nd thi fr m
grader' point of vi
Aaron' I
included in
let.t r nd pictur
about h alth care th t
a group of children and
their familie pr
ented to First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clin
ton at the White ou e
in May. Lik Aaron',
all of the children' let
ters told of the health
care crisis and worri
th y and their f mili
and friends have expe
rienced. You n't read
these letters withou
understanding how
terribly vuln rable our
children f el, how
deeply childr n have
absorbed their parents worrie about their inability to pay for
the health car their children and other family members n ed.
CO GRE I CO RI G putting children first in
health care by providinguniv rsal coverage 0 that every child
will be insured. This is a beginning, but every American must
be guaranteed-insurance coverage' that can't be taken away.
And pre-eminent among th needing univ al coverage ar
children and pregnant wom n, be use the early y a of a
child's life are the mo t important for future development and
health. What's more, early preventive care for children .
relatively cheap to provide and av money by aver ing th
need for emergency and acute care later on.
Our community must demand that our lawm k mak
sure all children have access to affordable healt.h care that
can' �,t 'Ye'�'�«R1 GIfiIII.-i�t'JIIIl
is COI_1I'e
When you finish reading this column, call your na orsand
representative. Tell them children cannot wait years for h '
checkups and the immunizations and the asthma medicin
and the antibiotics for ear infections and all the other tr t
ments they need to grow up healthy and strong,
Immediate, guaranteed health care for all Americans, with
comprehensive benefi for children and pregnant wom n h
to be the bottom line in h alth car reform,
To reach your r pr ntativ in Congr , call th Capi 01
Hill switchbo rd at 202- 224-3121, or look in your phon bo k
for their local office number,
�
Marian Wrl�ht Edelmun l the pre: ulent of the Children': Defen, #' Fund,
a lrodtnl< VOle for children, and a lead r (If the Black commun u; Crusade lor
Children. mccc) iohose mission. t. to lecu p no child behuul For tul dttum al
lnformation on how you can joui the crui cute, roll /- OO-A 'K-HCCC
READERS WRITE
- By Bernice Powell -Jackson
n 0 cupy mg nut
- - --�--- ---.- -,.,,_ -
OVE E and 8 h If
day period (Thursday, Novem
b r 17- unday, ovember 20),
th S R will includ a v riety
of ion d ign to achieve
tl raIl objecti of the con
. The conferen will be
gin n the 17th with an
rganiz Institut to provide
more in-d pth training for per
sons int r ted in learning the
theory and practice of commu
nity organizing using commu
nity economic development,
Black United Funds, the devel
opment of local African Ameri
can Leadership Summits and
the creation of community
based institutions 8S practical
examples.
On th t vening there will be
a National Town Hall ting
.add . in th topic: I Tn re A
Crisi of Black Leader hip?
u h notable leade a Dr. La-
'."
Fran
JESSE JACKSON
Ro ,Dr. Ro-
a
R II lJ E.410-3· 3-9555.