Rowdy Health Care Reform Rally in Fresno | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Fresno, CA And chanting ...

"Yes we can, yes we can, yes we can."

The group called Health Care for America Now organized the rally, to show support for changing the health care system and providing insurance coverage for all.

Organizer Carol Been is a Lutheran Minister. She said, "Our main goal is to have affordable, accessible quality health care, and I think we all agree on that we sometimes disagree on how to get there.

A much smaller group of conservative activists, who did disagree, and with a bullhorn , gathered about 50 feet away.

Ron Bergquam shouted at the reform group, "What reform are you talking about. You're talking about reforming the best health care system in the world?"

Bergquam, a local Young Republican is among those who like things the way they are. Denise Hemmen was among those who argued with reform supporters. She said, "I don't want to live under Obama's care. He's not my Mother, he's not my Daddy, my father is God almighty. I'm free, and I'm going to stay that way. Live or die. I'm going to stay that way."

Galatea Delapp tried to reason with Hemmen, and explained, "Many people think they have decent health insurance right now, but you don't know until you actually get sick. You need to reform it. We're not talking giving insurance to people for free we're talking about distributing the resources to those who are paying into the system."

Hemmen responded: "It sounds like socialism I don't have to distribute my resources to anybody."

Many in the crowd opposed to health care reform feared it would raise taxes and provide health care to illegal aliens.

Dr. David Roberts, an emergency room physician supports reform and tried to talk to several of those opposed. He was called a communist by one man. Roberts said, "It makes me think I'm up against extremely strong opposition. It makes me think you can't do a non partisan approach easily, okay. There are some people that no matter what you say will never be convinced."