Russ Webster: President Bush on the animal farm

Originally published in the University Wire February 10, 2005 

Copyright 2005 Daily News via U-Wire


By Russ Webster, Daily News; SOURCE: Ball State U.


"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves, and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it." -- Abraham Lincoln ---

In exploiting President Lincoln's words, Bush promised the unachieved and unchallenged in his inauguration speech last month: fostering a nation that is "prosperous and just and equal ... ennobled by service and mercy and a heart for the weak .. [we] must always remember that even the unwanted have worth."

When is Mr. Bush going to start constructing this unparalleled nation? Until now, Mr. Bush has ignored glaring inequities among Americans.

According to the US Census, 12 percent (36.4 million) of Americans live below poverty level, 15 percent (43.6 million) subsist without health care (including 8.4 million children) and 71 percent of college students graduate with an average of $17,000 in debt.

Moreover, the standard of living in the United States declined from 2000-2003: The poverty rate increased, middle-class family income lost an average of $1,300 and more people lost their health insurance (the largest number ever on record) and their jobs (worst performance in 70 years with a net loss of 1 million jobs). Accordingly, the United States -- the richest industrialized nation -- ranked a mere 8th on the 2004 United Nations Human Development Index (a global standard of living index based on several demographic indicators). Our rank has noticeably decreased from 3rd in 2000, to 6th in 2001 and 2002, to 7th in 2003.

Moreover, racial divides are conspicuous. The poverty level for non-Hispanics (i.e., Caucasians) is 8.2 percent, but it is appreciably larger among Asians (11.8 percent), Hispanics (22.5 percent), Native Americans (23.2) and blacks (24.4 percent). The uninsured level for non-Hispanics is 11.1 percent, while (predictably) larger among Asians (18.7 percent), blacks (19.5 percent), Native Americans (27.5 percent) and Hispanics (a whopping 32.7 percent). I won't ever try to elucidate the racial inequalities in education.

Enduring for centuries, gender inequality cannot be overlooked either. Most obvious is the disparity in salary: American women earn around 77 percent of what men earn. Denial of reproductive rights and differentials in aging and beauty ideals, household duties, relationship roles and sports further evince gender inequality.

By law and practice, over 14 million gay and lesbian Americans (including 3.1 million in committed relationships and some 595,000 households) are denied a range of sociopolitical rights. Yet, no politician or pundit presents a rational argument to support the unremitting assault on these Americans. Imperatively, all Hoosiers must contest SJR-0007, the state constitutional amendment recently proposed to ban same-sex marriage; bigotry cannot further infect Indiana.

Sadly, millions of youth -- whether destitute, gay, Hispanic or female -- must grow up enduring such prejudices, brooking slurs and glares from early on. How sorely it feels to have bureaucrats intimate that your life and well-being are worth less than the majority's.

Mr. Bush states that "every man and woman on this earth has rights and dignity and matchless value," yet he unashamedly disregards those marginalized in society, those who don't help fulfill his jingoistic visions or accrual of affluence. (I hope $40 million was sufficient for his inauguration revelry.)

Although it's an ethical and moral obligation, Mr. Bush neither has nor will confront the egregious socioeconomic disparities at home. Rather, Mr. Bush abides by that Orwellian axiom, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."