Does security make you happier?
In Pakistan , you are greeted with a quick “may god bless you” , however you are always greeted. Everyone on the street says “Assalamu alaikum” to everyone they pass. As Americans, we view this as silly and time consuming. This polite action of greeting one another is not a fair representation of the population’s attitude.
The average housefly lives less than 30 days, Imagine planning your life knowing you had only one month to live. The people of Pakistan live like those houseflies not knowing if they will survive another year . A nation full of people living for themselves and only planning 5 to 6 months ahead, Pakistan is ridden with poverty and illiteracy.
Like a house without a roof, the Pakistan government provides the basis for security, yet it misses the mark and leaves the citizens vulnerable. Currently, Taliban forces have overrun a portion of the nation and the rest remains in continuous turmoil with constant threats from conflicting groups. Citizens of Pakistan walk in fear, bus burnings, riots, and other faces of death and destruction fill their environment and inhibit the growth of the nation.
To Americans this is unimaginable. From childhood, our outlook increases exponentially. Remember how far away Christmas used to seem? My mom is already planning for next years, ten months away. We could not even consider that we may not be around in ten months. Therefore, we plan; big elaborate ideas, and often we incorporate relationships and positive mindsets. The United States government is a house, a mansion in fact, with a strong steady roof.
Consider however, those places in America where this may not hold true, I know there are locations I will never wander because this innate threat that paralyzes visitors and citizens. Every engineer knows there is room for improvement. No person, no building, no government is without it’s faults. The faults of the United States government do not limit the possibility of security. These crime ridden and dangerous locations can be avoided yes? Don’t live in Arbor Hill, don’t drive in downtown Schenectady. The United States government provides a security the Pakistan government does not, leaving Americans much happier in comparison.
Sources and Related Reading:
1.http://pkpolitics.com/2008/04/09/violence-in-karachi/
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7570286.stm
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_Pakistan
4. http://wintonbates.blogspot.com/2009/02/what-are-links-between-freedom-and.html
5. http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ny/albany/crime/
