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.