Insurance Bloodsuckers

Just saw your paper in the Kent Library and tried to read it with an open mind. The subject matter cautioned me against making any judgment. But too much political vibe does not make for a balanced consideration for the readers.

You would get far better results if you would arouse your readers to the subject matter of life and health insurance, because they seem to be the world's biggest "bloodsuckers" in existence today, growing by the dimes and dollars they can extract from the poor who can ill-afford the growing co-pays. This is true for Medicare and Medicaid as well. Insurance now is not really insurance, but is more like a real bloodsucker for the sick and ill. Think about it.

Leon Thompson, Kent

Editor Collins replies: The WA Free Press has covered health insurance issues a number of times in the past, particularly regarding the ineffectiveness and great expense of our privatized system compared with single-payer systems in many other developed countries.

As for our political vibe, I personally believe it is much more balanced than that of commercial publications, which are beholden more to advertisers than to subscribers.

Thanks for MCS Reporting

A big thank you to the Washington Free Press for being one of the few presses globally to have the integrity to publish articles on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Because most of the global media still do not publish articles on MCS, the sufferers continue to remain invisible.

Here are some global contacts on MCS that your readers may find useful.

To find out about the Global Recognition Campaign on Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Chemically Induced Illnesses affecting civilians & military personnel, go to www.wtv-zone.com/infchoice/mcs_australia.html .

Environmental Research Foundation in Buffalo, New York, has published Our Toxic World: A Wake-up Call by Doris J. Rapp, MD. To order, see www.drrapp.com .

Helke Ferrie has written books on MCS. Her website for ordering is www.kospublishing.com . Note that Helke has been formally requested to design a course teaching Canadian civil servants appropriate protocol for disability applicants presenting with an MCS diagnosis.

I have no financial interest in any of the above. I only wish to share and distribute important information regarding MCS.

There is also a Global Proclamation for MCS. Those interested in signing go to www.mcsbeaconofhope.com .

Diana Buckland, Queensland, Australia

MCS Sufferer

I was a healthy 32 year old female when I started working in the local laundry products factory in 1989. Within a year I had become sensitized to one of the enzymes used in the detergents, due to a faulty respirator. I continued to work in that environment despite my sensitivity, being careful to always wear my personal protective equipment. Never the less, over time, I developed occupational asthma. At first I did not notice a difference in symptoms at home vs. work because I also used those laundry products at home and was in affect exposed to the enzymes and other chemicals 100% of the time.

Due to my long term continuous exposures, eventually I developed bilateral carpal tunnel, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid problems and fatigue. By November 1999 my blood had become so thick and sticky that I was on the verge of a stoke. My Environmental Doctor advised me to leave work, remove every chemical from my house and wash everything in Borax, baking soda and vinegar a few times to get rid of detergent and perfume residues. By that time I was extremely sensitive to most chemicals and the constant exposures were causing my stroke-like symptoms. After following my doctor's advice, I started feeling better at home but these symptoms reappeared if I was exposed to any of these substances, even in residual quantities.

Since then I have done many treatments to detox contaminants from my system including chelation IVs, depuration saunas, vitamin and mineral therapy etc. I also did a series of NAET treatments that helped me eliminate many of the food allergies I had developed and some chemical sensitivities as well.

My employer refused to accommodate me by allowing me to work from home and in May 2002 my Long Term Disability benefits were terminated, even though I was not capable of returning to any type of gainful employment anywhere. With no income I could no longer afford eating organically to avoid chemically contaminated food, nor could I buy all the required vitamins and supplements or afford any more of the detox or NAET treatments that had helped me. As a result my health declined. My biggest problem now is severe fatigue and weakness which is exacerbated after any physical activity.

Luckily, I did finally win my CPP disability pension in September of 2004. I still don't have any health care coverage, nor can I afford very much but I am able to buy organic food and my vitamins and supplements once again which has resulted in a slight improvement which I hope will continue.

My biggest fear now is that the vitamins and supplements I need to improve will no longer be available or affordable under the upcoming Codex regulations that are part of the NAFTA agreement. If that happens, my health, and that of many others, will deteriorate. I hope you will bring some attention to this looming health issue.

Thank you for letting me tell you my story.

Bonita Poulin, Ontario, Canada

"Three-Strikes" Should be Struck Down

I am encouraged by the thinking and the actions of the King County Council. Their policy shift from detention to prevention causes me to hope that we have finally turned the corner of society's cold-hearted "tough on crime" mentality that causes our country to incarcerate more people than any other county on the planet. This blind revenge-seeking mentality has also caused us to lock up purse snatchers for life without the possibility of parole.

You didn't know this? Well, it's true. I wonder if most folks are aware of the injustice of Washington's Three-Strikes law. We have many people struck out for committing Robbery 2, which does not involve the use of a weapon and does not result in injury to anyone.

Punishments meted out should correspond to the crimes committed. Many people are being incarcerated forever with no hope of another chance. This is a greater crime against them than the crimes perpetrated by them.

We have been told that the "climate is not politically correct" to challenge this law. If this is true, when will it be politically correct? How long dot the victims of this unjust law have to serve before it is politically correct to give them a fair sentence" At $26,000 a year and a million dollars for a lifetime, how long do the taxpayers of Washington have to pay to keep these purse snatchers in captivity?

Myron Fair, Seattle

The Silence of the Politicians

I recently sent letters concerning the United States' official views on torture to Senators Cantwell and Murray and Representative Larson. None of the three have responded which is pretty much what I expected from Congresspersons who appear to support the Bush administration's continuing efforts to disconnect the US from all international human rights accords.

I say they appear to support the Bush Administration because I don't recall them taking a stand on the administration's grotesque position supporting torture by our Attorney General nominee who described portions of the Geneva Conventions as "quaint" or efforts to undermine application of the International Criminal Court to Americans or the shipment of detainees to other nations to be tortured. Nor have I heard their voices when a Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General recently argued that information obtained through torture can be used to "detain" foreigners for years with resolution.

I asked them what they, as my Congressional Representatives, would do about this administration's crimes against humanity and how they would insure other nations' humane treatment of US citizens when we allow our administration to justify the use of torture. The silence of my Congressional Representatives on these issues is further reason why I can no longer be proud to be an American.

I think about "detainees" held by the US or its' agents world-wide and worry about their treatment by jailers granted authority to "stress" helpless prisoners while we bask in the extravagance of this Christmas season. America has truly lost its way.

Howard Pellett, Anacortes