Inhumanity of Our Time

In Humanity and War, I mentioned disregard of humanity leads to wars.

The inhumanity is not confined to one nation against another, one ethnic group against another, or one religious order against another, it is often also committed by one social-economic class against another.

A good example is our austerity plan championed by Republicans - cutting services to the poor, while reducing taxes to the rich, which practically is a welfare to the rich on the back of the poor.

In our great laissez-faire capitalist country, we heard again and again sickening stories of the greedy rich getting rich. Associated Press's report, Hospital exec's $4M retirement package blasted, informed us that Samuel Downing, former CEO of a public hospital district, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare District, was awarded of nearly $4 million in retirement payments in addition to his $150,000 annual pension after staffing was reduced by hundreds of people. According to hospital officials, the hospital has reduced staff by about 600 people since January 2010 because of declining revenue.

This story plays out from Hawaii, Alaska, to Nebraska, Tennessee, Maryland and Florida, from public schools, universities, nonprofit charities to bureaucratic administrations.  We heard again and again the same self-serving argument that if we don't satisfy people's greed, we won't have qualified candidates to fill the positions.

Well, America is a huge country and I am certain talented and less greedy people can be found to serve, if the self-serving board members would stop passing out goodies in circular formations - CEOs tend to serve as board members on other organizations.  You scratch my back and I yours.

What's happening here, in this country, and beyond, from China to UK, is immoral and inhumane.  It is high time to change it.  Otherwise, if the drumming of war sounds again, people should not complain that they weren't warned.