Tidbits, 02/2005
UUA TRUSTEE TIDBITS
Joan Lund, February 2005
Welcome to February. This is the time of year when we are very satisfied to be Floridians and when those northern visitors tend to appear at our doors hoping to find refuge from the cold. Sometimes it is difficult for me to find topics I think will be of interest to you but when I thought about all the folks who want to stay well during the winter, and who wish to receive the flu vaccine but have not been successful I thought you might be interested in our Association?s social justice public policy statements made at various times in regard to healthcare. Because we affirm the worth and dignity of every individual we affirm access to quality healthcare as a basic human right, and believe it is the responsibility of our government to meet healthcare needs in an equitable, just, and compassionate manner.
Our Association supports quality, affordable healthcare through a national, single-payer plan for all people regardless of age, race, geographic location, or immigration status. This includes full coverage for mental healthcare, preventative care, long-term care comprehensive treatment, access to medications, family planning, and the freedom for individuals to choose their healthcare providers. Our Association supports Medicare and Medicaid which meet the healthcare needs of people who cannot afford health care and senior citizens. Our Association believes in the right to self-determination in dying and in honoring the right of terminally ill patients to select the time of their own deaths. Our Association supports medically-accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in the nation?s public schools, which includes heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender orientations. Our Association supports eliminating social stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS, and adequate funding for prevention and treatments of these conditions.
What I have written is a very simplified version of some of our positions regarding healthcare. If you are interested in complete versions of these and more, or other social justice issues/statements I suggest you see www.uua.org/actions. Next month I hope to write about the January UUA Board of Trustees meeting. Even though I will have returned from Boston when you read this, it will not be in time to make most church newsletter deadlines. I am always interested in hearing from you at jlund@uua.org or by telephone, 813-931-9727. Stay well and warm this winter.
Joan Lund, February 2005
Welcome to February. This is the time of year when we are very satisfied to be Floridians and when those northern visitors tend to appear at our doors hoping to find refuge from the cold. Sometimes it is difficult for me to find topics I think will be of interest to you but when I thought about all the folks who want to stay well during the winter, and who wish to receive the flu vaccine but have not been successful I thought you might be interested in our Association?s social justice public policy statements made at various times in regard to healthcare. Because we affirm the worth and dignity of every individual we affirm access to quality healthcare as a basic human right, and believe it is the responsibility of our government to meet healthcare needs in an equitable, just, and compassionate manner.
Our Association supports quality, affordable healthcare through a national, single-payer plan for all people regardless of age, race, geographic location, or immigration status. This includes full coverage for mental healthcare, preventative care, long-term care comprehensive treatment, access to medications, family planning, and the freedom for individuals to choose their healthcare providers. Our Association supports Medicare and Medicaid which meet the healthcare needs of people who cannot afford health care and senior citizens. Our Association believes in the right to self-determination in dying and in honoring the right of terminally ill patients to select the time of their own deaths. Our Association supports medically-accurate, age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in the nation?s public schools, which includes heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender orientations. Our Association supports eliminating social stigma and discrimination for people living with HIV/AIDS, and adequate funding for prevention and treatments of these conditions.
What I have written is a very simplified version of some of our positions regarding healthcare. If you are interested in complete versions of these and more, or other social justice issues/statements I suggest you see www.uua.org/actions. Next month I hope to write about the January UUA Board of Trustees meeting. Even though I will have returned from Boston when you read this, it will not be in time to make most church newsletter deadlines. I am always interested in hearing from you at jlund@uua.org or by telephone, 813-931-9727. Stay well and warm this winter.
