Merriam-Webster Thesaurus describes labor as "a dull, unpleasant or difficult piece of work". Workers engaged in any type of manufacturing job, bus drivers, the people that clean up our environment, pick our crops, our soldiers and the many millions of other workers who do not have college degrees, perform their arduous tasks with good spirit and skill. Are they not entitled to a livable wage and good affordable health care?
Most employed in the physical labor area of our work force did not receive a college education because of familial tradition, poor secondary education, lack of initiative or lack of funds. Are any of these reasons why they should be denied a commensurate standard of life to the hard work they perform? Does our society want to be known as one that rewards education to such a high degree while burdening so many of our workers who perform such fundamental work.
Many would say that is the American way. Get out there and do it for yourself. The counterpart to these workers would be the sons and daughters of the ultra wealthy in our society. With great wealth comes great medical care, great education, often acquired by the presence of the wealth itself, a network of acquaintances usually similarly prosperous and so on.
Hidden in Senator Kerry's mishandled attack on President Bush is a very valid point. Higher education comes to many very easily and not so easily to many others. The hardships that come to so many who don't have a college or technical education are onerous and one sided.
There are different reasons that soldiers enlist. Some go to fight for our country. Some go to escape an impoverished environment. Some go to learn technical skills. For whatever reason they enlist, they deserve, at the very least, the complete dedication of those sending them into battle, that they will not be sent unless it is absolutely warranted.
One response to “An Elite Inequity- A follow up to” A Note To John Kerry””
The troops also deserve a decent wage. Are you aware that those troops in the lower ranks who have families are often eligible for Federal programs such as WIC (food vouchers for families) and sometimes foodstamps? I found that shocking.