Poverty Amidst Plenty

The following newspaper description of the desperate plight of the homeless in a shanty town would appear to be one about India or Africa but it  isn't. A rake-thin old man dressed in rags and without shoes staggers up a dirt track. Around him, people are living in tree-houses and caves. 'This is Silicon Valley - home to the digital revolution and one of the most celebrated sites of wealth creation the world has ever known. .... As many as 350 people live here, hidden from the surrounding streets, on the banks of a polluted, sunken creek - only 12 miles from the headquarters of Apple.' (Times, 21 July) Some of the inhabitants have excavated holes in the earth about 15 feet deep, 15 feet wide and 30 feet long. They sling tarpaulins and pieces of scrap-wood over the top. In effect they live underground - like modern-day troglodytes. These people are not living the American Dream they are experiencing the American Nightmare. RD