The United States of America ranks behind other nations in “standards of living” in many areas, notably in educational levels and life expectancy. Most of us believe that we’re living in the best country in the world, so why do we rate so low? We see the higher ranking nations as based on similar democratic ideals, such as fair and honest elections of government representatives and ethical judicial systems, but the most blatant difference is their implementation of Socialistic tenets such as free healthcare, even for visitors, and a guaranteed minimum income, even for residents seeking citizenship.
But Socialism is a scary word for most Americans, and fear-mongers made it so, pointing out the failures and injustices of some former regimes, neglecting to admit that those governments failed only because of greedy Autocrats who wanted more for themselves and their compatriots than they were willing to share with the average citizen, ignoring the poorest in the streets. Dictators imposed unjust laws based upon personal opinion or perceived immorality of old religious norms, and made criminals of political opponents.
Cuba is one of several countries who were unsuccessful Communist nations, but even the first century Christians eventually found out that Communism didn’t work (Acts 4:32-37) for it’s not realistic to Human Nature. But Socialistic practices have enabled fully democratic governments to thrive, because while Democracy is “by the people,” Socialism is “for the people,” and combined, it’s more equitable for everyone, even for the ones who can make a fortune in a free enterprise system. It’s the extremes of Capitalism that have taken an Evil turn, promoting greedy, corrupt activities within all economic levels of society.
I’ve heard it all my life — I don’t want my hard-earned tax dollars going to pay for Welfare income and Food Stamps, especially considering that the male hiding inside the apartment uses the money to “party” and home-bound mothers collect benefits exponentially as they reproduce prolifically. It’s a lie we’ve told ourselves, that people don’t want to feel productive in their lives, that they don’t want to work for their dreams, but why has this become a reality? It’s because people lose hope for happiness when there may be a paycheck to help them survive but real help isn’t available to let them thrive — healthcare including for mental health, education and employment opportunities — and when people feel “less” worthy than others, they often simply give up, some striking out at those they believe responsible for their plight. Desperation crosses all “color lines,” categorizing us under labels society creates for us.
There’s that word again — society — part of the word “social” and from which the term Socialism is derived. America was envisioned by European White males whose colonist mentality carries on to this day in false pride that our language and our forms of educating our children are the only ways that everyone should live. That our forefathers freely imprisoned and tortured Blacks in slavery and beyond is commensurate with the horrors inflicted upon our aboriginal Native Americans, stealing their lands instead of moving among them as the brothers and sisters Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) asks us to be, with numerous American leaders contributing to genocide of tribal lineages.
Such injustice is being slowly rectified in Federal laws our Legislature enacted in the last 200+ years, and is increasingly evident in an ethical Judicial Branch and a compassionate current Administration. Our Constitution gives us freedom to express ourselves in various media sources and ensures that males and females have equitable rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” The built-in balance between the three Branches of our Government oversees the justice agreed upon in operations of each of our sovereign states, uniting us under G-D, by whatever NAME Americans give to our Universal LIFE Creator.
No one wants to feel useless, but the past pandemic caused some people to feel less about themselves, while many who concentrated on offering themselves in service to others were blessed with success. We’re unique individuals who have both obvious and hidden talents, and when we’re doing things that make us feel good about ourselves, others are also blessed. Yet we’re Human, some of us leaders and some followers, but if we look closely, we find that all of us are leaders in something, and want to find success and joy in our lives. As children we desired a particular path in life, but it may change as we experience failures, inabilities to succeed in getting what we want, but getting what we need to be happy, healthy individuals. (Thanks for reminding us, Mick.) Faith is the key.
As we challenge ourselves in the “here and now” we gain strength through socialization with others. (There’s another word with “social” at its root.) Don’t don’t be afraid of words, for they mean different things to other people, but keep in mind that we elect people to represent us within our various levels of government — local, state, federal — and we determine the ones who will speak for us in fairness with those who disagree. Too many legislators today make enemies out of those in other parties with varying political ideologies, but we can disagree in policy while remaining firm in honorable compromise.
I implore our Conservative legislators at every level, have NO FEAR of our social responsibility to build a good economy from the base upwards, for Time will determine and prove whether any precept is viable for growth and stability. We already see what happens when the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, and I must reiterate from past essays that Republican administrations who were my employers consistently cut funding for mental health and substance abuse services as ways to save budget money. Legislation which ignores or disenfranchises “the least of these” in our society harms them, and that which bolsters them towards basic comforts we all enjoy shows that Americans are purveyors of G-D’s Eternal LOVE.
Sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you get a purse that doesn’t get too worn to hold a treasure in Heaven that never fails, that no thief can touch or moth eat away. For where your treasure is, your heart will be there also. Luke 12:33-34