Just for fun, let’s look at some facts about your life here in America vs. lives of people in less fortunate countries. We want to make you aware of what you have, just by living in America, that people throughout this world don’t have and can’t even dream of having.
For instance are you aware that no child in Africa has a Nintendo unless it was purchased elsewhere? There are no Walmart or Gap stores in any part of Africa.
a. We have an overweight problem in this country because of too much food, not too little, as in the Sudan where it is estimated that 26% of the population is undernourished and 41% of children under the age of five are underweight. We have so much food in this country because we have enormous natural resources, mechanized farming, a system of distribution, and a labor force that is willing to be productive. How many other reasons can you give for this situation?
b. You have access to an educational system from preschool to the doctoral level. Your attending school is mandatory until the age of 16. It is not determined by the amount of wealth you have until the college level, and even then student loans and government assistance make that possible for most. In fact, today 70 percent of high school graduates move on to start college studies. Access is not determined by what race, gender or family you belong to as it is in some other countries. We have the most open educational system in the world.
c. Our founding fathers were educated men, well versed in the Bible, classic literature, and they were readers of newspapers, pamphlets and books. They and many other citizens of the time recognized the need for an educated populace. Thomas Jefferson put education and citizenship in focus in 1789: "Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government."
d. Do you get an allowance for doing simple chores around the house? Many children your age do. In developing countries, approximately one in four children work at actual jobs, according to the International Labour Organization. Children ages five through 12 work up to 14 hours a week; ages 13 and above often work up to 40 or more hours per week. The ILO estimates that eight million children below the age of 18 are working in hard labor or forced labor situations worldwide. Eight million!
These jobs aren’t for CDs, lipstick, stickers, tattoos or gas for the car. The job these children have is to help support their parents, brothers and sisters. Maybe even to help care for a grandparent. And often times this job means no time for school.
e. Ever think about how freely we travel in this country? We have 50 states that you can travel to at any time without fear of being stopped by the military or the police or with little fear of harassment from any group of people. Not true in Myanmar (Burma), where a military regime limits the movements of political dissidents, women and migrant workers. Nor do you have to obtain a travel visa, a document that gives you permission to travel.
f. Problems with your neighbors? In America both you and the neighbor have access to a court system. The court will use a set of laws based on precedent (the outcomes of previous similar legal actions) and/or written laws not on how much money you have, what ethnic group you belong to, or who your family is. This is one of the many rights our country was founded on. We are a country where the Rule of Law prevails.
A recent example is the shooting that occurred in Ft. Hood, TX. Many people witnessed the shooter in action. They saw him kill 14 people. However, he will still have his day in court. He will still go in front of a judge(s) and jury members will decide, after listening to his side and the prosecution’s side, whether he is innocent or guilty and how he should be punished if found guilty. Again this is part of your Constitution. He is also entitled to a speedy trail, which means he cannot be held for a long period of time in jail before a trial.
What other freedoms and advantages do you enjoy that kids in other countries don’t?
