LETTER TO THE EDITOR (Highland Digest):
My friends and neighbours we have a problem. And it is a problem of perception, for how we perceive or see something affects what we believe. What we believe affects what we do, and what we do affects what we become.
Now Lara Giddings sees our local hospital/ aged care facility as an expense or if you prefer a financial burden. I for one do not see this. When I look at or think of our local health service and its residents I think of my elders. I think of all they have done for me and for my generation and those that follow. Now it would be my guess that none of my elders would know me from a bar of soap, but in some anonymous way they know that I exist, and they knew this when they pioneered this community, this state and this country. They knew this when they were out there doing the hard yards, when they built the roads to and lived in tent villages in freezing winters to build one of the worlds great Hydro electric power networks. They knew it when they made sure the mail got through and labored on, paid taxes for and built our local community and its entire infrastructure.
Now I understand that there are politicians and bean counters out there who think of every aspect of political portfolios in terms of profit and loss but we need to change this perception. Do we expect the Arts and Sciences to make a profit? When after months of practice the TSO perform flawlessly once again are we not all a little richer for, and feel pride in, their world class efforts or do we bitch about the cost? Are we pouting about the millions spent on scientific research or are we richer through a better standard of lining, better chemicals and products, better crops and better health?
In recent times we have had spent on our behalf, millions upon millions of our tax dollars on football teams and racecourses which many will never see or use but believe me my friends you will be using aged health services. (Well there is one way of avoiding this but no-one who does will be arguing the point!)
It is implicit upon us to back up and support those who have gone before us for they are our true leaders.
I have not one biological link to any of the residents of our local hospital but they are my elders and as such it is my honour and my duty to care for, support and protect them for if I do not then I am a failure! As a human, as a Christian and as a man.
We are not Eskimo /Inuit. We do not take our elders out and leave them on the ice when they can no longer care for themselves. Lara Giddings has said that she won’t throw anyone out in the street. No she’ll just withdraw the staff and turn off the heat. What’s the bloody difference?
Be selfish for a moment and think of it this way- our elders present is our future! It’s time for us to decide how our money is spent and where our future lies.
Politicians are elected
Of the people – That is self evident
By the people – That should not be taken for granted
and
For the people- That needs to be remembered
Eli Dalgliesh