Fund AIDS, TB fight

Doug Clark’s new year story helps us empathize with others and see a different perspective about our recent election (“A new year, a new knee, and I’m ready to go,” Jan. 9.).

My favorite part is at the end when he receives well wishes from a person from the other side of the political spectrum. We are, after all, all humans. We can sympathize with each other and work together.

Even in Congress, Cathy McMorris Rodgers joined the rest of the Washington state delegation to sign a letter requesting America continue its robust pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and malaria. This pledge inspired other donors to triple America’s pledge, which will save 8 million lives, avert 300 million new infections and strengthen the health care systems of over 100 countries. These stronger health care systems, in turn, can help stop diseases like Ebola before they spread to our shores.

Of course, Congress has to fund this pledge each of the next three years. That is where we come in: Writing or calling Rep. McMorris Rodgers and our senators, reminding them to fund this life-saving pledge.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish