Posted by Martin MacArthur on January 07, 1998 at 20:33:01:
In Reply to: Demonstation Target posted by Dianne on January 07, 1998 at 18:14:20:
<<. I will never let myself be lulled into thinking that some CHARITABLE ORG. is
doing it on my behalf - not after what all you folks have taught me in the past three weeks.
>>
I get the feeling that you are feeling bitter and alone, as well as cheated. That's what brought most of us to bulletin boards like these, because if we don't have a chance to rant and rave we will probably bust.
ANY work that you do in behalf of a cure for diabetes is good work, whether on the national or local level. The reason our small group is going national is that we have been fighting and fighting for years, and have been lied to by literally every person in office, and it is time, perhaps for my own sense of dignity, that I go to confront these people who don't care if I am living or dead. We are starting out small, there are 14 of us so far, plus 4 children, but if we can do this annually, the turnout must be better each time. I have already made appointments with both Senators from my state, Florida, Sen. Mack and Sen. Graham, and also with my Representative Bill McCullom. All it took was a phone call.I will tell them what they already know, I'm sure, but I won't be polite and passionless. I want a cure. I want the money that is being wasted to be reallocated to research on cure and causes, not on better candy bars for diabetics. I won't carry any particular banner except the banner of all diabetics.
<< I have been reading, writing and trying to get a sense of why we have to
beg for a cure, when it all seems so clear to us.>>
Political reality has nothing to do with what is right. A Congressman has only two goals in life, to be reelected and to line as many pockets as he can with our money.These people are smart, they are even clever, and they know the statistics as well as we don. They just don't think it is politically advisable to correct the situation. We don't have the prominent artists and actors and the Hollywood group to be our spokesmen, and AIDS does. That is why AIDS research gets $1,200.00 for every $20.00 we get. If only there were some way to get a significant portion of the 8 million diabetics to realize their power, and USE it, we might get somewhere. As it is, we infight, each of us pulling for their own personal project.All of us are diabetics, or parents of diabetics, and someday, maybe we will be on the same side.
Don't fault the JDF too much. They do a hell of a lot better job than the ADA, which as far as I am concerned is our sworn enemy.
Martin
PS: Think about joining us on May 5. It could be satisfying.