No Child Left...

Which do you think is more important to Americans: 1) security from terrorist threats, or 2) making sure the next generation is fed and clothed?

To me, they are both security issues, but one is a media star (9/11) and the other is a media disaster (hungry American kids). Our corporate media is constantly fear mongering and so many of us are more familiar with an estimated 1,000 terrorist extremists who have the demise of America as their goal. Because grinding poverty, hunger and neglect tend to depress us, the media keeps these issues on the back burner. The only "children's issues" we regularly hear about from our newspapers and TV are kiddie porn and obesity! So you pick the winner in the funding contest!

Our elected representatives are now debating these issues as they get ready to pass another massive budget. Because the Republicans control Congress, I am about 99.9% sure they will vote to fund "security" projects that are supposed to protect us from terrorists and will slash funding for the next generation. That seems to be the feeling of the Children's Defense Fund leaders who have put together this alert and article.

Current articles on how American kids have been doing over the past ten years are positive. They suggest that kids commit fewer crimes, smoke fewer joints, drink fewer beers and have fewer babies out of wedlock. America's children are more spiritual and community minded and are shaping up to be better citizens for the Twenty First Century! Why? The article suggests that a better economy helps. More cops on the street is a plus. Parents are more experienced about drugs and their effects and less tolerant of drug experimentation. The only dark side is that more of our kids live below the poverty line and are obese. The sections of the budget which continue economic growth, community based policing, drug prevention programs and government assistance for the poor are under attack.

The Bushites want to fund increases in defense by totally eliminating entire sections of help for the poor. Clinton has already slashed entitlement programs to the bone and now Bush wants to completely eliminate them. Bush and his corporate sponsors believe in the "sink or swim" economic philosophy and many of America's child advocate groups predict thousands of kids will simply sink. With a corporate media intent on advertising profits, the only way we'll know whether our kids are dying of starvation, disease and neglect is to see them on our street corners. For those who choose to exist in gated communities, even these signs of trouble will be avoided.

It will be interesting to see the effects of the Bush presidency on America's children ten years from now. Nothing surprises me anymore (UPDATE: The repugnantans pushed this budget atrocity through today) - so I can only hope that everything will work out well for us all.

May all beings know love and peace... especially our precious children!