"Religious leaders; health care a basic human right" Chicago Tribune

[DailyGrind51]

"Religious leaders; health care a basic human right

July 30, 2009

We are the steering committee of the Health Care Justice Campaign's Faith Caucus, a diverse statewide coalition of Illinois faith leaders, and we support health care as a basic human right.

It is not often that we religious leaders speak with one voice across the state, but we are compelled to do it now.

How could we not do so, when nearly 50 million American residents are without health care, when people are being denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions and when a major cause for bankruptcy is personal and family medical debt?

The many religious traditions we represent have long advocated for reform that makes quality health care affordable and accessible for all. But year after year, decade after decade, the American people have been denied this essential coverage and frustrated repeatedly by special interests. That must stop and it must stop now, because accessible health care is not only right but the key to economic security and opportunity.

We urge people of all faiths and people of no religious affiliation but with a deep sense of conscience and justice, to join us in telling our congressional representatives to approve legislation that gives all people the opportunity to choose an affordable private or public health insurance plan.

The time for all of us to act is now. Please do your part.

Faithfully, - Junaid Afeef, Esq., Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago - Rev. Dr. Richard Ellerbrake, Illinois South Conference United Church of Christ - Claudia Austin, Church Women United - Larry Evans, United Congregations of Metro East - Jennifer DeLeon, LutheranAdvocacy.org - Laura Dean Friedrich, Protestants for the Common Good - Tom Garlitz, Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet - Rev. Otis Moss III, Trinity United Church of Christ - Rev. Dr. Larry Greenfield, American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago - Sheikh Kifah Mustapha, The Mosque Foundation - Rev. Deborah Griffith, Evangelical Covenant Church - Beth Najberg, Chicago Sinai Congregation - Millie Hankla, Church Women United of Illinois - Rev. Alexander Sharp, Protestants for the Common Good - Rev. Linda C. Harrod, Illinois Conference of Churches - Rev. Dr. Thomas Parrot-Sheffer, Union Church of Hinsdale - Ahlam Jbara, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights - Rev. Larry Ulrich, Council of Religious Leaders of Metropolitan Chicago - Laura Leon, Campaign for Better Health Care - Rev. Walter Wilkins, Board of Church and Society United Methodist Church - Rev. Gary McCants, African Methodist Episcopal Church - Bathsheba Wyatt-Draper"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-090730afeef_briefs,0,490157.story

[Echo In Light]

1. Rec

[redqueen]

2. Encouraging...

we need to see this from all of them, all across the country.

[gratuitous]

3. Great Letter

But since it's not the usual "religious" nonsense the popular media likes to pretend is mainstream, I predict this get virtually no play beyond Chicago.

[zbdent]

4. it would make freeptards' heads explode if

Pope Hitler Youth agreed ...

of course, with their track record of intellectual disconnect, they'd be able to rationalize it somehow ...

[eShirl]

5. k&r

[daedalus_dude]

6. k&r

[sutz12]

7. I like it. Some religous leaders actually promoting real human rights.

It's about time real religous people start speaking up about the inequities in our society.

I know the media will probably ignore it, but it heartens me to see people actually follow some of the precepts of he whom they supposedly worship.