No single definition of America is accurate, but our world image has been generally positive, I believe.

We have proven our concern for others through giving of our time, resources and personal assistance universally, especially addressing humanitarian needs in third-world countries.

I fear that, in this century, we are on the road to becoming the universal bully. War is profitable business.

America’s leadership has become focused on intervention and meddling with other nations’ attempts to establish their own political governance. We have diverted resources from our citizens’ needs. Our war profiteering and financing is deplorable! I don’t see our attempts to shape the world for others as having any justification beyond protecting our economic footprint in the developing world.

Columnist William Rivers Pitt published in Truthout, July 9, a eulogy to Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated June 6, 1968. Paraphrasing and quoting from his article, with his permission, I want to stir our local perspective.

Robert Kennedy was addressing an Indianapolis audience on April 5, 1968, when he learned of Martin Luther King’s assassination. It fell upon him to announce that tragedy to his mostly black audience. Part of that speech follows:

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer … whether they be white or whether they be black …” Riots and anger engulfed most large cities that night, but not in Indianapolis, probably due in large part to Kennedy’s appeal.

Kennedy directed his energies to awakening Americans to the astonishing fact that the richest nation on Earth tolerated enormous poverty and deprivations suffered by its poorest citizens while committing billions of dollars to the business of war. Now, 46 years later, that legacy of his campaign, his cause, has been all but forgotten.

Our politicians today still pursue war for political and financial benefit, ignoring the rampant poverty and suffering of their own citizenry. They seem, instead, to work hammer and tongs to devise bold new ways to take from the poor to benefit the rich. In this decade, only the rich gained wealth reflecting our nation’s growth.

It is distressing to have so much division in politics and public debate. Distorted facts in media and bumper-sticker mentality seem to govern our thinking. Were we in full employment with adequate wages, there would be a sense of general well-being. As it is, there is a feeling of great financial insecurity. Where is the concern over providing for our citizens?

Economic inequality translates into political inequality, and that political inequality leads to increasing economic inequality. Unfortunately, our Supreme Court is enhancing that separation. Recent rulings and the ability of wealth-holders to keep their after-tax rate of return high enhance their access to political privilege.

People from all around the world come to America for safe haven. Shouldn’t we be demanding our government focus on helping people rather than support developing more efficient ways of killing them? Instead of being a nation guided by high moral ethics, we seem to be a nation guided by needs for even more wealth and power.

— Bill Hardin lives in Terrebonne.