Dear Vice President Pence, What Exactly Do You Mean By 'Personal Responsibility'?

Dear Vice President Pence,

I used to be scrolling Twitter a couple of nights in the past and got here throughout this tweet. And, I’m going to be truthful, it induced one thing in me. You see, I’ve been indignant for a very long time now, about numerous issues going down in our nation. But my anger has been simmering, managed. Saturday night time although, it reached a boiling level. I understand I not are living in a rustic with values I acknowledge, or with management I agree with. And that’s infuriating.

Personal duty, Mr. Pence? What precisely are you relating to right here? Because I in point of fact don’t understand how my six-year-old Grayson, who’s non-verbal, non-ambulatory, solely tube fed, imaginative and prescient impaired and medically fragile, who depends on me and a handful of different caregivers for actually the entirety, is meant to take non-public duty for his personal well being. You know, because it was once his fault he was once born with an incurable genetic illness. I don’t know, possibly if he had simply labored a little bit more difficult to devour as a child, as an alternative of throwing up each ounce we gave him, he wouldn’t have wanted that feeding tube. I suppose the hours we’ve spent in treatment looking to get him to succeed in milestones like sitting up and crawling simply weren’t sufficient. He will have to have attempted more difficult, proper?

Regardless of the way a lot he’s slacked off within the non-public duty sport, right here we’re. I’ve a kid who isn’t, and won’t ever be wholesome, and also you and I each know that’s no person’s fault, particularly now not his. But critically, solution this query for me. If lifetime caps on insurance coverage are allowed to be re-instated, and Medicaid is gutted, how is Grayson intended to get the hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of bucks (and truthfully, it’s most likely hundreds of thousands) price of well being care services he must LIVE? Without get entry to to the well being care our personal insurance coverage and Medicaid supplies, he’ll die. If I sound a little bit shrill and dramatic, it’s as a result of I’m. Put your self in my sneakers, and the sneakers of my pals with medically fragile children.

Hundreds of miles clear of the place I tucked my little boy in mattress remaining night time, positioning him to make sure he sleeps safely and conveniently, there are a bunch of white males (no girls or other people of colour, in point of fact?) who secretly wrote a invoice that makes it transparent that the price of my son’s lifestyles has a prohibit. You’re a father. Think about that ― what if any individual advised you that about one among your children? Would you now not combat like hell and possibly get a little bit dramatic and shrill?

Oh wait, you are saying you aren’t speaking about Grayson himself now not having any non-public duty for his well being? OK, so that you imply me? And my husband? Well, my husband works in point of fact lengthy hours as a highschool instructor and trainer, pouring into youngsters and looking to educate them that non-public duty you appear so keen on. But it’s no secret educating doesn’t make one rich, and it indubitably isn’t going to give you the budget important to stay my kid from loss of life if we lose insurance coverage and/or Medicaid for him.

And me? You wish to know the burden of my non-public duty? The crushing weight that each unmarried particular wishes mom feels, and will’t dump? How I lie wakeful at night time questioning, and being worried, a couple of kid’s long run who has no long run except for me. How every now and then I think extra like his nurse than his mother, or his supervisor, with all of the telephone calls and forms I’ve to do on his behalf. How retaining myself wholesome (bodily and mentally) is so a very powerful, principally as a result of how would I handle Grayson if I have been unwell or useless? What would occur to him? Don’t you dare recommend that I haven’t felt, or acted, responsibly.

Mr. Pence, I do know numerous individuals who in point of fact such as you, particularly the place I are living. They voted for and tolerate that moron who picked you as his working mate, however you’re the one they believe goes to show this nation round, and make it “great” once more. Why? Because you’re a Christian, and are pro-life. You declare to have Christian values and are going to convey God again into our nation. Ok, nice. I’m a Christian too. And I like Jesus. But like Ghandi, I don’t in point of fact like numerous Christians nowadays, as a result of they’re so in contrast to my Christ. And truthfully, I’m sticking you in that class too. There is really not anything Christ-like or pro-life about gutting Medicaid and making the unwell and the deficient endure whilst the wealthy get richer. Your logo of Christianity is the prosperity gospel- paintings arduous sufficient, and be the correct of individual, and you are going to be rewarded. Real lifestyles, REALITY, doesn’t paintings like that. Good, arduous running other people get unwell at all times and want pricey care, care this is ceaselessly the rationale they’re deficient. You assume Jesus would agree that the price of Grayson’s, or any individual’s lifestyles, has a financial prohibit?

I spotted you tweeted once more the next observation, relating to the unique tweet:

You could also be proper, that can be the Republican approach, however I positive as hell hope you are incorrect about it being the American approach. This isn’t the America I wish to elevate my youngsters in, they usually certainly may not learn to embody those values. Being unwell or deficient isn’t a personality flaw. We are meant to handle every different; as an alternative, you wish to have best those that are wealthy, able-bodied, or have lived up to a couple arbitrary measure of “personal responsibility” to have the America you make to be “great”. Well fuck that, Mr. Pence. I’m indignant, and I can keep indignant and combat like hell for my kid and all of the youngsters and Americans who’re being screwed by way of this inhumane, ridiculous invoice. That, I imagine, is MY non-public duty.