America's war on its own children: How national policies and politics betray U.S. kids at every turn

Americans like to see themselves as a nation defined by opportunity, innovation, and the promise of a better future. Yet it is hard to ignore the mounting evidence that, in practice, many Americans undermine the youngest members of society at every turn.

From the appalling detention of immigrant children at the border to the lack of support for public schools, from inadequate lunch program funding to the refusal to enact even the most modest gun safety measures, these realities suggest a troubling truth that is inconvenient to admit.

There is a sizable portion of American society that holds American children in contempt.

The notion sounds shocking, but a closer look at the facts reveals a consistent pattern that calls into question America’s commitment to caring for and protecting Ameri