Stupidity on Steroids

You'd think that having lived to attain senior citizenship, I'd be less shocked and outraged by the behavior of the people I live among, as if age brought some kind of immunity from selfishness and stupidity.  You would, of course, be wrong.

Having persevered and plugged away at the government's healthcare website since its inception, a musician friend of mine triumphs and obtains coverage for himself and his wife.  After five years of being uninsured and still struggling desperately with the medical costs of a broken wrist, they can now afford to see a doctor. And for this, they are unfriended by fellow musicians who disapprove of the health care bill and disagree with their choice.  With friends like that, so the old saying goes, who needs enemies.  I'm happy to see that the vast majority of response posts are positive and that even the handful of negative ones are respectful - I put in my own congratulatory two cents and am pleased to do it - but it does set me to wondering about where this kind of hate and stupidity come from and how anyone in anything like their right mind could condemn and chastise another for a simple health care choice.  How did we get to a place where nothing, including the freedom to have health insurance, is free from the ugly taint of politics?   What kind of person unfriends a fellow musician over their opportunity to stay healthy and not go bankrupt?  What kind of sick mind accuses a friend of being a welfare-grubbing parasite?  It's stupidity on steroids.  And yet a part of me is not surprised.

Friendship is a delicate thing.  It requires patience and tolerance, loyalty and common ground.  It doesn't just survive if neglected and it's not genuine if it can be discarded over differing opinions.  It makes room for individuality and it understands pain and suffering.  It stands by you and wishes you good health.  Always and unconditionally.

Anything less is not worth keeping.