Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber
brave men living on the island and in Washington state as our neighbors and friends. What a great example for our youth and for us adults. We certainly need more examples of this kind reported, especially in today’s news reports of horrible and sickening events. Thanks to you and way to go, Tuxedni. — Phyllis Smith
Schools foundation
We all have a stake in helping the next generation get off to a good start I encourage all islanders to go online today and make a pledge or donation to Vashon’s public schools through the Vashon Island Public Schools Foundation (vashonschoolsfoundation.com). Our local schools need your financial support now, as they rely on these donations to balance their budget, now that state and local tax funding has so dramatically decreased. With your help, they can continue to provide the high quality of education that we all have come to expect. When I ask my friends what makes island living special, they say it’s because we take care of each other here. I wholeheartedly agree and would add that it’s also because we have a vibrant, diverse community that celebrates children and learning. Even if you don’t have school-age children or your kids have already finished school or your kids attend other schools, you can still help. We all have a stake in helping the next generation get the best start possible. Thanks for donating. — Priscilla Atwood
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Vashon health services should align with our values The prospect of a Vashon Health Center controlled by Franciscan Health System calls to mind the significance of the Reformation and the Enlightenment in freeing individuals from religious tyranny. The Reformation claimed the right of people to read and interpret scripture for themselves; the Enlightenment established our freedom to reject religious authority and to base our conduct on our own moral reasoning, rather than the dictates of a central authority. The Constitution and government of the United States are founded on these ideas: that individuals can choose their own religious paths while respecting the freedom of others to do that same and participate in democratic society with people of many faiths and values. Today the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERDs) offer a set of moral prescriptions from a central authority, which health care providers in the Franciscan Health System must obey. A system in which our only accessible health center is controlled by the Roman Catholic Church creates a situation where all of us — regardless of our personal beliefs — are compelled to abide by its teachings and attitudes.
HEALTH CARE By MARGOT BOYER
The requirement to obey a single religious authority in the conduct of our personal lives is reminiscent of authoritarian regimes where self-determination holds little value. Such hierarchies fit poorly with a diverse and democratic society such as ours. Religious control over health care systems can produce tragic outcomes for individuals. I suspect that the unwillingness of female physicians to apply for jobs at the Vashon Health Center today reflects the likelihood that under the ERDs they will not be able to offer appropriate care to their patients, especially reproductive health and end-of-life care. Our constitution is founded on the idea that each of us determines her own faith and code of personal conduct, as long as we don’t interfere with the liberty of others. Requiring health care providers and patients in our community to adhere to
the dictates of the ERDs defies the Constitution and overturns the freedoms claimed by the Reformation and the Enlightenment several centuries ago. Why would anyone want a health care system run by an authoritarian church — unless he or she was a member of that church and adhered to its principles? Who wants someone else’s “infallible� authority to control
Our constitution is founded on the idea that each of us determines her own faith and code of personal conduct, as long as we don’t interfere with the liberty of others. our most personal choices? We need a real alternative to the health care offered by Franciscan Health Services — health care controlled by our community, in alignment with our values, where the dignity and conscience of each person is respected. I hope we can put our heads together and create one. — Margot Boyer writes, teaches and works in a family-owned small business.
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