Scott Smith

I’d like directions (and a key) to the country Scott Smith described in his column (The Capital, July 1).

It’s clearly not the one where the other 90% of us live.

He’s correct that our country was founded on high ideals, but it’s hard to believe he can keep a straight face while being so confident we’re living up to them. “All people equal under the law”? Ask George Floyd about that one.

Freedom of speech? Ask the peaceful protesters tear-gassed recently in Washington. Opportunities not “decided by circumstances of birth”? Ask almost any poor or minority person about the quality of their schools, healthcare or employment prospects.

Almost every attempt to help achieve true equality of opportunity has been opposed by people like Smith using terms like socialism, communism and (his words) “invasive government intervention to enforce equality of outcome.” Without hardfought action by government (by the way, Scott, that’s us), we wouldn’t have Social Security, Medicare, unemployment insurance, desegregated schools and many other changes which have improved opportunities for everyone.

Smith seems comfortable with progress in 100-year increments. “Not long after independence, we fought to end the injustice of slavery. Americans rose to the occasion again to eradicate Jim Crow laws.” In case he hasn’t noticed, both are still works-in-progress 150-plus years later.

If Smith were poor or a minority, how happy do you think he’d really be to wait another 100 years for change?

BRUCE PHILLIPS Annapolis