Thursday, October 4, 2001

Give something, then give some more
by Bethany McCormack
Skiff Staff

It’s hard to understand how some people in America have such an abundance of wealth while others live in extreme poverty. It makes you wonder how the wealthy can sleep on their down pillows and satin sheets, while 700,000 people in the United States have no place to sleep tonight.

Last week, Donald J. Carty, American Airlines Inc. chairman and chief executive, announced that he will forgo pay for the remainder of the year due to the recent airline revenue losses.

While this is a commendable gesture, Carty will still be earning more than most Americans this year. With an annual salary of about $800,000 Carty will earn at least $575,500 with the pay cut. When you consider most janitors earn around $15,000 a year and receptionists $18,000 a year, how much of a sacrifice has Carty really made?

Carty asked other employees of the airline to voluntarily give up some of their pay as well. Too bad not all employees earn as much as Carty. In 1998 the median earning for a flight attendant was $20,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook. While Carty can afford to sacrifice a portion of his salary, a family living on $20,000 a year probably cannot afford a pay cut.

The disparity of wealth in this country is unjustifiable. One wonders if Bill Gates ever feels guilty enjoying his $109.5 million mansion while children in the United States are starving and homeless? Maybe he pats himself on the back for his charitable donations and thinks that he has done his part to make the world a better place.

In 1999, Bill Gates donated $15.8 billion to a foundation he created, but compared with his $58.7 billion net worth, that’s nothing.

Imagine how many people in the world could be helped with $15 billion. Gates can afford to give $22,000 to every homeless person in America and still live better than most.

Maybe some people don’t see the absurdity of spending $100 million on a home or even $40,000 on a car. Maybe some people don’t realize poverty is real and all too common in this country.

In the United States in 2000, there were over 275 million people living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. There are individuals struggling to survive on less than $8,000 a year.

Something is wrong with a society where some kids will never be able to attend college while others drive $30,000 cars and spend $20,000 a year for an education.
Something is wrong when elementary school teachers earn $39,000 and social workers $30,000, while CEOs make $800,000. Something is wrong when some people worry about starving, and other people worry about wearing the right tube top to class.

The average American hears about poverty and thinks there isn’t really anything they can do. However, money isn’t all that is needed to make a difference in the world.

Time and energy can be just as important.

Yet, how many of you will be volunteering your time this semester? And if you are volunteering this semester, how many will be completing a required minimum number of hours, and then congratulating yourself on your good deed for the year? The point of volunteering isn’t to accumulate hours of service but to help others.

Carty is sacrificing his wealth this year for the benefit of his company. Think how much more commendable it would be for him to sacrifice his wealth every year to help starving children.

Bill Gates is giving a percentage of his income to his philanthropic foundation, but consider how much more commendable it would be if he sacrificed his mansion and fortune to help people who have nothing.

When you complete however much community service you plan on doing this semester, think about what a difference you can make by doing just a little more.

Opinion Editor Bethany McCormack is a junior English and news-editorial journalism major from Dallas. She can be contacted at (b.s.mccormack@student.tcu.edu).