WITH reference to the article Poor America (February 29), it was a great and unique piece in the sense that it unearthed the ‘unthinkable’ that life could be so miserable in the land of the ‘dreams’ of so many.

The mention of the rampant bankruptcies, actions of ‘money-guzzling monsters’ like mortgage payments, health insurance, car insurance premiums have left families broke in spite of fact husbands and wives are both earning. Considering extreme physical difficulties in maintaining family life of middle-class Americans who are ‘pauperised’ and ‘dehumanized’, as against earnings of credit card companies ($87 billion in a year). All this coupled with ‘Bush’s famous tax cut for elitists, $45 billion’. In this context, it may be mentioned that this is only one side of the towering example of ‘success’ of the capitalist system.

‘Poor’ people of the Third World especially Pakistan, should also come to know the facts at present hidden, about the horrible effects of family and social life in America. Just a few eye-openers should be the high divorce rates, crimes incidence, unbelievable yet truth about the widespread shabby treatment of women and lastly but not the least, treatment of minorities at the hands of ‘champions’ of human rights and democracy in the world.

MATIN SYED
Karachi