August 17, 2009

At first I thought opposition to health-care reform focused on important details such as whether there should be a single-payer plan or just a mandate requiring people to purchase health insurance. Most stakeholders agree reform is needed because the system is so badly broken and cannot repair itself.

The United Methodist Church’s position is that reform must mean everyone receives health-care coverage.

Some argue for a Massachusetts-style plan or for health insurance exchanges or cooperatives. Some believe the process should move more slowly.

The United Methodist Church’s position is that reform must mean everyone receives health-care coverage. The General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) believes a strong public option is important to contend with the profit-driven health-insurance industry.

Racism and fear

Opposition to reform has transmogrified into something far deeper, far more elemental, though. Anger appears to be its salient feature. Racism and fear is at the core of the anger.

On reflection, this should come as no surprise. Immediately after the election of Barack Obama, a spate of racist incidents occurred, including cross burnings, black figures hanged from nooses, schoolchildren chanting “assassinate Obama,” and racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.

The church of Jesus Christ has played a contradictory role in the history of the United States. On the one hand, the church has given its blessing to the development of a nation built on the backs of black slaves on land stolen from its native peoples. On the other hand, the church has helped force the nation to confront its sins and repent of them.

[Racism] rears its ugly head repeatedly.

But racism remains deep-seated. It rears its ugly head repeatedly. President Obama has been portrayed as a monkey. Other grotesque racist imagery has appeared about him. The consistent, inaccurate use of “socialism” to describe health-care reform is a code word for racism.

Numerous assassination threats have been issued against members of Congress. Gun-toting people have shown up at town hall meetings. There is talk of armed revolution in the air.

Lies are spreading to the effect that Sen. Edward Kennedy, gravely ill with brain cancer, would be allowed to die under the supposedly heartless British national health-care system. Hamish Meldrum, chair of the British Medical Assn., has said these are “jaw-droppingly untruthful attacks.”

Others have suggested the eminent scientist Stephen Hawking, who suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), would have been denied medical care if he lived in Britain. Well, he is British and lives in Great Britain! This is a perfect example of how ridiculous these “jaw-droppingly untruthful attacks” have become.

Nasty communications

Daily, GBCS staff members have come to me with reports of nasty phone calls, e-mails and voice mails from United Methodists. Let me emphasize “nasty.” These communications do not express strong disagreement, they are virulent, nasty comments. Such communications are being stirred up by organizations loosely associated with our denomination, I’m sad to say.

I myself have heard incredibly sinful, ignorant statements from persons who claim to be United Methodists. One such said that because he personally doesn’t know anyone without health insurance, he is dubious such people exist. Others, who say they are on Medicare, protest government intervention in health care. Say what?!

I myself have heard incredibly sinful, ignorant statements from persons who claim to be United Methodists.

I’m not suggesting racism is the sole motivating factor for opposition to health-care reform. Certainly the incredibly rich insurance companies are wary of any changes that might affect their bottom lines. But the ugly rage demonstrated by many in our denomination and at town hall meetings is preposterous.

I know what it’s like to face people who have worked themselves up into a frenzy, who cannot control their emotions, who have lost all reason and sense of proportion. I’ll never forget the delegate at the 2008 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s highest policy-making body, who sputtered in committee, “The facts don’t sway me none.”

If the facts don’t hold sway, perhaps scripture could. Isaiah 1:18-20 may be a good starting point:

Come, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like the wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the lands; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

John Wesley’s quadrilateral of scripture, tradition, reason and experience to guide deliberations is another model United Methodists should embrace. Never is this more needed than in the current health-care reform debate where reason seems to have been subverted by irrationality. I urge faith community leaders to reach out to their constituents, call them to civility and spiritual discernment.

Jesus called us to care for the least of these. His call to us is not ambiguous, but cooler heads must prevail to ensure it can be heard clearly.