living with american mythology

 

                             By Harry E. Berndt

 

 

In all historic periods, people have had their myths and legends, and we are no exception. But we like to think we are. We are an advanced society, high tech, and we have left barbarism behind. Or, have we?

 

As a nation we are steeped in mythology, mythology that is promoted by politicians and media. There is the myth of equal protection under the law; the myth that we have the best medical care system in the world; the myth that democracy is only possible under capitalism; the myth that we are a peace loving nation; and finally, as individuals we are all middle class.

 

There is no doubt that there are many good people among us; people who believe in helping those less fortunate, people who oppose war and violence, people who give time and money for the benefit of those they will never know. But yet, as a nation state, around the world we are viewed as barbaric, war mongers and weapons purveyors, the only Western Industrial country that has capital punishment, and the country with the most citizens in prison. We are the country that is critical of other nations' human rights policies, but we are criticized for policies that accept torture, capital punishment and coercion, and social, and economic inequality for women; a lack of legal aid to the poor; and discrimination against ethnics and homosexuals. How is it that we, individually, are mostly people who believe in peace and believe in helping others, and yet we are able to close our eyes to much of the suffering that exists as a result of actions done in our name? Is it because we live under a system that stresses individualism to the exclusion of all other considerations, which results in a majority being removed from the reality of those in need? Is it because it is a system that encourages the idea that each of us individually has total responsibility for our own well being, rather than that each of us is a part of the whole society which can create a quality of life that is at least adequate for all?

 

The budgetary discussions going on today are a case in point. Politicians on both sides of the aisle claim to be fiscally responsible, yet neither the Democrats nor the Republicans offer solutions that directly address the problems of unemployment, care for those living in poverty, overcrowded prisons, and an out of control health care system. In all these areas, the myth that if the private sector is given tax incentives and less government regulation unemployment will be addressed by increased private sector investment, and that the privatization of prisons and health care will increase efficiency and reduce costs. A Keynesian concept of mixed economies where the government addresses human needs and the private sector addresses consumer needs is called socialism. Government programs such as the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), which provided employment in not for profit organizations and government offices, and programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which provided employment in our National Parks for many young men unable to find employment during the Roosevelt Administration, could at least provide some employment for those who want to work but are unable to find employment. Also, the government could provide incentives to corporations to hire additional people by creating job sharing programs or, in the case of manufacturing firms, to employ four six hour shifts rather than three eight hour shifts. All of these programs create jobs, and could be put in place if we really were the creative country we claim we are. Corporations might also hire more employees rather than require overtime. It is no secret that Americans work more hours than do employees in other Western countries.

 

A single payer system would be a major stimulus to the economy. This period of financial stress for our country provides an excellent opportunity for Congress to pass a single payer health care package. The burden of the cost of health care would be taken off the backs of industry and off the backs of small business, and the cost of health care to our country would be reduced. The auto industry indicates it cannot be competitive with foreign manufacturers because of the high cost of their health care programs. This would no longer be the case. Small business indicates that employers cannot hire more people for the same reason. This would no longer be the case. A single payer system would save billions of dollars by the elimination of the administration costs of the insurance industry and of healthcare providers forced to administratively deal with numerous insurance companies' policies and procedures. This, of course, is labeled socialism and demonized by Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats.

As a nation, most of us believe that we are peace loving, and we consider war as a last resort. Our president has told us that war is only contemplated as a last resort. However, this seems to be a hard sell when we look closely at how we act. Nearly every state depends significantly on the manufacture and sale of arms or the infrastructure that supports the arms industry - euphemistically referred to as the defense industry. The United States is responsible for over 45% of the global weapons expenditures. Legislators find that it is impolitic to vote against weapon appropriations, fearing political opponents will brand them as unpatriotic, or that voters will turn them out if jobs are lost.

 

Both our State Department and Defense Department are sales representatives for the arms industry, funding weapons shows and twisting the arms of foreign politicians to convince them to purchase arms manufactured by our arms corporations. The Pentagon is a major supplier of used armaments to third world countries.

 

We have trained and armed armies around the world. In Latin America, our College of the Americas has trained the militaries and the police of many of the South and Central American countries. We even supported Saddam Hussein's war against Iran. Now we are in the process of privatizing war, which translates into war for corporate profit. As a greater portion of our society becomes dependent on war, we will soon, if we haven't already, create war without end.

 

People around the world fear us, and our actions convince no one that we are a peace-loving nation. That is, we have convinced no one, other than ourselves, that we are a peace-loving nation.

 

Equal protection under the law has long been taught as the hallmark of our criminal justice system. But our system is one where economic considerations often outweigh considerations of justice. The bail system favors those with wealth. They can be released on bail while they await trial, but those without the means must remain incarcerated until they are found to be innocent or are remanded to our prison system. Ours is a prison system that is over-crowded and where first time non-violent offenders are often placed with violent repeat offenders. Because of the plethora of victimless crimes on the books, we have more people in prison than any other industrial country. Many states are privatizing their prisons, ostensibly for budgetary reasons, and placing prisoners at the mercy of those whose basic concern is for the bottom line. We view people in prison as "them", not realizing that "them" might one day be us - or one in our family. Therefore, most of us favor punishment and vengeance, rather than rehabilitation and humane treatment. Prisoners are placed in positions that exclude privacy and any but the most minimal relationships with the opposite sex. When released they are labeled so that they have very little opportunity of getting any but the most menial jobs. In some states their rights of citizenship are taken away, and most often those who had professional status have their licenses removed. In other words, we do everything to create in them the need to return to crime. Finally, polls indicate that a majority of us favor capital punishment, thought of as barbaric by all other Western industrial societies. A punishment so opposed by some countries that they refuse to honor their extradition treaties with us if the return of a person will result in execution.

 

The United States has the resources and wealth to care for all of its citizens. Our problem is not one of fiscal responsibility; our problem is greed. What happened to the capitalist concept of supply and demand? The oil industry speculators are driving the economy into the ground. We all know that there is no shortage of oil, but rather an industry manipulated by those who create a faux shortage. A reduction of the cost of oil and gasoline reflecting the actual relationship between supply and demand would be a major incentive for increased investment and expansion of industries.

 

It is time that our politicians act like the statesmen they would have us believe they are, rather than the captives of ideological mythology and the minions of Wall Street.