To my wife’s cousin (Nancy Overgaard), my son-in-law’s uncle (Scott Butte), the preacher who calls me for no apparent reason and anyone else I may have offended, I would like to clarify a couple things about my “Radical religious zealots with rage” comment.

Radical: favoring or supporting extreme change.

Zealot: person who shows zeal.

Zeal: intense desire, devotion, enthusiasm.

Rage: to act or move with great force.

I did not mean to offend anyone, and for Mr. Marin to imply that I think Nancy and Scott are not good citizens is what’s really ridiculous! I also know Nancy Overgaard and of her many accomplishments. She is a wonderful person. It would be tough to find a more sincere caring human being than her. Yes, I am a teacher. Over the years I have taught Mr. Marin’s children. Even though I have never met Mr. Marin, I have seen some of the good work he does. With that said, I also know that these people have very strong anti-choice views. No one likes abortion just as no one likes a 2-year-old to suffer just because his parents can’t get decent health insurance. That was my point.

With or without health care reform abortion will still be legal. Without health care reform, millions will continue to suffer. I personally know people who cannot get health insurance because of (by no fault of their own) pre-existing conditions. I know people who are being forced to drop health insurance because their premiums are reaching over $1,000 month. If you make $12 per hour that’s half your gross monthly income! All the while insurance executives are raking in billions. I believe it is morally wrong for a business to profit off of another’s illness and tragedy.

For more and more Americans this system is broken! A public option is simply that, an option. If you currently like your insurance keep it, this is not for you, it is for those who have no other choice. This issue has risen to an absurd level. The fear mongering and hatred has to stop. Calling hospice-like programs “death panels” and posters of Obama as Hitler does no good.

I wish people would get involved to make some changes and work together instead of just saying no to everything. We need to get this done now before millions more Americans go deeper in debt and have to file bankruptcy just because the misfortune of getting sick!

Al Helgerson

Albert Lea