I was watching the news this morning when I saw a video of an emotional Louisiana Congressman Charlie Melancon pause to compose himself in front of a Senate Subcommittee Hearing regarding the causes of the oil spill that is threatening the Gulf of Mexico.
I don’t think it important to list whether he is a Republican or Democrat. He is a human, an American and a passionate advocate for the Louisiana wetlands and the people who ply their trades along its shores.
Something within me resonated with his distress.
Although he was coming down hard on those he believed were both responsible for the cause and those who were neglecting the effect of this ecological tragedy, his emotional sensitivity to what will be a disastrous aftermath, on a human level, was what rang clear.
There could be no denying that this man’s commitment and responsibility to his constituents and the land that they live on went beyond partisan politics. Everyone shared responsibility.
The lack of political-speak, the bipartisan blame that is so well-deserved, and his words — "Our culture is threatened, our coastal economy is threatened, and everything that I know and love is at risk" — are words that everyone can take some ownership of.
A parallel can be drawn between Melancon’s emotional words and the issue we’re fighting for: the longevity of the Motion Picture Home’s Long-Term Care and Acute Care units. We are fighting for the existence of a resource that, once gone, will not return. We are fighting against a corporate machine that has seemingly lost its way. Our tears are shed for those distressed elderly residents who have lost the comfort that only security brings them in their final years.
Those tears are also shared by those who care for them.
This week, in meeting with a representative of the County of Los Angeles’ Health Facilities Inspection Division to further my own complaints regarding specific issues my mother is facing at the hands of the MPTF, I was careful to point out those who have made a difference in her care. I singled out two women in particular who tend to my mother, clean her, apply her make-up, feed her and love her. I also identified the head of Social Services, a man for whom I have a tremendous amount of respect, who interceded in an issue that threatened my mother. His assurances to my mother and me was a verbal welcome mat in front of a cocoon that identified the MPTF as having a soul. As many problems as we may face in battling the forces that want to close the LTC, I will never forget the feeling that my mom was safe, that she was OK in their hands.
Since then I’ve never feared for my mother’s care. Regardless of the situation, I know that the people who are closest to her prioritize her needs above the rancor of her loudmouth son.
Melancon’s words reminded me that this should not be an "us against them" fight. All of us — MPTF board members, family members, SAG, Teamsters, DGA, IATSE, AFTRA — we should all be united to save this resource, for the simple reason that we all have too much to lose should the resource be taken away.
The issue is not about who is in charge — it is about who will take responsibility. The responsibility is everyone’s.
We need transparency. We need truth. The LTC is as important to Motion Picture and Television healthcare as the Louisiana wetlands are important to the biosphere.
For every predator in nature, there are forces that create a balance. We are here to create that balance and to make sure that the oil does not spill on our residents. When it does, we clean it up with as much compassion and care as does PETA in de-tarring the feathers of the birds we see suffering on TV every night. If we saw oil-soaked seniors instead of birds, would our revulsion be the same?
We are all locked together in a circular argument that goes against the nature of care. We need to put a moratorium on any efforts to close the facility. We need to eradicate the word "closure" from our vocabulary. We need to come together in a spirit of supporting a community that nurtures its own, no matter what their condition and what their age. We need to recognize that aging at home is great if you have the resources to support it, and if you don’t there is a place for you, among your peers, to convalesce, thrive and die.
As a good friend says regarding this issue: "It ain’t about politics, baby, it’s about humanity."
