And really, the United States is not much more than a great piece of real estate that has hanging around its neck the dominant theme of Golding’s Lord Of The Flies.

The real sadness is that so much potential existed here that just couldn’t flower. I suspect that many of us are really in mourning for that terrible loss – as we should be.

For example, something that most people don’t know is that some medical procedures will not be performed if the patient does not have someone in their household for a few hours after the patient comes home. This is a growing problem now that so many procedures are being done on an outpatient basis. That is just one example. There are many gaps in most of our social service systems. Sometimes, a simple procedure like a tooth extraction will not be done if the person has no one in their home with them. I have a friend who needed an emergency hospital procedure due to a detached retina. He was going blind. The hospital required that he have someone with him when he arrived home.

Our society and our culture are fractured. Family members sometimes live far apart. Imagine the plight of someone – with limited finances- and no support system – maybe an emergency and no one to take care of children. Think of a single mother with ruptured appendix, and no family nearby to care for the children.

It is interesting to note that after my article about Frank was published, I heard from people around the world. His life story is even more impressive than I had imagined.

For some time now, I have been working to organize a national “Celestine Project”. Is anyone out there interested in jumping on-board and helping? If so, please read the article below and contact me.

http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/11/a-death-on-valentine-street/

Progressive writers need to start finding ways to pique the consciences (perhaps a lost cause on those that have no consciences) of the truly neglectful, those responsible for America’s wasteful, killing ways, or suggest ways to bring them to justice — in a system where justice is a one-sided proposition. I’m sick of being beaten over my head by guilt-tripping writers when I’ve spent my life trying to reduce my impact and to implore those with power to change their ways. Writing such as Bills’ is discouraging and depressing to me, offering no solutions, just a finger shaking in admonition.