Not In Our Character
What’s not, and what is, in the American Character.

In April of 2004 upon reacting to the news photos of the prisoner abuse activity in Abu Ghraib prisons in Iraq, President Bush exclaimed, in an attitude of shocked indignation, “that’s not in the American character.”

Let me offer other examples of behavior that may not be in the American character:

Strong indications of misleading(perhaps bald lying, by Mr. Bush and others in his administration) the American public into believing the cause of invading Iraq was urgent and just. If this was not lying, then at best it has the odious appearance of political deceit at the highest level. (At the tragic cost of American and Iraqi lives and the increase of world wide terrorism). The general cover up of shady practices and behavior by officials of government. Is this not in the American (leadership) character?

Policies of the Bush administration that heap on the backs of future American tax payers the staggering burden of the worst case of national debt, in the interest of the wealthy? Is this not in the American character?

The constant tide of corporate crime, cheating, skimping on quality and safety of product domestically, and the corporate unconscientiousness of exploiting poverty stricken cheap labor abroad, while paying off despotic leaders in many of the poor countries for this privilege, and its terrible effect on workers here at home. Is this not in the American character?

Let’s bring this down to street level.

The hundreds of cases of police brutality and racism that are reported annually, and who knows how many unreported cases? The culture of further hardening criminals in our prisons, instead of supporting prevention of crime. Is this not in the American character?

The vandalism of institutions and property, the beating and killing of people who are different in some way from the majority population, Middle Easterners, Blacks, Jews, people of different sexual orientation and others. Is this not in the American character?

The pandemic proliferation of guns in society and the killing and wounding of hundreds of police, children, passersby, workers and other innocents. The refusal of the National Rifle Association and it’s hundreds of thousands of members to take real action to prevent such slaughter, and its rigorous resistance, including intimidating politicians, to any other public action to do so. The profit realized from such proliferation and death by the manufacturers and sellers. The political collusion with the NRA and manufacturers. (For that matter, the political collusion between elected and bureaucratic officials and big business).Is this not in the American character?

The thousands and thousands of domestic abuses and abuse of women at home, in the workplace, everywhere, or of children, not only at home but in places that should provide safety and sanctuary: churches, schools, youth organizations, not to mention the abuse in youth halls and lock-ups. Is this not in the American character?

The general avoidance of parental burdens and the lack of parental support, counseling and training that would otherwise be an enormous effort to extinguish domestic abuse, juvenile rebellion, delinquency and crime, and the loss of such human resource both to the lives of the children and to society. Is this not in the American character?

The public, straining to just breathe and survive, and its neglect and abandonment of the poor (one in five, maybe more, children go to bed hungry), the homeless and the tens of thousands entrapped in the drug culture. Is this not in the American character?

The rip off at the gas pump by oil corporations, the hesitancy of government to curtail goughing (which has been going on since 1972 when Nixon deregulated energy business), regularly rising prices on one pretext or another and lowering them only half of the raise when consumers start to rebel, and oil profits far exceeding the raises proportionately. Is this not in the American character?

And recently coming to the attention of the media, the odious act by special grocers (now numbering over 700 stores) overcharging poor mothers and children on WIC program aid by 16% more than regular stores for milk, breach, cheese and other life necessities (LA Times, 6/21/04). Is this not in the American character?

I know the reader can add many such crimes, humiliations and corruption to this list.

Let me now say what is in the American character:

The countless acts of kindness to neighbors and strangers.

The selfless acts of coming to the aid of others in trouble and need, and the work for charity and for the common good.

The daily struggle to make ends meet, against obstacles and oppressions extant in the dog-eat-dog, profits and power first-before-people society, to take care of family and loved ones.

The effort by millions to do the best for their children in a society filled with dangerous pressures and threats to the effort.

The dedication by many professionals, teachers and even some bureaucrats and officials to the well-being of the general public, in the face of rigid systems.

The faith in goodness and fairness that many still have.

I know the reader can add many other good acts to this list.

But please wait! Can one deny that these good things are done by human beings everywhere in the world? One has to be completely defensive and unaware to deny this.

Of course Americans can be truly proud in the principles of equality, justice and humanity upon which the nation is built, and for which its people tirelessly strive.

Thus it is truthful to say that these humane aspects are not only in the American character, but in the character of millions and millions everywhere.

It is imperative to say that goodness is in the character of human beings everywhere, inherent and ever ready to be tapped given support and respect. It is equally true that the hurtful aspects of human beings are the result of the hurts and twisted learning imposed on their young minds in the most tender and vulnerable time of their lives; that compel them to grow up to be oppressive and/or dysfunctional.

Thank you for “listening.”