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Dear Listmembers, Let us remind ourselves that the facts are as a leading economic and social power we have a responsibility to be a benevolent leader as well. Isolationism would have a devastating effect on the world community. If we drew in our borders and kept everyone and everything out, we would not continue to be one of the leaders of the free world. We have to remember that we are a preeminate power. We have a social and economic responsibility to listen to all those who contribute to that status. If we don’t I am afraid we would quickly loose that status. Dennis, your letter is just that. It espouses your views. With the 1st amendment rights to free speech that as far as I know are not exempt of non-US citizens. Your views are welcome as I see it. However some may feel differently, and that is fine also. At this time we as US Citizens have to come to grips with the fact that we must share our wealth in many ways with other countries. After all the alternative is to be isolationists and in turn think that we can do it all by ourselves. As long as we have open borders for visitors to come in and spend money that helps our economy remain robust, we must also welcome their thoughts as well. Sometimes I think we get a little too parochial or ethnocentric in this great country of ours. We are not the only players in the PD community. Look at all the wonderful ideas that have come from List members around the world. Let us continue to share thoughts, letters, and disagreements. Pressure from any person of any persuasion can only help as I see it. Send your letters, for the alternative is to quash ideas outside this countries own. It would be devastating in its effect on our lofty status. Either we believe in free speech for everyone or it becomes an oxymoron. Respectfully, Greg Leeman - member of the World Listserver of Toronto, Canada Dear Listmembers, > > > An Open Letter to the People of the United States of America > >Last year the Congress of the United States of America did a wonderful thing >for millions of people all around the world. It voted into law the Morris K >Udall Bill. The Udall Bill did two things: > >1. It made $100,000,000 available for research into Parkinson's Disease, > > and > >2. It touched with hope the individual lives of the millions world-wide >who suffer from this life altering, debilitating disease - hope that soon a >cure would be found - hope that soon our ordeal would be over - hope that >for our children Parkinson's would be just a word. > >Less than a year later that hope is dying. > >It is dying because Congress, having passed the Udall Bill, is reluctant >to fund the Act. It is dying, we are told, because of the system. It is >dying despite the heroic efforts of America's own people with Parkinson's >and >those who care about and for them. > >And we, the millions of people with Parkinson's who live outside the United >States, because we have no voice in your political process are condemned to >watch in silence. > >This is of course the way things are and should be. The Udall Bill is >America's business. It is a vote about spending American taxpayers' money on >American medical research. No one else has rights in the matter. > >But this is not about rights. It's much simpler than that. This is about >DOING what is right. The hope which sprung from the passing of the Udall >Act reached out across national boundaries, by-passed our governments and >touched each of us individually. Now it is dying - and those of us beyond >your borders need a way to reach back - a way to touch, in our turn, the men >and women who have touched us and gained such power over our lives. We need >to tell them what they are doing to us. > > And we need your help to do it. > >We need the citizens of the United States of America to act for us and give >their >support to the American Parkinson's community by: > >- checking how your representatives voted on the Udall Act. > >- pressure those that voted for it to do whatever they have to do to get >it funded, > >- remind Congress that the passage of the Udall Act raised the > hopes of a particularly vulnerable sector of society right around > the world and that it would be cruel to fail us, > > and > >- co-ordinating your efforts with your local Parkinson's organisations. > > >My grateful thanks, > >Dennis Greene >(a 48 year old, 11 year veteran of Parkinson's Disease) >Perth, Western Australia >