[Vision2020] USA Child Maltreatment Deaths

[Tbertruss at aol.com]

Coop et. al.

Thanks for your detailed reply.  

See info at bottom about child maltreatment deaths in the USA compared to 
other nations.

My post was loosely aimed at exposing contradictions between various moral 
positions our culture takes regarding protection of the "innocent," especially 
children.  

I mentioned the USA's stand on allowing the execution of those committing 
crimes as minors, executions only approved in a small number of nations some 
would regard as poor examples of governments who support human rights, yet there 
the USA is keeping company with those governments regarding minors and this 
stand on the death penalty. 

I did not mean to suggest that those who "shrug" at the deaths of innocents 
in Afghanistan and Iraq approve of these deaths, but that they are morally 
willing to accept them for the good (sic) that ostensibly will result from our 
military action in these nations.  But then some of these same people will not 
support programs to help children in the USA, or will denounce in absolute moral 
terms difficult choices regarding abortion.  Maybe there is way to eliminate 
the moral contradictions suggested, but to accept the killing and maiming of 
huge numbers of innocents and children in a foreign country, blocking aid to 
children here, and then trying to stop all abortion because of the ultimate 
value of protecting all life, even of the unborn, does suggest some serious moral 
inconsistencies.

It appears you agree somewhat with the thesis that the militarization of the 
USA does have consequences regarding our rates of domestic violence.

Anyway, the facts are clear that the USA is not a nation that puts the 
welfare of children at the top of its list of priorities.  The USA is way down the 
list of nations in terms of the overall well being and safety of children 
within its borders.

So while many pat themselves on the backs for the USA being a moral and 
righteous leader of nations regarding our treatment of "innocent" people, e.g., 
children, the facts tell a different story.

It is clear that I am aiming my comments at current "culture wars" here in 
the USA.

And on that note, here are some facts for consideration:

More children (under the age of 15) die every year from maltreatment in the 
world's richest nations than the total number killed in the 9/11 attacks.  The 
USA has rates 10-15 times higher than the nations at the top of the list of 
rich nations regarding child deaths from maltreatment:

>From the UNICEF web site:

Report Card five: A League Table of Child Maltreatment Deaths in Rich Nations

The fifth Report Card represents the first ever attempt to draw a comparative 
picture of the physical abuse of children in the 27 richest nations of the 
world. UNICEF research estimates that almost 3,500 children under the age of 15 
die from physical abuse and neglect every year in the industrialized world. 
The greatest risk is among younger children. A small group of countries - Spain, 
Greece, Italy, Ireland and Norway - appear to have an exceptionally low 
incidence of child maltreatment deaths; Belgium, the Czech Republic, New Zealand, 
Hungary and France have levels that are four to six times higher. The United 
States, Mexico and Portugal have rates that are between 10 and 15 times higher 
than those at the top of the league table. The good news is that child deaths 
from maltreatment appear to be declining in the great majority of 
industrialized countries.     

http://www.unicef-icdc.org/research/ESP/CIIC1.html

--------------------------------------------

V2020 Post by Ted Moffett



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20050117/6253c0fb/attachment.htm