A Little Obsession

I recognize I'm a little obsessed about the Suleman Octuplets. I'm as astonished as most people are about the situation, but I do realize I should let it go. The news just keeps dishing it up and I keep looking at it, somewhat like I keep playing Bejeweled on my cell phone long after it's become boring.

I read the comments after an article on USA today (distracted from my daily crossword) and find it interested. One comment in particular interested me. Nadya represents all that is wrong in America, he wrote. She wants more than she can afford, doesn't know her limitations, acts selfishly, and fails to understand the limits of government intervention. She may have made a mistake, but it's a mistake we, in our own ways, can relate to.

People are projecting. For every selfish act they've ever done, they're pushing that off on someone else. Yes, she made a mistake, but she's also the scape goat for all of the problems we see in society.

Other conservative commenters claimed it's all the Liberals faults with their lax view on government spending. Uh. No. What's that all about?

I think people are afraid. They're afraid our government isn't capable of limiting aide to those who deliberately place themselves in poor financial situations. They're afraid that a medical community lacks the oversite to prevent something like this happening, yet are also scared to limit the reproductive rights of women in any way. They're ashamed of an American who, by action and interview, has displayed the selfishness we see in so many ways in society today.

We want an apology. We want to see remose that things have gone wrong. Everyone is waiting for things to be made right.

If only we could focus on the selflessness of so many others. Can we still see how volunteers, parents, and community members act in an honorable way every day?

What should happen to these children? Should they go home with mom to a house they can't afford, be placed on medicaid health insurance, go to a university child care service while mom goes to school? Should they be taken away and placed in foster care? Either way the government pays something. Everyone's got an opinion. Regarless, whatever happens the states won't get closure on this. Not until they start looking for the positive. Maybe then they'll be able to see the positive in themselves. And I'm counting myself in this too.