On a flight home from Guatemala, I sat next to an American preacher who was returning home from bringing his church members to help build a hospital in a poor rural community. I was truly humbled by this man's devotion to the poor.

Then he asked me about the health care system in Canada. Things took a twist, since I thought he was going to praise it, but instead he started arguing that Obama was not doing the right thing. He then asked whether I agreed with universal health care coverage such as is found in Canada.

I kind of stated in disbelief, as I couldn't believe the apparent hypocrisy of his statements...and I asked him bluntly if he, after coming from Guatemala to help build a hospital for the poor, was truly asking me if I believed universal health care was a good thing?

He countered by listing off a number of "bad things" he had heard about the Canadian system - long hospital waits, lack of family doctors, etc.

As calmly as I could under my cloak of absolute astonished frustration, I explained that for me, there was no argument to be had. To me, health care was a basic necessity and right of being a human being. Suffering is the worst thing imaginable as a human being, so stopping suffering when possible was simply...obvious.

I explained that as a Canadian, I had broken bones, needed surgery, and had yearly visits to the doctor with no issues, and without paying anything. I explained that although I have needed to wait for surgeries, and had gone a year without a family doctor when I moved, I had never once died waiting for surgery, and if I truly needed to see a doctor that very day, I could go to any day clinic and see one.

I then explained, that to me, his question was almost ridiculous, and that I was astonished that he was even questioning universal healthcare, pointing out the nature of his trip. I asked him if, those poor he had helped build a hospital for, did he think they should pay for healthcare?

He kind of laughed that off, and said "No, of course not...they are poor and can't afford it"

So I asked "What about the poor in your own country who cannot afford it?"

I swear, the glazed look in his eye shocked me as he refused to even compare both, or to internalize what I was saying. That by disagreeing with his notion of what was "correct", he had refused to input that information and reassess his position. As if I had trounced on his fucking freedom or something.

There is some sort of complete brainwash that has happened at some point along the way in America, where they have completely convinced themselves that they are #1 at everything, no matter what, and if they are not, they instead rationalize it in some twisted way.

In my eyes, I cannot fathom having to make financial decisions when it comes to health care, especially basic treatments that prevent long term disabilities or chronic conditions. It simply doesn't compute for me.

Everyone gets sick, anyone can have an accident, and no one enjoys pain - that's just part of the human condition for everyone on this planet. We are lucky to live in a world where technology has improved to the point where everyone has the capability to receive proper medical treatment - I don't even understand why there is a debate against it.

I realized then, that it wasn't about healthcare in the U.S., it was about ideology. It was about subjective bias and it was about being "right". Rationality had nothing to do with it.

I'll never forget that conversation, it truly blew me away.

Wake up America, cause for those who do live with universal health care, you guys look like you are still living in the stone age. What OP said is dead on.