the usa is not the richest country in the world. by recent estimates we are something like 3.5 billion in debt. that comes down to about $28,000 per person (adult taxpayer?) that we owe - if i heard correctly.
i think you are right, however, about a class system. but, is it really fair that everyone be treated the same no matter if some people work harder. that's the conundrum. there's not a lot of motivation to excel if you are not living in a free democracy that allows you land ownership rights, the right to defend yourself, the right of free speech, etc. etc. - these ARE motivating to people. otherwise you are slaves of the state.
what is missing probably is the link that wisdom has to education. people are educated but we don't always have wise people governing us. to me, wisdom and God go together. for others, it may be simple common sense. but you can see when something is working and when it's not. we've had a lot of people in government that are corrupt. they don't use what they have wisely and end up wasting taxpayer money.
not all the early americans were indian killers. did you know that many that came to america, because of christian beliefs, treated the indians better and more equally. but, they couldn't make up for the ones that didn't and treated the indians unfairly - by running them off to reservations. in almost every government on earth there is unfairness and even genocide. it is unconcionable and wrong. but, we see now, the same happening to christians (and has happened down through the ages) - so we are not exempt from the same things. beheadings are still taking place (in the 21st century!) so the bible is correct that even in the 'last days' there will be those that give their lives for God.
at the beginning of the migration of people from all over the world to america - the gospel came to the indians. they prayed to 'the god of the sky' and 'the god of the river' etc. - but they never HEARD of the ONE true God. perhaps some settlers were racist - but not all. John Eliot, who came over in 1631, learned the language of the Massachusetts Indians and began to translate the bible into their tongue. it took him nearly 30 years to do this. his bible was one of the first books printed in america and many of his 'praying indians' learned to read in it. eliot was a sweet, simple and generous man - he spoke up when people tried to sell the indians as slaves.
roger williams was another missionary to the indians. he left a large colony in 1636 to set up his own colony. usually the indians would kill a white man who lived by himself, because they often stole indian land. but, this man was different because he treated the indians fairly. he offerred to buy land from them instead of taking it. many years he witnessed to the indians about Christ.
david brainerd was a bible scholar who had completed his education and could have become a pastor of a large new england church. instead he left new england and decided to spend HIS LIFE preaching to the indians in the wilderness. his hard work and poor conditions where he lived caused him to die when he was only 29.
john wesley brought salvation tot he indians as well. one indian told him, 'we would not be made christians as the spaniards make christians: we would be taught before we are baptized.' the indians wanted to know what they were doing so they could accept Christ knowingly.
sequoia (a famous cherokee indian who lived in north carolina) wished his people could read and write and after twelve years created the only known indian alphabet of this time. other indian tribes had only spoken languages. if they did write, they wrote in pictures. sequoia created 86 symbols. each stood for a sound in the cherokee language. the new testament was translated.
whites may have been unfair down through the ages - but not all. william penn was similarly kind to the indians. also, in sports and other areas, indians often excelled easily without the struggles of learning a new language. jim thorpe was an indian from oklahoma that went to the olympics in 1912 . he had amazing abilities in several different sports. he was a talented baseball pitcher, set world records in track and field, and played football so well that his school was soon beating the best college teams in the nation. he kept playing as a kicker past the age of fourty.
i realize the opportunities are still not as level as they should be for all races, but we try in the usa to be fair and give scholarships and all. this does help many native americans (including alaskans) who otherwise might not go on to college. in our modern industrial age - if God had allowed the indians to remain as they were - yes, they'd probably be healither, happier and live longer - but they wouldn't compete in today's society and be able to sustain their families. hardly any system any longer is completely based on fishing or agriculture. it CAN be done - but it is much more difficult and costly. also, with the weather changing - it may be a problem for the entire world soon.
ps in pennsylvania we still remember important indians and places that they named (and rivers). i think we should continue to include indian history with american history. it is important. and, like the holocost- there are museaums dedicated to seeing pictures of the way things were before some white people became obsessed with owning ALL the land instead of sharing it and buying it fairly. this is something that we cannot fix at this late point (the past history) but we CAN make things fair in the present. i know in alaska there are government funds set aside for aspects of indian living and schools and water, electricity, and sewer systems put in. so, for all the bad, some good did come.
Topic: What do you think of U.S. public education?