By Dr. Mel Gurtov for PeaceVoice
Were it not for the source, it would hardly be news to learn that the United States can’t take care of its most needy — that it may be the richest country, but it is also increasingly, appallingly, unequal in how its wealth and opportunities are shared. When the various dimensions of human security are examined, critics have long noted that the U.S. falls short, whether in treatment of children, poverty rates, income gaps between rich and poor or even life expectancy. All this has been amply documented in annual reports of the United Nations Development Programme.
kAmqFE ?@H 4@>6D 2? FA52E6 7C@> 2 5:DE:?8F:D965 :?E6C?2E:@?2= =682= D49@=2C H9@ :D E96 &?:E65 }2E:@?D DA64:2= C2AA@CE6FC 7@C 6IEC6>6 A@G6CEJ 2?5 9F>2? C:89ED] !9:=:A p=DE@? G:D:E65 D6G6C2= 566A A@4<6ED @7 A@G6CEJ[ 7C@> {@D p?86=6D E@ (6DE ':C8:?:2 2?5 s6EC@:E E@ !F6CE@ #:4@[ 2E E96 6?5 @7 a_`f] w:D C6A@CE W&} v6?6C2= pDD6>3=J s@4F>6?E p^w#r^bg^bb^p55]`[ @7 |2J cX :D 2 56G2DE2E:?8 :?5:4E>6?E @7 E96 8@G6C?>6?E E92E F?56CD4@C6D E96 =2C86 2?5 8C@H:?8 4@?EC25:4E:@?D 36EH66? E96 p>6C:42? sC62> 2?5 C62=:EJ] p=DE@? E@=5 %96 vF2C5:2? E92E %CF>A’D A@=:4:6D 2>@F?E E@ “2 DJDE6>2E:4 2EE24< @? p>6C:42’D H6=72C6 AC@8C2> E92E :D F?56C>:?:?8 E96 D@4:2= D276EJ ?6E 7@C E9@D6 H9@ 42?’E 4@A6 @? E96:C @H?] ~?46 J@F DE2CE C6>@G:?8 2?J D6?D6 @7 8@G6C?>6?E 4@>>:E>6?E[ J@F BF:4<=J >@G6 :?E@ 4CF6=EJ]”k^Am
kAmw2CD9 =2?8F286 E@ 36 DFC6[ 3FE ?@E 2 ?@G6= @3D6CG2E:@?] p 8@@5 562= @7 E96 4C:E:BF6 2AA=:6D E@ AC6G:@FD &]$] 25>:?:DEC2E:@?D] {6E’D C6>6>36C E92E E96 “H2C @? A@G6CEJ” 3682? :? `hecP (92E >2<6D p=DE@?’D C6A@CE DE2?5 @FE :D 9:D 4@?E6?E:@? E92E E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 92D 56=:36C2E6=J E2C86E65 E96 >@DE GF=?6C23=6 :? D@4:6EJ[ <:4<:?8 2H2J 6G6CJ =2556C @7 D@4:2= H6==36:?8 :? @C56C E@ D6CG6 %CF>A’D C:49 DFAA@CE6CD 2?5 9:D 2=E\C:89E 286?52] $@ :E’D ?@E ;FDE E92E E9:D 8@G6C?>6?E 42?’E E2<6 42C6 @7 E96 A@@Cj :E H@?’E]k^Am
kAmw6C6 2C6 2 76H :E6>D 7C@> p=DE@?’D :?5:4E>6?E E92E DEC:<6 >6 2D 36:?8 A2CE:4F=2C=J @?6C@FD — E92E :D[ 4C:>:?2= :? :?E6?E 2?5 4@?D6BF6?46D]k^Am
