Well Then, Do Something

So John Edwards’ wife, Elizabeth, has had her breast cancer return. Actually, it never totally went away. Now it’s in her bones and it will never be eradicated. This all sounds very similar to my mother’s breast cancer. Indeed, they did stabilize the cancer in her bones but it wound up spreading elsewhere and eventually killed her in just a few years. So Elizabeth Edwards indeed could live many years if it’s contained. If.

Meanwhile everyone is wishing her well and offering their prayers:

“Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, also said Edwards was in her prayers”

“At the White House, press secretary Tony Snow said "our prayers are with you."”

That’s great, but how ‘bout getting off your asses (and knees) and provide the full-on assault on cancer that is so very important. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again here: The real enemy that terrorizes Americans, and citizens the world over, isn’t some religious fanatic or political extremist. No, cancer affects everyone. It kills and tears apart families on a level no suicide bomber could dream of.

Wasting vast sums of our limited wealth dicking around in Iraq, a country that posed exactly ZERO threat to anyone in this country, instead of attacking things that make a real difference in our lives is just criminal. I know blowing things up is way cool and manly, and that a large portion of the population needs an enemy to fight at all times, but our priorities are all screwed up.

Along those lines, kudos to Bill Richardson:

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a rival for the [Democratic] nomination, said he and his wife offered their prayers, and in a telephone call to The Associated Press, added: "If there is one message here, it should be that we should all redouble our efforts to lick that deadly disease."

That sounds to me like the right combination of the spiritual and practical.