"MLA Raj Chouhan... says living in a hallway is not very healthy or dignified for an elderly stroke patient." No shit sherlock.
Often, failure hides behind the curtains of success. In my opinion, it is the relative success of the British Columbian health system and peoples' perception of it as being a wholly perfect institution, that causes such instances of neglect. People are content to turn a blind eye to a system which runs "well enough." This illusion is caused by the little things that devils under the guises of "humanitarians" do. For example, the installation of priority seating areas in buses, and handicapped spots for those developmentally disabled, create a general atmosphere of good feeling. We, as the people, feel that our government has done enough in the realm of policies to protect those who are fundamentally weaker. We feel that the rights of the disabled and the rights of the elderly are protected because of these palliative measures which do nothing to mitigate the real problems behind their diminished status.
Our legislation calls for equality of the people, and purports to extend civil rights to all persons, man and woman. But what it doesn't address fully is those groups who are not discriminated against based on race, colour, creed, or belief. The groups who transcend those man-made barriers, share a common characteristic. They are the ones who have been discarded by society: the weak, the elderly, the disabled. Until we come to realize that they deserve the same rights as we do, they will continue to suffer as the elderly stroke patient had. We must put their rights into law, and let legislation dictate with practical force and effect the full extent of their equality.
Ladies and Gentlemen, a right without a remedy is no right at all.
No comments:
Post a Comment