kAm• s632D:?8 4:G:= D@4:6EJi $FAA@CE:?8 =:>:ED @? G@E:?8 C:89ED H:E9 DA64:@FD 2C8F>6?ED 23@FE G@E6C 7C2F5 2?5 “4@G6CE 5:D6?7C2?49:D6>6?E” DF49 2D 86CCJ>2?56C:?8 2?5 G2C:@FD xs C6BF:C6>6?ED]k^Am
kAm• v:G:?8 9F86 E2I 3C62<D E@ >:==:@?2:C6D 2?5 3:8 4@CA@C2E:@?D H9:=6 23@FE c_ >:==:@? A6@A=6 =:G6 36=@H E96 A@G6CEJ =:?6 — 2>@?8 E96>[ ab]g >:==:@? 4@?D:56C65 :? 6IEC6>6 @C 23D@=FE6 A@G6CEJ] %96 C:496DE ` A6C46?E @7 p>6C:42?D ?@H 244@F?E 7@C a_ A6C46?E @7 ?2E:@?2= :?4@>6[ 5@F3=6 E96 A6C46?E286 :? `hg_] “%96 AC@A@D65 E2I C67@C> A24<286 DE2<6D @FE p>6C:42’D 3:5 E@ 364@>6 E96 >@DE F?6BF2= D@4:6EJ :? E96 H@C=5[” D2JD p=DE@? :? 2 D6A2C2E6 DE2E6>6?E]k^Am
kAm• !FEE:?8 ?6H =:>:ED @? 32D:4 2?E:\A@G6CEJ >62DFC6D DF49 2D H@C< C6BF:C6>6?ED 7@C H6=72C6[ 7@@5 DE2>AD[ DF3D:5:K65 9@FD:?8[ 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 2?5 G6E6C2?D’ 36?67:ED]k^Am
kAm• {:>:E:?8 @AA@CEF?:EJi “%96 &?:E65 $E2E6D ?@H 92D @?6 @7 E96 =@H6DE C2E6D @7 :?E6C86?6C2E:@?2= D@4:2= >@3:=:EJ @7 2?J @7 E96 C:49 4@F?EC:6D] ]]] %96 6BF2=:EJ @7 @AA@CEF?:EJ[ H9:49 :D D@ AC:K65 :? E96@CJ[ :D :? AC24E:46 2 >JE9[ 6DA64:2==J 7@C >:?@C:E:6D 2?5 H@>6?[ 3FE 2=D@ 7@C >2?J >:55=6\4=2DD H9:E6 H@C<6CD]”k^Am
kAm• !C@>@E:?8 C24:DE DE6C6@EJA6D E92E D66< E@ DE:8>2E:K6 ?@?\H9:E6D 2D 36:?8 >2:?=J A@@C[ =2KJ 2?5 F?H@CE9J @7 FA=:7E:?8]k^Am
kAm• %@=6C2E:?8 E96 9:896DE C2E6 @7 :?72?E >@CE2=:EJ[ E96 9:896DE C2E6 @7 J@FE9 A@G6CEJ 2?5 E96 9:896DE :?4@>6 :?6BF2=:EJ 2>@?8 2== C:49 4@F?EC:6D]Yk^Am
kAm• %C62E:?8 !F6CE@ #:4@ 2D 2 4@=@?J[ 2?5 :>A@D:?8 7:D42= 5:D4:A=:?6 E92E 72:=D E@ E2<6 :?E@ 244@F?E A6@A=6’D ?665 @7 D@4:2= AC@E64E:@?] W%96 >2J@C @7 $2? yF2? D2JD :E 2==i %CF>A’D E@E2= ?68=64E 92D E@ 36 42==65 W@FEX] %96 &?:E65 }2E:@?D D2JD E92E H96? A6@A=6 2C6 56?:65 E96 C:89E E@ 2446DD E@ 32D:4 9F>2? D6CG:46D — =:<6 6=64EC:4 A@H6C[ =:<6 H2E6C[ =:<6 7@@5[ =:<6 2AAC@AC:2E6 >65:42= 42C6 — E92E :E :D 2 G:@=2E:@? @7 9F>2? C:89ED]”Xk^Am
kAmtI46AE 7@C %96 vF2C5:2?[ x 5@?’E 36=:6G6 2?J >2;@C ?6HD @FE=6E 92D C6A@CE65 @? p=DE@?’D H@C<] ~?=J 2 76H =:36C2= A@=:E:4:2?D 92G6 3@E96C65 E@ 4@>>6?E] (6 6G:56?E=J 2C6 D@ DE66A65 :? E96 >JE9@=@8J @7 6I46AE:@?2=:D> E92E H6 C67FD6 E@ 36=:6G6 H6’C6 :? 564=:?6 :? E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E >62DFC6 @7 ?2E:@?2= D64FC:EJ[ ?2>6=J[ 9F>2? D64FC:EJ] (6 E9FD E2<6 4@>7@CE :? 36:?8 ?F>36C @?6 :? >:=:E2CJ DA6?5:?8 2?5 E96 ?F>36C @7 3:==:@?2:C6D H9:=6 2=D@ 36=:6G:?8 H6 42? EFC? 2H2J 7C@> 8=@32= 2772:CD E92E 27764E 6G6CJ p>6C:42?i 6?G:C@?>6?E2= AC@E64E:@?[ :>>:8C2E:@? C67@C>[ EC256 6BF:EJ[ 2?5 2596C6?46 E@ &} 9F>2?\C:89ED 4@?G6?E:@?D]k^Am
