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Healthcare takes priority
US President Barack Obama’s visit to Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country, has been delayed by three days because of his unfinished task on healthcare reform in the US Congress. The original plan, scheduled from March 18 to 24, included Obama’s wife and daughters, but the new one from March 21 to 26 will be without his family members.
The trip will be the US president’s second to Indonesia since he took office in January 2009. The cancellation of the original schedule, which was planned to coincide with his elder daughter’s spring break from school, is an indication of how significant the healthcare legislation is to Obama’s presidency.
The passage of the healthcare bill and its signing into law will be a defining moment for the first African-American president. It will be a major accomplishment both for the president and the Democratic-led Congress. In fact, it will be an historic moment for the whole of United States.
Though the president has shown commitment to diplomacy in international affairs, they have often been overweighed by domestic priorities such as healthcare and fixing of the ailing economy, with the continued high unemployment rate.
Nehginpao Kipgen via e-mail
Advice for good Samaritans
A heroic but tragic incident took place on March 9. Fei Ya, a journalist with China Central Television, and Zeng Qingxiang, a businessman, tried to help passengers out of a car that had overturned on an expressway. Unfortunately, another car hit them from behind and killed both of them. Netizens praised their heroism and expressed grief on their deaths.
Though their altruistic spirit is commendable, their actions are not recommended because it put their lives at risk. Had they been more cautious and set an alarm sign on the road before helping the passengers, they might not have been killed. Their deaths are tragic, especially because society badly needs such Good Samaritans. It’s their families, however, who will suffer the loss.
Of late, quite a few Good Samaritans have paid the ultimate price to save others. Such persons should keep their safety in mind, too, while helping others, because they can serve society better if they are alive.
Qing Shan Liu Yun via e-mail
