I am about to send this in to FOX News. Though some of you may not support FOX, or more specifically Bill O'Reilly, he has demonstrated himself to be a champion for those in need who cannot otherwise help themselves.
What do you think? Good enough?
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Dear Mr. O?Reilly,
I have been listening to you espouse self-reliance of late, and I agree with you whole-heartedly. I concur that the only way to maintain a healthy autonomy from the government, and other institutions which dull our will and senses to thrive, is to educate and prepare ourselves for the worst. Benjamin Franklin couldn?t have spoken as clearly on self-reliance as you have, particularly in light of our recent national tragedy. However, there is a small sliver of our population for which the government is uniquely designed to assist. You have subtly referenced this population among your statements, and they are the chronically ill, a population that cannot easily prepare themselves for the worst without support from our government, and who can never be fully autonomous from the support of others due to circumstances beyond their control.
To be clear, when I say ?chronically ill? I speak of a uniquely innocent population, whose maladies are constant, overwhelming and are not of their own creation; who?s ailments are not initiated by the absence of will or discipline with regard to drugs, cigarettes, alcohol, or any other similar vice. This group, also deemed the catastrophically ill, does not suffer due to their own neglect, denial, or stupidity. In particular, I am concerned with those who suffer from genuine genetic diseases like my dear friend Richard Allen Glenn of North Carolina. It is for individuals like Richard, who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a true genetic disease affecting the pulmonary and digestive systems, that governments around the world are in part created: to protect those who cannot defend or aid themselves. And it is for this reason that I address you today. I am addressing on behalf of my dear friend Richard, who at the young age of 20, without a timely lung transplant, will likely die before the spring of ?06. Richard is unique to the topic you have been discussing in the media, such that the state of North Carolina is denying him the funding for a lung transplant (TX). And although it is not stated, but implied by their actions, the government and related medical agencies, are denying this young man an opportunity at life, so that others less deserving can take advantage of a system intended to aid the helpless, not the lazy, foolish and over-entitled.
The denial of Richard?s surgery is offensive at many levels. The most prominent and significant reason to take umbrage is, despite the dozen or so physicians who consult and support Mr. Glenn?s procedure, deeming it ?justified?, Richard is still without the hope of a transplant. Beyond this glairing discrepancy, is the unimaginable fact that an irrational and inefficient government, through medical entitlement programs, have preferred to provide Viagra to the elderly ?infirm? and pedophiles (costing tax payers $MM). These same parties are also placing alcoholics on disability and medicade, in effect paying people to get drunk, because a series of psychologists deemed the absence of discipline in consuming alcohol a ?disease?. As well, there are alcoholics, addicts and smokers who receive transplanted livers, kidneys and lungs, respectively for choosing to destroy their own body. Are not these individuals selfishly exploiting the system as a result of their own poor choices? These are but a few of the poorly directed and misappropriated funds the government has dispensed, wasting billions of tax dollars that could have been better directed toward more deserving candidates like my good friend Richard.
Since you have been such a sincere ?man of the people?, championing just causes for one and all, I was hoping I could entrust you with my concern and request to aid my helpless dying friend, who is currently being abandoned by our government, a government which seems to have had no problem funding certainly less deserving candidates. Perhaps you could bring attention to Mr. Glenn?s plight, and those bureaucrats and politicians who prevent Mr. Glenn from better days.
Here is a link to an editorial recently issued regarding my dear friend by the News Observer media publication of Raleigh, North Carolina, <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/story/2792761p-9232096c.html.">http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/editorials/story/2792761p-9232096c.html.</a>
I might add the media is placing several slight spins on Richard?s situation. One such spin, in a previous article in the same Raleigh publication, implied that the surgery was ?experimental?, which is far from the truth. CF victims commonly receive transplants, some of which present with the same aliments as Richard.
Mr. O?Reilly, if you can help, as I believe you can, you would not only be helping a good man, but you would be helping a great number of people who suffer day in and day out with out cause or purpose, and in many cases with out help.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
*****
For efficiency, here are the principals and influential parties involved in this evolving tragic event:
·Richard Allen Glenn (Friend), <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.save-allan.org/wpblog/?page_id=6">http://www.save-allan.org/wpblog/?page_id=6</a>
·Dr. Thomas Egan, (Transplant surgeon and associate division chief for general thoracic surgery at UNC, wrote that a transplant for Glenn was "justified.")
·William Lawrence, medical director for the state's Medicaid program
·Burr, Richard- (R - NC) Class III
217 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-3154
Web Form: burr.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.Home
·Dole, Elizabeth- (R - NC) Class II
555 DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-6342
Web Form: dole.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactInformation.ContactForm
·David Price, US Congressman
