Even though America is too large to ignore the rest of the world, some people need to stop taking this world superpower title so seriously.
Many Americans who share this thought focus their criticism toward spreading democracy in countries like Iraq. And while I appreciate these concerns, there’s usually something missing from the argument.
In some cases, these same citizens will bring up how many soldiers have died in a war, hoping that politicians will pull the military out. These Americans shed tears, write speeches and protest for the soldiers, yet they constantly ignore the poverty and smell of death in this very country.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, in 2004 about 38 million Americans were food insecure, meaning that they lack the money and resources to get enough food. Of course, other countries have more depressing statistics, but this is unacceptable. Plus, I haven’t even mentioned the ridiculous lack of health care in the United States.
America takes pride in phrases like “the right to live.” How can one truly live if he has inadequate means to acquire food, shelter and health care?
Some conservatives-and might I add, “liberals” who don’t fit the meaning of the word-will often respond with “The impoverished should work harder and find better jobs to support themselves.”
I won’t deny some people have gotten lucky and made a living by taking this suggestion, but to imply that it’s a foolproof plan for success is illogical and unreasonable.
One of the main reasons people can’t get the jobs they need is the overemphasis of networking in this country. Most academic advisers will tell you to make connections early to get a job. Nevermind the actual skills you possess. Just know people, and everything will probably be alright. Unfortunately, the previous advice is only slightly exaggerated.
In a column called “Effective aid needs military efficiency,” Ball State University student Jason Hadson said: “Imagine, though, if we could harness the military might and channel it into humanitarian aid. The billions of dollars spent on the war in Iraq would revive a country begging for assistance and create a global partner of the United States.”
Hadson adds in the final paragraph, “It’s unfortunate that history has provided us for a framework of creating efficient armies, but not the framework for creating efficient large-scale humanistic organizations.”
This article was written with noble intentions, and Hadson is right to suggest that aid to suffering countries requires military efficiency. However, this column also represents the prevalent image of America strutting its mutant healing powers for foreign nations, instead of removing the stick from the eye of impoverished Americans.
Is it wrong to help other countries? Of course not. Can America become an isolated country? No, that would be impossible.
But America can treat its own people with more decency. Stop wasting our tax dollars on needless war projects, quit acting like capitalism is always efficient and cease any thoughts of significantly helping other countries until our people can live and improve society.
Who knows. Maybe Hadson would agree with me.