{"id":461226,"date":"2010-03-22T17:08:31","date_gmt":"2010-03-22T21:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"tag:blogs.rj.org,2010:\/rac\/\/2.2603"},"modified":"2010-03-22T17:13:41","modified_gmt":"2010-03-22T21:13:41","slug":"you-were-there-five-reasons-to-be-grateful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/461226","title":{"rendered":"You Were There: Five Reasons to be Grateful"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"linda_walling2.jpg\"<\/span>Rev. Linda Hanna Walling is the Executive Director of Faithful Reform in Health Care<\/a>. This piece first appeared in an e-newsletter today from Faithful Reform.<\/i><\/p>\n

The atmosphere was electric; the anticipation almost too much to bear. It was a bright sunny Sunday afternoon in Washington, DC. and the buds of the trees on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol were bursting into bloom. Both supporters and opponents of health care reform were mixing it up with signs and rhetoric. Friends in the immigration reform movement were passing through on their way to join 100,000 others who were demonstrating on the Mall for comprehensive immigration reform. Hill staffers were giving away gallery tickets for those who wanted to view the floor proceedings. Television and print media were everywhere. <\/p>\n

Thanks to an effort initiated by Catholics United, people of faith lined the path where lawmakers would walk from their offices to the House Chamber in the Capitol. The point? To offer a peaceful, respectful, and supportive presence in response to the appalling incident the day before in which a tea-bagger spat upon and yelled a vile racial epithet at Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), a United Methodist clergyman. We made our point!<\/p>\n

At first, just a few Representatives made their way to the Capitol,
\nstopping, chatting, shaking our hands, and thanking us. Then it
\nhappened. En masse, House members supportive of meaningful health care
\nreform walked by. For a few moments, we went crazy and celebrated.
\nHistory was being made, and people of faith were standing in the
\npresence of the persons who in a few hours would take a vote which
\nwould put the health care needs of hurting people above all else. As
\nthey walked away, we knew that, just before entering the Capitol, those
\nlawmakers were up close and personal with a faith-inspired vision of
\nhealth care for all.<\/p>\n

Those of us who were there knew that we represented all of you from all
\nacross the country who helped make that moment possible. We knew that
\nour signs “People of Faith for Health Care Reform” demonstrated your
\nheart, your commitment, and your vision of a more compassionate health
\ncare future. Together… in person, in spirit, or in prayer… your
\nwitness helped carry the moment.<\/p>\n

In the days ahead we will have many opportunities to say thank you —
\nto Members of Congress who did the right thing, to each other for the
\nimportant work we did together, and to our allies for the collective
\nefforts that led to victory. But for the moment, I offer words of
\ngratitude on behalf of those who will be afforded health, wholeness,
\nand human dignity because of our work. (To help us all understand how
\nmuch this legislation advances our vision, watch for ongoing “Reasons
\nto be Grateful” updates.)<\/p>\n

Health Care Reform: Five Reasons to Be Grateful
\n<\/b><\/p>\n