You know this country is heading straight down the toilet
when a hospital advertising slogan, designed to encourage better public
awareness of what people can do to improve their own health and extend their
lives, gets pounded into oblivion by the religious right.
Reuters is reporting that this is exactly what happened in
Gastonia, North Carolina, where the Caromont Regional Medical Center was forced
to drop its advertising slogan, “Cheat Death,” by political hacks kowtowing to
religious crazies and know-nothings.
According to the Reuters report by Colleen Jenkins, calls
were coming in from ministers and religious leaders “who thought the term was
blasphemous,” a county
commissioner explained. The commissioner is also on the hospital’s board of
directors.
There had been plans for the hospital to partner with
athletic clubs and restaurants to offer “cheat death” workouts and healthy menu
options. But hey, that might contradict "God's plan for you." You know what plan I'm talking about. The one where you die at the age of 60, coughing, spitting blood, and gasping for air thanks to lung cancer. And that would be only a few months after they amputate all the toes on your right foot, along with your left leg, thanks to diabetes. I won't even get into that paralyzing stroke.
The hospital is hunting around to find another way
to get its message across. But don’t count on it having nearly the impact of “cheat death.”
Maybe the religious leaders would prefer that you “assist
death.” Go stuff your face with fries and lard while you sit in front of the tee-vee. And while you're at it, smoke a few packs of
cigarettes every day. Isn’t that exactly what God wants you to do, before you
grab your automatic rifle and, avoiding any mental health assistance the hospital might offer you, blow away a few dozen children who would
otherwise be “cheating death?”
Morons!
4 comments:
Many in our town just witnessed the passing of a 17 mth old baby due to Leukemia- her parents would have sold their arms and legs to see her cheat death. I think the intentions are good, but not everyone gets ill because they made poor lifestyle choices. It was not just the religious folks who took issue with it. I'm not a Christian but didn't feel like a 27 yr old with ALS should have to see that slogan every time they visit the hospital...
You're stupid. There was no giving in to the religious right. That was one tiny piece of that story. The hospital received criticism because it's a terrible tag line.
Except for the "stupid" comment, I agree with James Reynolds about your take on the story. You've chosen to be ill informed about the controversy. Your atheism--or worse, perhaps, your hate for God--is showing. Makes me sad.
Fantastic post.
Anonymous and James lemme ask you this. Do you believe in free will? If so, your religious argument holds no water. As all the articles and the hospital's own website have said, Cheat Death is a wellness movement designed "to give every man, woman and child in the community every opportunity to cheat death so they can live healthier, better and longer lives". From what I've read, they were going to partner with the local government, churches, schools and businesses to help people make better choices about their health - instead of just waiting to treat them when they showed up @ the hospital with advanced cancer, heart disease and diabetes. I for one, love this idea - it's where all healthcare systems need to go.
Instead of getting angry over a tagline, people should be furious that for the first time in American history our children are predicted to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.
Post a Comment