Veterans Day

“The myth of American exceptionalism, of being the best of the best, overshadows an inconvenient truth. We are a nation where poverty of opportunity is dangerously close to becoming a permanent reality.

                The power of this myth stifles most of our leaders’ abilities to even utter the 'P' word in public. For decades, every President has stood before the American people and assured us that the ‘State of our Union is strong,’ despite years of convincing contradictory evidence, especially as it relates to poverty.

                Although politicians hate to address poverty, the media are delving into the plight of the poor because the escalating numbers of the ‘new poor’ and ‘near poor’ are white citizens who are now struggling along-side citizens of color.

                Discussions of poverty, like the ones of once-verboten global warming, have finally moved into the public sphere. This is due in large part to the historic protests of the Occupy Wall Street movement. However, we refuse to allow poverty to become another topic du jour on mainstream media’s drive through menu.

                Why? Because like terrorism and the nation’s deficit, poverty is a matter of national security. The current poverty numbers constitute a state of emergency in America, which means that ending poverty must become a top agenda item for all political leaders. There must be a constant drumbeat heard throughout the land about how widespread poverty is and why every citizen out to have a sense of urgency about its eradication.”

 – The Rich and the REST of US by Tavis Smiley and Cornel West, p. 45

                “I believe we can keep the promise of our founding, the idea that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love (ph). It doesn’t matter whether you’re black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, abled, disabled, gay or straight. You can make it here in America if you’re willing to try.”

                                                -President Barack Obama, Chicago, November 6, 2012

The optimistic view expressed in Obama’s winning speech has added to my fear that “four more years” is all we’re really going to get from the Obama administration. The myth of American individualism clearly has Obama’s support despite overwhelming evidence against it. The problem, my friends, is that it does in fact matter if one is rich or poor. It really, really, really matters in this country where poverty rates are high and social mobility trends downward. Deciding to “work hard” or “try hard” is not enough now. The Obama campaign’s refusal to devote attention to the issue of poverty, frankly, depresses and scares me.

Today, Veterans Day, is a great time to consider the threat of poverty that awaits our soldiers when they return from service. United States veterans are more likely than non-veterans to be homeless. They are more likely to be homeless in a country to which they have given years of their lives, their mental and physical health, and their trust. There are currently more than 67,000 homeless veterans on any given night due to poverty, lack of support networks, or poor living conditions.