I may not be healthy; but, I'm educated and intelligent, and try to be kind in all things. I've lived in red states with those kinds of statistics all my life. I'm personally fighting battles for healthcare all the time. My husband, our son, and I have suffered because of income inequality and food insecurity. I've lived the immigration battle with my Iranian immigrant husband and our Iranian-American son for 33 years. We are red state Americans.

Statistics in themselves disrespects no one's humanity. Statistics are bare facts. The disrespect is politicians callously diminishing our humanity with their inhumane policies. The focus must be on the causes for those statistics — rather than offense that the statistics exist.

Yes, we deserve respect. We deserve the respect not to have our lives cut short for the sake of corporate profits.

Thanks, Claire