differences

Related to my last two posts is a much more fundamental question, which is the subject of today's homily.

When you reach my age, and have dealt with as many people as I have, you get
to know how he world is run and it becomes apparent that it will
continue to be run that way. This is a bit discouraging because many
people whom I consider good, caring and hard working, as well as
myself, have put in a long and valiant effort to make thingsdifferent.

In some areas we have made significant progress, such as in race
relations, and woman's equality. But even with those things are not
solid and still not really equal. There has been amazing progress in
technology, and it has helped to find ways to combat diseases and keep
people healthy. However, none of these new benefits are evenly
distributed, and access is not given to all who need it. Not even close.

What I have come to consider as wisdom is the realization that I know that I believe in some things very strongly and with a good deal of certainty.
Yet, I know there are many good, hard-working people who think these
beliefs are wrong, nuts, and even evil. There are major differences in
this country thatopened up when I was in college and the divisions have
become wider and more hostile since then. One of the results of these
differences is our terrible health caresystem.

This is the basis of the difference. When I was forming my value system, based on
who I was and what I had learned, I decided to devote a good deal of my
efforts to a process that would help establish a better society for
everyone in my country, and hopefully, by outreach and example, to the
whole world. What I meant by a better society was one that would
diminish, if not eliminate, hunger, poverty, homelessness andillness, and also offer everyone, and I really mean everyone, an equal opportunity to seek their own happiness and prosperity.

I knew this was somewhat idealistic, and that it would be difficult, but it was a goal that I deeply internalized and has been a part of me since then. It has led me
into the profession I'm in, and has guided me in making decisions about
where and how I work, and how I raised my family. Some of the
philosophical underpinnings include one of the thoughts of John Dewey,
and perhaps, in my more radical moments, some of the thoughts of people
such as Isiah Berlin and Noam Chomsky.

I soon realized that there are many people in America who feel that such goals are somewhat subversive. They feel that the real beauty and strength of America is
that it offers everyone a chance to seek his fortune and make their own
lives as prosperous and lavish as possible. These people lean toward a
philosophy of social Darwinism, and the writings of William Buckley and
Ayn Rand. However, this has been has been altered by the recent wave of
neo-conservatives.

This second philosophic view has been partly
responsible for the growth, power, entrepreneurial spirit and
creativity in this country. It has helped make some the the richest and
most powerful people and corporations in the history of the world, from
J.P. Morgan to Bill Gates, from Standard Oil to Microsoft. It is the
reason people still cross our borders in droves, both legally and
illegally, from all over the world to seek their fortune. More than any
other place in the world this country offers a great opportunity for
anyone to get rich.

That's true but ... that ideal has been corrupted.

The opportunities are not close to being equal. The power structure is
built, the dice are loaded, the die is cast, the laws are written so
that those with money get to make a lot more money. That, really is
what capitalism is,and we are living in a time of extreme capitalism.
The money, and the power that further enriches those who have comes
from those who don't, the poor and the vanishing middle class.

In any society where there are some people living lavishly there will be
many poor people struggling to keep-up. When you have conditions, like
we have now, when the money from the same people and corporations
controls both business and government, then those few people get to
stack the deck and make the rules. Then they make rules that keep
things rolling their way.

A good example of this is our health care system.The system is designed to by corporations, for corporations. There are insurance companies,pharmaceutical companies, HMOs, hospital corporations, labs, doctors, and other players all trying to make a profit. In addition there are the auxiliary players, such as marketers, sales people, account managers, caremanagers, billing services,and collection agencies. There are also manypeople working within companies who have to arrange and manage health benefits. All of this takes money away from what could go to actually
pay to keep the citizens of this country healthy.

A big change would be very helpful. But for change to occur many people have to pay
attention and put pressure on those in charge, or change those in
charge, so that when a choice is being made between profits for a few or
better health for many, we make the right choice.