that would mean
that money for other patients would be unfairly restricted.  Over here we
are prepared to recognize that, under a free service which ministers to all
as British citizens irrespective of their economic status, a measure of
justice must prevail.  To describe this committee as a 'death panel' is a
gross insult, one which ignores the underlying patriotic fairness of its
purpose.  Remember that we do not have 46 million people without insurance!
No one is going to become bankrupt -- or even die -- here because they have
a chronic disease and have exhausted their private insurance.  Yes, it may
be true that over here some one does die six months earlier than they might
have done had they had the hideously expensive drug, but a hundred other
patients would have suffered as a result.  There is a moral issue here, a
real problem, that this Foxy propaganda is encouraging you to ignore.

As Bob suggests, it seems a great deal of mischievous misinformation is
being peddled over there about our NHS in an endeavour to frighten voters
off.  I have had on a number of occasions to call upon the help of our
health service, and all of them have been prompt, excellent, and, of course,
utterly free, both at the level of visits to the local doctor and to the
Addenbrooke's Hospital at Cambridge (which has an international reputation
-- and is now hugely expanding its cancer research facility).  I had a touch
of food poisoning lately (having kept something in the freezer too long!)
and was treated (with rapid results) within an hour when I turned up
unannounced at the hospital's Accident and Emergency department.  Ten years
ago, my wife was treated at this hospital for her terminal cancer, and
received close and concerned attention throughout.  Since then, I have been
supporting the Oncology department and the Palliative Care department -- I
include the latter because the people in that department gave her unstinting
care and sympathy.  Charitable assistance is still given to this national
institution!  I am off to a lecture, banquet and entertainment evening next
month arranged for supporters of the hospital -- Sir David Frost is the
speaker.

Yours,

Edmond

Dr. Edmond Wright
3 Boathouse Court
Trafalgar Road
Cambridge
CB4 1DU
England

Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/elw33/
Phone [00 44] (0)1223 350256






Colleagues,
> 
> I wish it were true that being silent would lead to less incivility, but I
> don't think so.
> 
> I don't think Barney Frank should have been silent when he was asked by
> someone holding a picture of Obama looking like Hitler why he was supporting a
> Nazi-type health care plan. There is no "civil answer," especially for Fox
> News to that question.  I think Barney Frank was perfectly civil to ask that
> person what planet she spends most of her time on.
> 
> You cannot remain silent when people claim the House bill has Death Panels
> (like the ones in the UK that would have meant Stephen Hawking would not have
> lived to adulthood).
> 
> Although you don't want to get into a shouting match with people who are
> carrying guns at a demonstration (and you probably shouldn't), you don't have
> to be silent and let them think this is proper behavior in a democracy.
> 
> Bob Yates, University of Central Missouri
> 
> 
> 
> 
>>>> "STAHLKE, HERBERT F" <[log in to unmask]> 8/21/2009 10:17 AM >>>
> As we're seeing currently in the health care debate, free speech sometimes
> brings with it a high signal to noise rate.  It's a price we pay.
> Fortunately, as a group of English teachers, we've practiced a strong support
> for free speech.  As Paul suggests, the best way to reduce noise is to ignore
> it.
> 
> Herb
> 
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Paul E. Doniger
> Sent: 2009-08-21 10:39
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009
> (#2009-179)
> 
> Scott, et al,
> 
> I have suggested this before, but here it goes again:  If we all decided not
> to respond to incivility, to empty arguments, or to undesired commentaries,
> the level of noise would be greatly reduced.  Silence can be a powerful
> persuader to make others be silent!
> 
> Paul D.
> 
> P.S. To the gentleman who asked to be removed from the list: Since no list
> member has the power to remove you, you need to follow the instructions at the
> bottom of every posting: "To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit
> the list's web interface at:  http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
> and select 'Join or leave the list'."
> 
> "If this were play'd upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable
> fiction" (_Twelfth Night_ 3.4.127-128).
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Scott <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 3:32:38 AM
> Subject: Re: Signal to noise ratio ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009
> (#2009-179)
> 
> I most agree with Rick Henry that the signal to noise ratio is becoming
> somewhat unbearable.  Those who like argument for argument's sake should
> consider a list such as Grammar Police: they love arguing for the sake of
> arguing.
> 
> N. Scott Catledge, PhD/STD
> Professor Emeritus
> history & languages
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf
> Of ATEG automatic digest system
> Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 12:00 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: ATEG Digest - 19 Aug 2009 to 20 Aug 2009 (#2009-179)
> 
> There are 7 messages totalling 3930 lines in this issue.
> 
> Topics of the day:
> 
>   1. Still Doing It Right (5)
>   2. Howdy, Y'all
>   3. Southern sounds ATEG Digest - 18 Aug 2009 to 19 Aug 2009 (#2009-178)
> 
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> 
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