Stat house
July 2003

An Independence Day Injustice Index
(courtesy of the Drum Major Institute)

Residents of Philadelphia, site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, living in poverty:   1 in 5

Approximate number of Philadelphians whose unemployment benifits expired last "Fourth of July" weekend:   46,000

Ratio of the number of Americans expected to participate in a barbeque this holiday weekend to the number of Americans who will go to bed hungry:   2:1

Percentage of the 108th U.S. Senate that engaged in combat while serving in the armed forces:   95

Percentage of homeless men in the U.S. that engaged in combat while serving in the armed forces:   40

Number of lower ranking army personnel that are experiencing "substantial financial difficulties":   4 in 10

Number of U.S. Senators with assets in the millions of dollars:   4 in 10

Number of British troops, under the "Quartering Act" of 1765, required to be provided with housing, bedding, and food, by American colonists:   10,000

Number of American war veterans today living on U.S. city streets without adequate housing, bedding, or food:   250,000

Number of U.S. flags flown over the U.S. Capitol last "Fourth of July" at the request of House and Senate members:   125,000

Amount spent in the United States last year to import American flags from China:   $5.2 million

Number of Americans who have lost the right to vote due to a felony conviction, 239 years after colonists' rallying cry against "taxation without representation":   4.65 million

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