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."