Equality vs. Equity

As I hear the terms interchanged in Washington, I must say, these terms are not interchangeable!  Realizing there is an increasing number of Americans who claim to be anticapitalists, socialism is certainly not the answer.  I know many anti-Trumpers who, like him, like to spend their money on the things in which they like to spend their money.  That is equality, not equity!

There is a huge difference between these two words and I have a wonderful allegory to make my point.  I am not going to mention families in this allegory, only earthly possessions; because that is what our government is currently addressing . . . Most of us are familiar with the term equity in real estate.  It's about the value of the property and the improvements on said property. 

I have a wonderful friend who, at 18 married her school sweetheart and when I say "school," I did not omit the words "high school."  She and her husband met when they were six years old.  As for when they officially became sweethearts, I don't have that fact, but they married the summer they graduated from high school.  At 18, they had a joint plan and began building a life together.  

My husband and I made completely different plans at the age of 18, so by the time we met @ 43 and 50, we hadn't built a life with anyone, but we had responsibilities and acquired obligations along the way.  This is where the term "equality" is defined.  We each had an equal opportunity.  We were all 18 at one time and making "adult" decisions.  Equal opportunity!  We all began our adult life at the same threshold . . . 18.

Now, let's address the term equity.  In the 25 years between 18 and 43, my friend and her husband acquired land, amassed a beautiful dairy herd, established a well-respected dairy, and built a beautiful home.  Not to tell all of my friend's business, but there is a beautiful home sitting on more than one hundred acres.  The place is immaculate and the dairy barn is amazing.  Farm equipment is also valuable and very much needed on an enterprise of that size.  

My husband and I did not even get started on this homesteading project until I was 47 years old.  While I had a vision of serving G-d and working the land, he appeared to envision his retirement.  We live on 10 acres in a manufactured home.  We have livestock and I feel very blessed to have what we have.  I couldn't take care of any more than we do, here.

Should my friend and I have the same equity?  Absolutely not!  The number of acres doesn't compare, the homes are not comparable, not to mention the difference in the livestock numbers.  The equity is not equal.  

To "equalize" our equity would be theft!