The first week of our Comparative Health class, we discussed whether or not universal health care should be a right or a privilege. Honestly, before this class, I did not know where I stood on this issue because it never arised in my every day life. After two class discussions and some readings though, this topic is becoming more clear.
Currently, health care is considered a privilege in the United States, while in Italy, it is a right and they have universal health care. The Catholic church also believes that health care is a right. The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World states that "by his innermost nature man is a social being, and unless he relates himself to others he can neither live nor develop his potential." The church teaches that man should put others before himself and that includes making sure everyone has health care.
In "Universal Health Care: Opposing Viewpoints," Helen Redmond takes the side that health care should be a right because of the statistics on issues including mental illnesses and the substance-addicted. "Mental illnesses among the uninsured often go untreated, or benefits are limited, with the result that some uninsured end up in prison." Leonard Peikoff, on the other hand, argues that health care is not a right. He is on the side of the doctors, saying that, "treating health care as a human right requires that services that belong to some people-doctors-are given for free to others. Health care can only be treated as a right through a violation of personal rights of doctors." He thinks that it's wrong for people to be able to get health care for free, while people should work hard in order to receive it, instead of it just being handed to them.
After our assigned readings and class discussions the first week, I've decided that right now, I'm more on the side that health care is a right rather than a privilege. I think that it would be fair for everyone and less people would be denied basic health rights because they don't have insurance or aren't covered for a certain illness. Both viewpoints are legitimate and this issue is controversial, which makes it hard to choose a side, but until I change my mind, I think that health care is a right.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
First Week in Italy (GL 350)
Ciao!
It has now officially been one week since our arrival in Italy. I am pleased to say that the experience has been incredible so far, to say the least. It does not by any means feel as though we have been here for a week, but rather several weeks, or even a month. America and our lives back home are miles away. This is a new and surreal experience, which I am blessed to be a part of. Over these next eight weeks, it is essential to document these experiences and embrace every moment. Before leaving for Italy, one of my aunts who has been to Italy before, gave me a journal. She told me to write everything down, from my adventures to the Colloseum to the little cafe down the street. So, with the help of the small journal from home and this online blog, I will be able to document and remember this experience for years to come.
Upon arrival in Rome, we began to notice the differences between America and Italy almost instantly. For instance, at the airport, we all had to take a tram to collect our luggage. When we saw Danilo Mori, our campus director, running towards it, we were perplexed, yet we followed in his footsteps, deciding he knew what he was doing. Even though most of us caught up with it, without warning, the doors shut, the tram zoomed off, and several members of our group were left, sad-faced watching the tram leave without them. Even though they got on the next tram and everyone came together again, it was a learning experience in itself and a realization that we were in a different world. From Barzini's "The Italians," Shelley describes an experience in Italy: "No sooner had we arrived in Italy...than the loveliness of the earth and the serenity of the sky made the greatest difference in my sensations." I had a similar feeling to this when we got off of the metro, walked outside and instantly as we walked out, the Colloseum stood directly in front of us. It was breathtaking, especially because we weren't expecting to see it so soon. This is something that I have seen multiple times in movies, read about in books or have seen in my dreams, and to be experiencing it in real life, was incredible.
The week included visits to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Campo de' Fiori, the Jewish ghetto and Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte, to name a few. At the end of the week, we had a free weekend, in which Aimee Jones, Ciarra Ramsey, Sydney Durham and I decided to travel to Perugia and Assisi. On Friday, we found our sleepy selves running to catch the early trains in order to make it on time to Perugia. After interesting encounters on the train with an American Catholic monk and a young Italian man, we trekked up the steep streets of Perugia, map in hand, in search of our hotel. After finally arriving, we find ourselves two minutes away from the EuroChocolate festival, which we anticipated greatly. It proved to be delicious and intriguing and we came back with both loads of chocolate and bruises. [See Aimee Jones' blog for video explanation] The next day we arrived in the beautiful city of Assisi with yet another long journey to finding our hotel. Our hotel was right outside the Basilica di San Francesco or Basilica of St. Francis, which was amazingly beautiful and meaningful as St. Francis of Assisi is my Confirmation saint. After visiting the basilica, we journeyed up even higher to Rocca Maggiore, a medieval castle from which you can view the the entire town of Assisi. Though, cold, windy and tired from the walk up the mountain, the forty-five minutes spent at the top of Rocca Maggiore was worth every second and it was something I will never forget.
