Monday, October 6, 2003

Fate

The amazing thing is not that two billion people will live in slums by 2030. The amazing thing is that one billion live in them now.

It is impossible sometimes not to think that we're destroying the world simply by being born. That diseases are nature's way of trying to thin us out, of fighting back.

It's also impossible not to feel lucky. Pretty much anyone reading this is probably not one of those one billion, nor ever was. And why weren't you born in a shack in Bangeladesh? No one knows. Fate, karma, luck, randomness.

As I think about this, I realize why I'm a Democrat: people don't get to choose the circumstances of their birth. The playing field is definately not level. Many people can overcome their circumstances, but many cannot. And I, for one, don't choose to punish them for it.

We have some horrible things in the US, but nothing like this. At least not yet. If we let the safety net of welfare, social security, and medicare be dismantled, piece by piece, it won't be long.

Posted at 03:39 PM | comments (0) | trackback (0)