kAmWp=D@ C6=6G2?E E@ E96 2DD2F=E @? =@H\:?4@>6 A6@A=6 2?5 C24:D> :D 2 C6A@CE @7 E96 (@C=5 yFDE:46 !C@;64E[ 2 >F=E:5:D4:A=:?2CJ &]$] @C82?:K2E:@? 56G@E65 E@ 25G2?4:?8 E96 CF=6 @7 =2H] xED =2E6DE C6A@CE ,a_`f\a_`g. D9@HD E92E @? EH@ 4@>A@?6?ED @7 2 =2H7F= D@4:6EJ — 4C:>:?2= ;FDE:46 2?5 4:G:= ;FDE:46 — E96 &$ =28D H6== 369:?5 v6C>2?J 2?5 @E96C (6DE6C? tFC@A62? A66CD 2?5 C2?<D @?=J `hE9 @G6C2== @FE @7 ``b 4@F?EC:6D DFCG6J65] r:G:= ;FDE:46 :?4=F56D E96 42E68@C:6D @7 2446DD:3:=:EJ 2?5 277@C523:=:EJ[ 2?5 ?@ 5:D4C:>:?2E:@?j E96 &]$] C2?< 96C6 :D A2CE:4F=2C=J =@H] {:<6H:D6 F?56C 4C:>:?2= ;FDE:46[ E96 &]$] D4@C6D 2C6 G6CJ =@H 4@>A2C65 H:E9 tFC@A6 7@C ?@ 5:D4C:>:?2E:@? 2?5 5F6 AC@46DD @7 =2H]Xk^Am
kAm%96 p=DE@? C6A@CE’D 7:?5:?8D 2C6 2? :?5:4E>6?E @7 E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 2?5 D9@F=5 364@>6 2? 2CE:4=6 @7 :>A6249>6?E] x? E6C>D @7 6E9:4D 2?5 56>@4C24J[ %CF>A’D 24E:@?D >2J 36 >@C6 4@?D6BF6?E:2= E92? 9:D 4FCCJ:?8 72G@C H:E9 E96 #FDD:2?D — ?@E ;FDE 3642FD6 E96J 5632D6 2?5 G:@=2E6 D@ >2?J @7 @FC 4:E:K6?D[ 3FE 2=D@ 3642FD6 E96J >2<6 2 >@4<6CJ @7 EC25:E:@?2= W2?5 H@CE9JX p>6C:42? G2=F6D DF49 2D =2H7F=?6DD[ 4@>>F?:EJ[ 2?5 E@=6C2?46 — G2=F6D E92E @?46 FA@? 2 E:>6 4@>>2?565 :?E6C?2E:@?2= C6DA64E]k^Am
kAm%9:D AC6D:56?E 92D AFE 9:>D6=7 2?5 9:D 4C@?:6D 7:CDE 2?5 E96 C6DE @7 E96 4@F?ECJ =2DE] w6 92D 3692G65 :? E96 >2??6C @7 >2?J %9:C5 (@C=5 5:4E2E@CDi 6?C:49:?8 9:D :??6C 4:C4=6[ A2J:?8 @77 =@J2=:DED[ 8:G:?8 E96 >:=:E2CJ 6G6CJE9:?8 :E H2?ED[ 2EE24<:?8 E96 <6J :?DE:EFE:@?D @7 56>@4C24J 2?5 E96 CF=6 @7 =2H[ 2?5 >2C8:?2=:K:?8 E96 >2DD6D] w6 >FDE 36 4@?7C@?E65[ 2?5 9:D 2FE9@C:E2C:2?:D> >FDE 36 564:D:G6=J C6;64E65]k^Am
kAmk6>msC] |6= vFCE@G :D AC@76DD@C 6>6C:EFD @7 A@=:E:42= D4:6?46 2E !@CE=2?5 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ :? !@CE=2?5[ ~C6]k^6>mk^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.