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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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In The News: Surviving In Iraq

 (The Spokesman-Review)
(The Spokesman-Review)

Iraqis search for recyclables on a garbage dump near Najaf, Iraq, Friday. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

Question: I was struck by this photo this morning. We fret about the economic conditions of this country; yet, we still have a welfare and unemployment safety net. Meanwhile, the girl or young woman above is scouring a smoldering landfill for a few pop cans. Not only is she caught in poverty but she's caught in a culture that treats females like chattel. It should be hard to complain too much in this country when such conditions and much worse exist elsewhere. Do you ever consider how fortunate you are to live in this country, in good times or bad?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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