We Ought Be Ashamed Of Ourselves!

We seem to be a great nation for others still want to emigrate here. But many of us feel that, while we've achieved a great deal in the past, we should now feel ASHAMED of ourselves:

BECAUSE

* Many now fear and dislike America.

* Some say we're spending more on weapons than all other nations combined.

* We keep getting involved in unwinnable wars and civil conflicts. Others usually end up worse off than before.
* China and we are polluters #1 and #2 while we consume more of the world's resources than anyone else.
* Modern accounting methods reveal that we're now $59 trillion in debt. We've lost many farm and factory jobs.
* 1/4 of our children live in poverty. The U.S. is #20 in a child's quality of life. Britain is #21.
* Racism, ageism, sexism, and clergy abuse are widespread. Torture is not unknown.
* The World Health Org. ranks us #37 in the effectiveness of our health-care system while we're spending 40% more per capita than anyone else - with 46 million uninsured!
* We're the last "civilized" nation with the death penalty.
* We have many more in prison than does any Western nation, often for non-violent crimes.
* There are 240 million guns in private hands and we shoot 12X as many people as the 25 other leading nations combined. Ten kids are shot to death every day.
* After computers, our #2 growth industry is casinos. Prison building is #3
* We're spending $800 billion/yr on Academia - 2X as much per capita than anyone else. Fewer than 1/3 of college seniors can read and write well. Rage, anxiety, boredom, forgetting, and failure are widespread.
* 80% of high-school seniors state that they will never, ever, voluntarily read a book.
* 80% of 1st-graders have a high self-esteem; a mere 5% of seniors still like themselves.
* 90% firmly believe in a Being(s) who may or may not exist. Many deny the truth of evolution. Atheists are hated above all others.
* 90% cannot name their Congressman.
* Newspaper reading is dropping.
* The average kid now spends 6.5 hours/day hooked into an electronic gadget. 60%, age 9-20, now have chronic back problems due to sitting, lack of exercise, and backpacks. Kids watch 200,000 episodes of violence by age 18 while video games can produce brain damage. 40% of 3-month-olds are watching TV; 90% of 3-year-olds watch regularly. We now have a WAR on bad breath!
* We're near the bottom in the treatment of serious mental illness.
* Litigation abuse is a major problem.
* Our govt. may be the least effective of any Western nation - and is largely controlled by corporate power and money. Most other nations have an independent, highly- respected, civil-servant-run think-tank INSIDE the govt.
* Political campaigns in other countries average 3 weeks. Our voters know little about any issues that do not impact them directly while often trying to impose their personal values on others.
Robert E. Kay, MD (ret)
Psychiatrist
May circulate

Ref:
THE TWILIGHT OF AMERICAN CULTURE-M Berman
DARK AGES AMERICA-M Berman
DUMBING US DOWN-J T Gatto
STUPID WHITE MEN-M Moore
THE GOD DELUSION-R Dawkins
THE MYTH OF THE RATIONAL VOTER-B Caplan
THE CULTURE OF FEAR-B Glassner

"Wrapped in the Star-Spangled Toga"-NY Times, Week in Review 7/1/07

To Do:
THE CONTINUUM CONCEPT-J Liedloff
PARENTING BEYOND BELIEF-D McGowan
EVERY STUDENT CAN SUCCEED-Glasser
TEACH YOUR OWN-J Holt+P Farenga
INSTEAD OF EDUCATION-J Holt