There are many stories in the media these days about the “dysfunction” of families and our society as a whole. I would like to put out this hypothesis as to perhaps why our lives are crumbling around us.

America is the most powerful nation on earth. We are like a parent to so many younger, struggling nations. We lead the way economically. That is undisputed. We also like to think that we lead the way morally, that America is always the leader in humanitarian actions.

It is also undiputed that America is the number one exporter of weaponry — mines, bombs, guns, ammunition — to all other nations. We say we are against war, yet we supply to the warring nations the products that kill innocent women, children and men. Every single day.

It is also undisputed that America is the leading exporter of cancer in the form of tobacco and pesticides, products that are known to cause illness and death and which have had growing restrictions placed on them so as to protect the American people. But to protect the bottom line of profits we simply ship them off to our brothers and sisters in the Third World nations. Is a Mexican life or a Chinese life any less valuable than an American life?

The incongruity of exporting death for economic security and hiding behind the mask of American goodness creates a system of `trickle down’ (think Reagan) insanity which affects all of us and creates a dysfunctional society. What are our children learning? Our leaders are morrally corrupt. No one is willing to risk their political lives by speaking out and doing the right thing. They hide behind complicated double-speak so that Wall Street can continue to climb. The rich get richer off of the blood of non-Amercians and pay off the politions to support them. Janeen Teal Orono