After one week in Italy, we were asked to write about how this experience might change you. "They wanted to improve themselves and thought that nothing could beat a trip to Italy for that purpose. A lengthy visit to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples was believed to be an indispensable part of a man's education, the necessary completion to his studies, a real voyage philosophique" (Barzini 28). This trip is a trip of firsts for me. It was my first flight, my first time being "across the pond," and my first time being away from home for two months at one time. So, the questions arise: how will Walsh University's Rome Experience be different than studying in a classroom in North Canton? How will being in a foreign country change me? How will I be different when I return home? What will I take away from this experience? I feel as though this experience will change me for the better. I will be more confident in anything I do, be more knowledeable of Italy and the world around me, more appreciative of my home and where I come from, and most of all be thirsting for more travels, adventures and experiences.
Below is a picture of me with the Colosseum behind me.
This is a row of some of the statues of the Vestal Virgins in the Roman Forum.
At Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte, we viewed rows of human skulls along the walls and on a cross such as the one below. The skulls are there to remind us that we are mortal and made to die, yet they help us to remember that life can be beautiful, so we need to embrace it and live every day to the fullest.
Arrivederci!
It has now officially been one week since our arrival in Italy. I am pleased to say that the experience has been incredible so far, to say the least. It does not by any means feel as though we have been here for a week, but rather several weeks, or even a month. America and our lives back home are miles away. This is a new and surreal experience, which I am blessed to be a part of. Over these next eight weeks, it is essential to document these experiences and embrace every moment. Before leaving for Italy, one of my aunts who has been to Italy before, gave me a journal. She told me to write everything down, from my adventures to the Colloseum to the little cafe down the street. So, with the help of the small journal from home and this online blog, I will be able to document and remember this experience for years to come.
Upon arrival in Rome, we began to notice the differences between America and Italy almost instantly. For instance, at the airport, we all had to take a tram to collect our luggage. When we saw Danilo Mori, our campus director, running towards it, we were perplexed, yet we followed in his footsteps, deciding he knew what he was doing. Even though most of us caught up with it, without warning, the doors shut, the tram zoomed off, and several members of our group were left, sad-faced watching the tram leave without them. Even though they got on the next tram and everyone came together again, it was a learning experience in itself and a realization that we were in a different world. From Barzini's "The Italians," Shelley describes an experience in Italy: "No sooner had we arrived in Italy...than the loveliness of the earth and the serenity of the sky made the greatest difference in my sensations." I had a similar feeling to this when we got off of the metro, walked outside and instantly as we walked out, the Colloseum stood directly in front of us. It was breathtaking, especially because we weren't expecting to see it so soon. This is something that I have seen multiple times in movies, read about in books or have seen in my dreams, and to be experiencing it in real life, was incredible.
The week included visits to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Campo de' Fiori, the Jewish ghetto and Santa Maria dell'Orazione e Morte, to name a few. At the end of the week, we had a free weekend, in which Aimee Jones, Ciarra Ramsey, Sydney Durham and I decided to travel to Perugia and Assisi. On Friday, we found our sleepy selves running to catch the early trains in order to make it on time to Perugia. After interesting encounters on the train with an American Catholic monk and a young Italian man, we trekked up the steep streets of Perugia, map in hand, in search of our hotel. After finally arriving, we find ourselves two minutes away from the EuroChocolate festival, which we anticipated greatly. It proved to be delicious and intriguing and we came back with both loads of chocolate and bruises. [See Aimee Jones' blog for video explanation] The next day we arrived in the beautiful city of Assisi with yet another long journey to finding our hotel. Our hotel was right outside the Basilica di San Francesco or Basilica of St. Francis, which was amazingly beautiful and meaningful as St. Francis of Assisi is my Confirmation saint. After visiting the basilica, we journeyed up even higher to Rocca Maggiore, a medieval castle from which you can view the the entire town of Assisi. Though, cold, windy and tired from the walk up the mountain, the forty-five minutes spent at the top of Rocca Maggiore was worth every second and it was something I will never forget.
After one week in Italy, we were asked to write about how this experience might change you. "They wanted to improve themselves and thought that nothing could beat a trip to Italy for that purpose. A lengthy visit to Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples was believed to be an indispensable part of a man's education, the necessary completion to his studies, a real voyage philosophique" (Barzini 28). This trip is a trip of firsts for me. It was my first flight, my first time being "across the pond," and my first time being away from home for two months at one time. So, the questions arise: how will Walsh University's Rome Experience be different than studying in a classroom in North Canton? How will being in a foreign country change me? How will I be different when I return home? What will I take away from this experience? I feel as though this experience will change me for the better. I will be more confident in anything I do, be more knowledeable of Italy and the world around me, more appreciative of my home and where I come from, and most of all be thirsting for more travels, adventures and experiences.
Below is a picture of me with the Colosseum behind me.
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