Justice For Trayvon Martin

Update (April 11, 2012 5:30pm CDT): It's coming, Trayvon. Justice is on it's way. And you will never be forgotten. [George Zimmerman arrested and charged with second degree murder]


Have you heard the breaking news? Racism is not only alive in the United States, but it is actually thriving. No, I suppose this is not news to those of us that follow politics and current events closely. It is, unfortunately, a societal disease that is a long way from being eradicated. It is a blemish on our country that decent people everywhere need to protest in voices louder than those of the bigots and racists. While some, such as Rush Limbaugh, have a standardized if faltering forum for spouting their hate, others are living out this racism in everyday acts of cruelty and crime.

On February 26, 2012 in a gated community in Sanford, Florida Trayvon Martin was walking home from a local store and heading back to his father’s home. A local vigilante named George Zimmerman, who had a strong history of assailing the local 911system with various unfounded complaints, deemed Trayvon to be a danger. He saw this child and knew nothing more about him than the color of his skin. In fact, as he called 911 to report this perceived threat, this was the only information that he could impart to the operator. He was black and Zimmerman just did not like the looks of him. A weapon? Trayvon had nothing. Still, Zimmerman took it upon himself to not just report this alleged nuisance to the authorities but to start following the child. Trayvon did what most of us would advise our own children to do in such matters, which was to try to lose the stalker and get himself to safety. Even as Trayvon tried to break loose from the older man who was now actively stalking him, Zimmerman continued in hot pursuit. He continued despite being told overtly by the authorities to stay away from this child.

Various reports, including the recently released 911 tapes, indicate that Trayvon was minding his own business when he was attacked by Zimmerman. Trayvon can be heard crying and pleading, in an effort to save his own life from this gun-toting maniac who had descended upon him. Alas, Zimmerman decided to execute 17-year-old Trayvon…a child, who just wanted to return to his father with candy and a drink and an evening of watching basketball.  A child with no weapon who had done nothing, except exist in society as a black kid.

Yes, racism is alive and well in the United States. The extremists on the right continue to feed the fear of the ignorant and then act in feigned befuddlement when one of their own acts out in a murderous manner. This is not the first time that this occurred and it will not be the last. The loud and bigoted voices on the far right believe that the constitution allows them to refer to our President in racist tones. They believe that they have no culpability if someone takes matters into their own hands and acts out in a violent manner. They believe, in short, that their hands are clean.

They are not. Anyone in the public eye has a moral, ethical and legal duty to not incite others to violence. And if violence should occur, we need to immediately track back to the instigator of the event and hold them responsible. This should have occurred when the crazed rhetoric of Bill O’Reilly cause the killing of Dr. George Tiller, a Kansas based physician who performed abortions. Mr. O’Reilly had a many-year campaign against the physician he deemed Tiller The Killer. This language, rants and violent overtones directly lead to a rogue fan killing the doctor.

Until we hold these people responsible for acts of violence, both large and small, there can be no racial equality in our country. Our young black and Hispanic youth will continue to move about their lives knowing that they have a target on their back all day, every day. This is not justice for them and it sure as hell is not justice for Trayvon Martin.

Bill O'Reilly, You Are Dead Ass Wrong

I have a confession to make: I watch Fox News. Now, before you snatch away my liberal card, tear the Obama 2012 shirt off my back and thrust a poorly crafted Tea Party sign into my hand, let me explain a bit further. I do not by any means watch Fox on a regular basis and, honestly, I only watch until my retinas begin to burn and I can sense my IQ dropping point by point. There have been moments, though, where I have watched long enough and become enraged enough that my husband actually has to pry the remote from my hand and gently steer me towards the Food Network or perhaps a rerun of Hoarders.

I watch Fox news for three distinct purposes. First, I think it is hypocritical to critique something you have no first-hand knowledge of. Second, I watch to get some insight into what the other side is up to (something of a recon mission). And finally, I watch because I suffer from dangerously low blood pressure and a bit of Hannity always does the trick by raising my B/P a good dozen points. Okay, I am kidding about the third reason…kinda.

Which leads me to this blog and what my newest plan is for you, my dedicated readers. I am volunteering, kind lady that I am, to take a bullet for you and let you know what is happening over in the world of Fox. And every so often I will distill what I have learned and will share it with you, again via this blog, in a segment now known as “(Fill in moronic person on Fox), You Are Dead Ass Wrong”.   Methinks I will have a wealth of material and this river of un-knowledge will never run dry. Talk about blog security!

First up: Bill O’Reilly

Last week I watch a segment with Bill O’Reilly, Alan Colmes and an un-named, but kind of cute, brunette and bespectacled Ann Coulter wannabe. The topic of discussion was the legislation that mandates that health insurance carriers now cover birth control. This topic immediately piqued my interest as I am a former health insurance administrator and thus have a bit of inside information that Bill O’Reilly and his pack of fools may be lacking.

BOR immediately started flapping his arms like a crazed pigeon in Times Square and squawking about this outrage. I am paraphrasing, but this is essentially what he was saying: “This is ridiculous! This is more government oppression! This means that every single one of us, including my fat cat ass, will have to pay more in insurance premiums! Squawk! Squawk!”.

Poor Bill. Poor idiotic, ill informed, needs-to-buy-a-calculator (to replace his abacus) Bill O’Reilly. Allow me to crunch some numbers for you…

Cost of a healthy yet unplanned pregnancy: $10,000

Cost of birth control pills: $20/month

Therefore, for every one unplanned pregnancy you can purchase 500 months of pills…or, 42 years. Of course, this does not include the expense of a less than healthy pregnancy, neonatology expenses, the medical cost of the child itself and all related costs for an “unwanted” child (read: Medicaid, reduced lunch program, WIC, etc).

You seem like intelligent and thoughtful readers, so you tell me: Which is more cost effective? The obvious answer is the birth control pills.

But let me also let you in on a little secret, Bill O’Reilly and similar morons…You are already paying for the birth control pills. You see, for many decades most health insurance carriers did not pay for birth control pills when they were prescribed for contraceptive purposes. However, they would pay for them if the physician listed as a diagnosis something along the lines of Dysmenorrhea, Polycystic Ovaries, or some other related gynecological issue. Yes, as a courtesy to their female patients physicians would game the system in order to make sure that birth control pills were covered by women who wanted them. These physicians knew that offering someone birth control is always much wiser than risking an unintended pregnancy.

Here is another little tidbit for you about the expense of birth control pills. Health insurance carriers have cooperative agreements with both pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies. This means that what may cost an uninsured individual $20 at the local pharmacy will cost Humana, Aetna or Anthem only $7. However, the average copay for medications is $20-30. Therefore, not only has the member themselves actually paid for the full cost of the medication, but your local Walgreens or Rite-Aid is making a fair profit as well and plays into the aforementioned cooperative agreement.

Of course, I don’t expect Bill O’Reilly to know this. Frankly, I am shocked he knows anything including how to tie his own shoes. But I assume that he has interns or assistants or some other helpful staff in order to educate him so that he does not appear foolish to viewers. My only explanation for why this does not occur is that (a) These staff members are actually, ha ha ha, staunch liberals or (b) They are just as dim at BOR himself (I am leaning towards the second option).

In any case, I conclude with only these seven words: Bill O’Reilly, You Are Dead Ass Wrong