Two DuPage groups tackling health care reform

Two DuPage County organizations devoted to peace are now tackling the contentious issue of health care reform.

The West Suburban Faith-based PEACE Coalition and DuPage Against War Now are sponsoring a town hall-style meeting Monday to help educate residents about the different health care proposals in front of Congress. The event is scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. at Lombard Mennonite Church, 528 E. Madison St., Lombard.

"This is a nonpartisan event," said Kathy Slovick, co-founder of DAWN. "We are only looking for the truth. We are not looking to push one agenda or another at all."

Until now, DAWN has been exclusively involved with the anti-war movement. Slovick said the group is starting to address "selective issues that we feel are important to the people in the community."

She said Monday's session is needed because there haven't been enough public discussions about health care in the West suburbs.

U.S. Reps. Mark Kirk and Judy Biggert criticized President Barack Obama's health care reform plan during an Aug. 12 meeting sponsored by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. But attendance at that event was limited to those who registered.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam - another critic of Obama's proposal - held a recent telephone-based town hall meeting heard by residents from more than 12,000 households. Another teleconference is planned for Sept. 9.

Siobhan Kolar of the West Suburban Faith-based PEACE Coalition said a meeting on the phone isn't as good as a live event.

"A conference call is not a substitute for democracy," Kolar said. "Democracy is about showing up. It's not about conference calls - no matter how many people are on it."

Kolar invited Roskam and Biggert to sit on the panel but both declined, citing previous commitments.

"The congressman has a prior commitment, but we do appreciate the invitation," said Daniel Conston, a Roskam spokesman.

In the meantime, Conston said Roskam has been "reaching out to constituents on health care through a variety of avenues."

In addition to the telephone town halls, the Wheaton Republican has been speaking to groups, meeting privately with residents and hosting so-called "Congress on Your Corner" events at grocery stores and train stations.

As for Monday's meeting, the confirmed list of speakers includes John Gaudette, state health care director for Citizen Action/Illinois; Laura Leon, faith director for Campaign for Better Healthcare; and Dr. Anne Scheetz of the Illinois Single Payer Coalition.

Each panel member is expected to give a short presentation. A question-and-answer period with the audience will follow.

So far, about 100 people have expressed an interest in attending. The meeting will be open to everyone.

"We definitely want whoever wants to come to attend," Kolar said. "There's no point in having a staged event. That's just silly."

No question or comment will be considered off limits, organizers said.

"We are freedom of speech advocates," Slovick said, "so there is nothing we can do to prevent people from expressing their views. Now if people are just coming to shout and wave signs, that's going to make it difficult for us to be able to discuss things and ask questions and to get information."

Organizers are prepared for possibility of hecklers but are hopeful the evening will go smoothly.

"If people come, we expect them to be civil and we'll ask them to be civil," Kolar said. "We respect everybody's opinion - no matter what their opinion is."