Nicole Trayvick
28 October, 2014
Ryan
ENG 101-16

Threats of America
The United States of America is one of the strongest world powers even though there are problems within itself. The United States of America is well known for being a well-developed country. The nation itself helps other countries grow and develop as well. America serves as a very influential and powerful country to the world. Even Howard Zinn, an American historian, said, “The American system is the most ingenious system of control in world history…It is a country so powerful, so big…” However, eve a powerhouse such as this faces challenges. These challenges are some that are within the country and some that simply deals with issues outside the country. There are many factors that threaten the success and future of America which challenge the country in ways that currently have no real solutions. There are four major challenges which threaten the country such as poverty, poor education, pollution, and war.
One challenge which the country faces is poverty. The United States Census Bureau defines poverty as an "economic condition in which people lack sufficient income to obtain basic needs for food, housing, clothing, health services and education." In other words poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom. When people think about poverty, they think of starving people in countries like Ethiopia and Somalia. What they do not know is many American people are forced to live in poverty. One out of seven people in the U.S. are living in poverty (“Poverty in the United States: A Snapshot.”). Many of these people have lost their jobs and homes or many others was born into poverty. In 2011, nearly 46.2 million Americans were living in poverty (“Eleven Facts about Education and Poverty in America”).The number of people losing their jobs and homes is increasing every day. Children that live below the poverty line are 1.3 times more likely to have developmental delays or learning disabilities than those who don’t live in poverty (“Eleven Facts about Education and Poverty in America”). These children tend to miss school because of their illness. Older children often have to stay home and take care of younger siblings while other older kids may go out and look for jobs to help pay the bills. The United Nations Population Fund states the following:
During this final year of the 20th century, a child will be born, bringing the world's population to 6 billion … The 6 billionth baby has less than 1 chance in 10 of being born into relative prosperity, as a member of the majority in an industrialized country or of the wealthy minority in a developing one. On the other hand, the child has 3 chances in 10 of being born into extreme poverty — and 4 in 10 of being only marginally better off. The 6 billionth child will also find himself in a world where the gap between rich and poor has never been so wide. The richest one fifth of humanity has 82 times the income of the poorest fifth — and consumes 86 per cent of the world's resources….("The Day of 6 Billion - Fast Facts”)
This study shows how severe poverty is in the United States and in the world. That 6 billionth baby boy was born two minutes after midnight on October 12, 1999 and live with his parents in a small apartment, deepening poverty. (RFE/RL) Another challenge which America faces is poor education. By the end of the 4th grade, African-American, Hispanic and low-income students are already 2 years behind grade level. By the time they reach the 12th grade they are 4 years behind ("Eleven Facts about Education and Poverty in America."). Education is important because it is the pathway for the future. Education determines the future of America’s economy. Education can ensure people critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and others. The nation’s lowest-performing high schools produce 58% of all African-American dropouts and 50% of all Hispanic dropouts, compared to 22% of all white dropouts