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In God We Trust

The most famous four letter adage that surrounds our community, engulfs our youth into a life plagued by violence and gang warfare are precisely those words you see in the title: "In God We Trust." It is on every dollar bill in the United States of America. It is the backbone of this country. It is this country.
In connections to its link with economy due to the fact that it is inscribed on our currency there also lays a religious correlation. We, as an individualistic society, have placed such significance on the importance of money; a reference of God can be located on both sides of any dollar bill, from the face of George Washington on the one dollar bill to the face of Benjamin Franklin on the one-hundred dollar bill and so on and so forth. If "In God We Trust" is on every dollar, as long as the United States of America continues to lead the world in consumerism, then I guess 97% of the population will always say they believe in God. That number is quite remarkable considering the diversity that characterizes the population.

No matter your religious affiliation, your gender, your sexual orientation, your socio-economic status, money matters. To those with money, their intent is to accumulate even more. Along with money comes the privilege of power, recognition, authority, and reverence. Nothing in life is free, from a good time at the amusement park to a nice dinner with your significant other. Everything and everybody has their price. The fact that "In God We Trust" is on our paper money illustrates society's infatuation with money and the materialistic possessions and lifestyles that accompany it. No wonder teenagers quit school to get a job or sell drugs. If we look to those in power, to those running our government, who are supposed to serve as role models and icons, then such matters as increased theft and drop-out rates are explainable. Look at political scandals such as Watergate, athletes such as Michael Vick and his gambling ties to his dogfight conviction and Charles Barkley's notable gambling issues. Hell, even Michael Jordan, arguable sport's greatest and most famous athlete of all time had gambling issues that surfaced during his playing career with the Bulls.
Growing up in poverty, in a neighborhood known for its drugs, loose women, weapon exploitation, dirty money, and crime, fast money is easier, more accessible, and comes in more excess and more often. Why go to school and pay over 15,000 dollars a semester, register

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