Our Heros

As we enter day 15 of an illegal lockout of L+M nurse and techs by their own management, something interesting is happening.
You've heard the phrase "angels" used in the past for health care workers.

The truth is, these people are angels.
They have made a decesion to devote their lives to the care of others.
The community has always looked upon them in this light.

The lockout continues and the hospital displays it antics and spreads it's lies, day after day after day. 
The nurses and techs continue to stand outside, waiting to return to their hospital, their patients. 
The temperatures drop lower every night, the rain and snow falls.
These "angles" are beginning to be seen in a new light, as
Folk Heros.

At first it was the more "manly" members of organised labor, the painters, carpenters, and other building trades, the Teamsters, the Medal trade workers of EB, and such.
They looked upon these "angels", LOCKED out in the cold, fighting for their patients against cooperated and personal greed, and they said,
"Not on my watch"

They carry signs, they march, they cook wonderful lunches, they buy toys and turkeys, they donate cash, all to show their concern for these "angles", these folk heros.

Then the community came, horns honking in support, dropping off coffee, donuts, food, toys for the children, and cash.  The march and carry signs too.
They open up the Elks club to provide a meal for all and their families, feed their stomachs, but more, saying thank you.
Thank you for standing up against what is wrong, thank you for standing up for me.

I expected the working class community to join in, and they have in droves, but perhaps more moving to me is the doctors on their way home from the office and hospital and business people in suits.
They too need "heros", people standing up because it is the right thing to do.

The nurses and techs never sought this, they simply want to care for their patients.
But heros never seek to be heros.
They a regular people who see harm done to someone or something they care deeply about and they cannot ignor it any more.

They somehow muster up the courage, put aside personnal security, and take a stand.

I want to close with one example of how these heros are inspiring others.
We have at my hospital (Backus) about 23 people who missed the signup deadline and may have to go without health insurance for an entire year. 
We are working on a solution, but the outcome is uncertain.

Yesterday one of the effected nurses sent me this email, in the mist of her troubles, she was thinking of others. 

Hi John, can you sent me the site where donation can be made for those who where locked out?. thanks 

Heros inspire us.
If, like my nurse,  you'd like to help, you can donate at
https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4013/c/1816/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7501