GREED

It is interesting to compare our culture today, and particularly that of the administration in Washington, with that of the Navajo Indians. A Navajo philosopher explains that in their culture “Having what you need is good. Having more than you need, with needy people around you, is a sign you’re an evil person”. The Navajos also stress living in harmony with the land and preserving it as part of a religious commitment
On the other hand, I believe that the urge to acquire possessions and secure a better life for one’s family has resulted in all the inventions and innovations that make living in our free market democratic society just about the best place to live in the history of the world. But when does “greed” become excessive? Is lowering the taxes on the wealthiest people in our country so that they can buy another yacht or a new diamond brooch for their wife justified at the same time as the government t is skimping on the money available for education (“ No Child Left Behind”) and cutting funds for Medicaid recipients. Should corporations be encouraged, under CAFTA, to close their factories in our country and open them elsewhere so that they can pay their workers a fraction of what U.S. workers get? Should the minimum wage be kept so low that a working family cannot rise above the poverty level? Should, Social Security, our safety net for the elderly among us be jeopardized with a scheme for private accounts that will only benefit the Wall Street Brokers. At what point does being a little “greedy” with an urge to better ones lot in life (which can be beneficial) change to excessive greed that is harmful for all of us?
No, I would not like to live in a Navajo Hogan on the reservation, but I think we can learn a little from their outlook on life. We can also learn to respect the environment (clean air, clean water, pristine forests) and ask our leaders, in Washington, to begin to realize that it must be preserved. Our representatives are bombarded daily by lobbyists for the “greedy” and they must make the difficult choices and remember their constituents needs and the welfare of our great country.