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Marino says real healthcare problem is 'compassion deficiency'

By David Gonnerman '90
August 13, 2009

St. Olaf Professor of Philosophy Gordon Marino writes in the Christian Science Monitor (Aug. 13, 2009) that "The healthcare debate has revealed that Americans suffer from a compassion deficiency," and that "there are a lot of folks who would choose to have young mothers with cancer go without chemotherapy, instead of giving up a bit of that disposable income that is our badge of freedom and individualism."

Marino writes that Denmark, where he lived 20 years ago, has "superb universal coverage." In contrast, he adds, the U.S. life expectancy (No. 42) and infant mortality (No. 29) rates "attest that our healthcare system is not even a contender for the best.

"Anyone who values honesty will have to admit that many of us are not appalled by children dying for lack of medical treatment," he concludes. "We don't like it, we wish that it could be otherwise, but it doesn't exactly make us sick. And that is appalling."

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.