Are some more equal than others?
Each year, cherry blossoms herald the beginning of spring in Washington. For two fleeting weeks in March-April the cherry trees paint the landscape of the city and its suburbs with a splash of pink and white blooms. However, to really experience the blossoms in their full splendor, one must visit the Tidal Basin adjacent to the Potomac River.
There are more than 3,000 cherry blossom trees drooping in delicate clusters over the waters of the Basin. These were originally gifted to the Unites States by the Mayor of Tokyo in 1912 and the first sapling was planted by Helen Herron, President Taft's wife. In remembrance of this event, Washingtonians celebrate The National Cherry Blossom Festival each spring with an explosion of colour and brilliance which is almost indescribable!
One of my annual spring rituals is to take a stroll along the Basin, preferably on a lazy week-day afternoon, when there is no mad rush of tourists and photographers. As I walk under the canopy of trees with the subtle play of light and shade on my face, I lose track of time and space and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the pink and white flowers.
This year, I took my spring walk in early April. It was a relatively warm day, but the soft breeze from the Basin mellowed the afternoon sun, making it pleasant for a leisurely stroll. The Jefferson Memorial, which rests on the arc of the Tidal Basin, was visible through the leaning branches of the cherry trees. The monument offered a perfect picture post card view. On an impulse, I decided to visit it yet one more time.
The Jefferson Memorial, modeled after the Pantheon in Rome, has some interesting architectural features. Its marble steps and a circular colonnade of columns lead up to an inner open space which contains an imposing bronze statue of America's third President, Thomas Jefferson, looking out toward the White House … as if the Founding Father is overseeing the work of his successors.
However, what I find most fascinating about the Memorial is the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence engraved on the panel of its inner wall. The passage starts with a powerful statement: We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men.
As I stood inside the monument and revisited the lines, I marvelled at the wisdom, farsightedness and above all the compassionate fairness of this great Founding Father who, as early as in 1776, envisioned a nation where all men would have access to equal opportunities and equal rights.
Jefferson's reasoning seemed sound -- since "all men are created equal" by the Creator, governments must act as catalysts to make it possible for everyone to enjoy equal prospects for pursuing their dreams and ambitions.
Stepping into the car to head back, I thanked God for this idyllic day. Lost in my thoughts, I took a wrong turn and realised that I was driving in a different direction -- away from home. Before I could get my bearings, I found myself in the South Eastern part of Washington DC, which is the relatively low-income section of the city.
The houses and shops appeared more decrepit and run-down in comparison to the upscale environ of the Tidal Basin. Waiting to make a turn at a red light, I noticed an emaciated figure rummaging through a garbage dump at the street corner. Although I have witnessed extreme poverty in my part of the world, the sight hit me like a lightning bolt. It was difficult for me to reconcile myself to a situation where, barely a few miles from the beauty and magnificence of the monuments and the White House, a citizen of this great nation was searching for food in the trash.
The sense of contentment and composure I had gained a few moments ago evaporated; there was a void within me. Thomas Jefferson's words "that all men are created equal" did not match the vacant look and apparent desperation of the hungry man!
Confused and a bit shaken I asked myself: What happened to the equal rights and opportunities that the Constitution has vowed to provide each citizen of this country? And, what about the seductive pull of the "American Dream," which promises a better, richer and happier life for people of every rank? Has America, as a Nation, fallen short of living up to the standards that the Founding Fathers laid down two hundred and fifty years ago?
On my way home, I wondered whether there may be a more complex issue at play: is it indeed a "self-evident" truth that "all men are created equal" or was George Orwell correct when he declared in his satirical style that "some … (men) are more equal than others?" I don't have an answer. Do you?
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