Why Is John Q Important To Me

What is more important for me? The movie “John Q” made me think what should come first. Money, this subject is always with me. In the movie, the capitalism created one victim whose name was John Q. He was an ordinary father who worked at a factory and took care of his family. However, He took the emergency room hostage to save his son’s life. I think John Q’s actions of hijacking the emergency room are justified because the hostage situation was his only hope in his circumstance. He did not have enough money and time for the surgery, and he was not qualified for other financial aids.
Despite the financial hardship, John Q’s family was a loving and happy family. Tragedy struck the family unexpectedly when Michael collapsed during a baseball game, and he needed a heart transplant. The cost of the transplant was a quarter of a million dollars, and John was informed that his insurance cannot cover the procedure. John told Dr. Turner, “Can’t you perform my son’s operation on credit? I will pay it off… you have my word as a man.” However, it did not work. No money, no life
for Michael.
Unwilling to let their only child die, John and his wife, Denise set about contacting various relief and assistance agencies in an effort to raise the money and save their son.
In spite of applying for financial aid and children welfare, selling their possessions, accepting charity from their church, overtime works, and family tries to raise the money, the money was still short, and the hospital decided to release Michael. John was only working part time, and he no longer had full health benefit. Besides, he was not qualified for children welfare and Medicaid because he is employed. Desperate to keep his son in the hospital, John took matters into his own hands and took the emergency room and several people hostage. John had a very simple request, all his want was to have his sons name placed on the recipient list as soon as possible. If John did not something for Michael, Michael must have been
dead.
Another urgent factor in his hijacking was the time. If Michael did not get a new heart soon, he would die. In the case of emergency, the health insurance world slammed its door on John. John found out what a tight spot he was in. What could he do in the circumstance? At the end of the movie, John was acquitted of charges of attempted murder and armed criminal action, but he was found guilty of kidnapping. I think he has to be acquitted of charge of kidnapping too because he saved Michael’s life. After the surgery, Michael said “Thank you.” to John Q. That was my favorite part in the movie. What is most important and valuable thing in the world? That is the life.
From the movie, “John Q”, I saw that the root cause of illness in the US health system does not require complex diagnosis. In the United States, unlike many other countries, health has been treated as a commodity rather than a human right. The most basic health care need in the United States is a paradigm change, from commodity to human right. A guarantee of life is the most basic of human right. I believe that John Q’s actions of hijacking the emergency room were actions of defending human right.