HEARTS OF THE CITY / Where dilemmas are aired and unsung heroes and resiliency are celebrated

A rotating panel of experts from the worlds of philosophy, psychology and religion offer their perspective on the dilemmas that come with living in Southern California.

Today’s question: “Government at all levels is confronted with hard choices in balancing budgets. What ethical or moral principle should guide decisions on medical care for the poor?”

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Father Thomas Rausch

Chairman of the department of theology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles

“In an era of shrinking budgets, the poor and the powerless are the first to suffer. At such times, we need to remember the principles of our religious heritages. The Hebrew Bible stresses repeatedly our need to remember ‘the widow, the orphan, the stranger in the land.’ Jesus taught that the poor were beloved of God, and that we would be judged on the basis of whether we had fed the hungry, clothed the naked, welcomed the stranger and cared for the sick. The American Catholic bishops in their pastoral letter on the economy taught that the quality of our life as a society is measured by how the poor and the vulnerable are treated.”

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Dr. Hassan Hathout

Physician and author of books on biomedical and social ethics from an Islamic viewpoint

“Treatment from illness is a basic human right. We owe it even to the soldiers of an enemy army if they fall captives in our hand. Those who cannot pay the price should not be denied. In a cohesive society the price of treatment should not be equal for all: The rich contribute more to the health system and each in proportion to their means, the have-nots being the pay-nots. The problem of illegal immigrants may be tackled at all possible levels but not at medical treatment. The complex ‘medical industry’ should not be motivated solely by market profit, for it inherently espouses a humane dimension that better not be sacrificed. Preventive aspects should be stressed, including life-style issues.”

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Robert Edgar

President of Claremont Colleges, a United Methodist minister and a former congressman

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“Hubert Humphrey was right! ‘The moral test of government is what we do to those in the dawn of life, our children; in the twilight of life, the elderly; and in the shadows of life, the poor the sick and disabled.’ I am convinced that our failure to find a way to include the poor, the sick and the physically challenged in our plans for health services will cost us more not less in the 21st Century. Less universal health care means more illness, more early death, more crime and more violence. If we want to make the problem worse, we should continue our current plans to reduce and eliminate services for those who most need preventive care.”

Compiled by LARRY STAMMER / Times Religion writer