A Nation of Gaps

This week the Occupy Wall Street gang gathered momentum as their ranks grew and demonstrations sprouted up around the country.

The "99 Percent," as they call themselves, are drawing attention to the growing inequality and the perceived unfairness in America's political, economic, and social systems. According to the activists there is a wealth gap, an education gap, an employment gap, a wage gap, a health care gap, a representation gap, an incarceration gap, and an opportunity gap...just to name a few.

All these gaps drew my attention to another story this week that didn't receive more than Page 7 ink.

This is the story of the "Under 1 Percent" gap. No, not the mega rich and powerful of Wall Street or Washington, but the less than 1 percent of the U.S. population that has taken on 100 percent of the fighting in our nation's longest war. This is the gap most directly exploited by both Wall Street and Washington, and most people just don't care.

According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 71% of the public says they don't understand the struggles of our war fighting service members, while service members themselves place the gap at 84%. Although acknowledging the tremendous gap between the serving and non-serving members of society, the non-serving majority do not see the sacrifice of the few, on their behalf, as unfair.

Maybe the biggest disconnect is that non-serving majority don't see the sacrifice as a benefit to them, and in the big picture it probably isn't. But if you ask a service member why they are going to risk their life in war, they will say they are doing it for the country. The Pew study concludes, "Most Americans acknowledge they know little about the realities of military service. And, in increasing numbers, they disapprove of or do not pay attention to the wars the military is currently fighting.''

When looking for winners in the sacrifice of 6,200 Under Percenter's lives and over $1 trillion in the 99 Percent's money, only Wall Street and Washington think the cost was worth the political and corporate benefit.

According to another Pew Center poll, 64% of non- serving Americans think Iraq wasn't worth the cost, 59% said Afghanistan wasn't worth it. Those thanklessly risking their lives under the 99 Percents amnesic indifference think little better of the war they are dying in. 50% think Afghanistan was a waste and 56% think Iraq was not worth it.

With gaps and fairness brought into the public spotlight by the 99 Percenters maybe they should also highlight the unemployment gap, increased incarceration gap, and mental health gap of America's Under 1 Percenters. And don't forget the violent death and maiming gap either.

Maybe it is time to close the gap, create fairness by implementing a draft. Make all citizens, 100 percent of the nation, responsible for its wars. If everyone was equally shouldering the burden; Wall Street traders, corporate CEO's, politicians, would we still be in Afghanistan, would we ever have been in Iraq? If everyone had the shared sacrifice would 71% of the public say they don't understand the problems faced by the military? Would employers and the judicial system be biased against veterans, would those that sacrificed their bodies and minds be abandon? The 99 percenters have a voice, Wall Street has the money, Washington has the power. Our Vets have each other and the scars they brought back home.

Meanwhile, while no one is watching but a president who wants reelection and a Congress and corporations who want to line their pockets with dividends and campaign contributions, the Under 1 Percenters are dying while the rest of us yawn.