September 6, 2005--Namibia On the Hudson

Since we are finally talking about class in America, allow me to turn your attention to a recent piece you might have missed because it was in the NY Times Metro section—“In Manhattan, Poor Make 2 Cents For Each Dollar To the Rich” (September 4, 2005).

The Times commissioned an analysis of income disparity in Manhattan. It found that the upper fifth of earners now make 52 times what the lowest fifth make--$365,826 compared with $7,047. It also discovered that this gap has been widening—in 1980, for example, the top fifth made “only” 21 times what the bottom quintile earned. To put it another way, the lowest fifth now makes two cents for every dollar the top fifth earns. This gives new meaning to that famous New York City drink—the Two Cents Plain. (I’m showing my age again.)

Where does this place the City on a world scale; which countries have an equivalent income disparity? Do you know that former German colony in southwest Africa—Namibia? Well, that’s where NYC ranks.

I’ve been to Namibia and can report that conditions there do not fully resemble NYC. Ovamba Land, for example, is a bleak homeland for Blacks who were deported there by the colonists in a Namibian version of apartheid. We do not have that here, do we? Maybe in New Orleans but certainly not in Blue City New York, USA.