Posts tagged government
travels of reading part 1
Sep 7th
So.
This is part a rant about people who don’t take advantage of reading and part simply a plea for people to read as often as they can.
Let me begin with the traveling ‘thing’ I mention upfront.
I have been extremely fortunate in my life to have had the opportunity to travel the globe. And experience lots of things. And see a lot of different things.
But even with that.
I tend to believe books and reading have offered the best travels I have ever experienced. Yeah. I do love reading and I believe reading books really is like traveling.
Traveling to places. To thoughts. To others minds. To other types of thinking. To fresh ideas.
It is an absolute fact that everyone has the opportunity to see so many things through reading.
And imagine things with limitless boundaries.
And experience thinking and ideas and combinations of words that energize the mind and the heart and the soul.
Reading just gets you … well … thinking. Just thinking about things.
We all have found those moments in books when reading.
There are those moments when you actually traveled through a slice of someone ‘else’s life living it word by word.
As I typed that I remember I was fortunate to be given a proofers copy of The Horse Whisperer and asked my opinion. I know I gave it a great review.
And I believe it made me cry in the first 50 pages (which may be one of the most heart wrenching tangled emotional ‘stepping into a moment’ sections of a book I have ever encountered).
That is an example of traveling through someone else’s life experience.
You travel through their experience and feel it. In your gut. You live it. You get so close to the moment through the words you feel like you have traveled there.
I find the same (but different) feeling when I read The Economist.
Anyway.
Anyone who reads knows about the moments when you come across a thought, a feeling, a way of looking at things that you’d thought and it was lurking in your own mind and it appears on a page articulated by by someone else, someone you’ve never met, maybe even someone long passed.
It’s as if someone has heard your thought and knew you couldn’t figure out a way to put it in words and has traveled to say “here it is, worry no more, for now you know what it is.”
And, of course, (because I am consistent on this issue and I am who I am) reading an easy path to knowledge.
Of course you can gain knowledge through experience, or discussion, or other paths … but reading is so freely available and simple that it can only be deemed a great failure to anyone who doesn’t encourage it as a core activity … if not privilege.
I do know I would like to see America become a place that’s proud of intellectual curiosity. But I fear too often intellectual curiosity is belittled by people whose idea of culture is determined by television or People-type magazines or internet blogs.
You would like to think that knowledge should be a lifelong goal and not something satisfied by high school mandatory reading lists or four years of college … but rather a lifetime of reading.
Here is the issue (ok. some issues).
Okay. Some statistics.
From bookstatistics.com:
- 58% of the US adult population never reads another book after high school.
- 42% of college graduates never read another book.
- 80% of US families did not buy or read a book last year.
- 70% of US adults have not been in a bookstore in the last five years.
Ok.
Did you know that there are approximately 30 million adults in the U.S. who can’t read?
Yikes.
THAT last one sends a shiver down my spine.
While I would like to think most people would like to read (like I do) but I guess I also assume they can actually read.
But.
Look at number 2 on the list. 80% of families did not buy or read a book. 80 frickin’ percent.
Whew.
What happens to us (from childhood where we seem to have endless supplies of books to read)?
I do know that one of my favorite childhood memories is “reading” The Hobbit.
Ok. I didn’t read it. Our teacher read it to us in installments in elementary school in ‘reading time.’
Afterwards? I couldn’t wait to get my own hands on it.
Since then I have read it and the entire Lord of the Rings maybe 10 times. I have no idea at what age was my first time but it has to be very young. I remember being fascinated, excited and impatient waiting for the next chapter to unfold. I created pictures in my mind at each reading and the next day another picture would be drawn.
So.
I am not suggesting everyone love reading as much as I do.
But understanding what reading has to offer is important.
Not everyone can physically travel and books not only give someone an opportunity to travel anywhere in the ‘now’ but they give you an opportunity to travel through time … and see ideas past, present and future.
Look. I know reading books certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on becoming “smart.”
I’ve read some amazing stuff online, and I’ve read amazingly thought provoking newspaper articles (not in local papers but the NY Times or The Guardian). And I do think staying open to new media is a key sign of intellectual curiosity.
I don’t know.
In any case, I don’t know if people who don’t read lack intellectual curiosity. I think there can be other ways to satisfy intellectual curiosity (particularly in today’s web crazy world).
But I do think if you don’t read you can find yourself with a lack of ability to think in the abstract and the potential.
You may have heard the term “lifelong learning.”
Though learning begins when we are children education is truly a never ending process (and reading can play an important part of learning for everyone). Reading not only keeps us informed about the world around us but also provides intellectual stimulation and helps keep us mentally sharp.
Reading offers benefits not found in more “passive” media.
It gives the brain a much better workout than does watching television. When we watch TV, we take in the information in a passive way. But reading allows the mind to:
- pause, reflect, think
- operate more actively
- use intellect and emotion together
- develop a longer attention span.
Oh.
And on that last bullet point. To those of you who may say “I don’t have the attention span to read.” Well. There ain’t anyone out there who has a shorter attention span than I do. I have the attention span of a gnat. And still a book can suck me in to a place where it doesn’t become about ‘attention’ any more but rather ‘involvement.’
Ok.
Regardless of all my own personal ramblings on the greatness of reading there are some actual studies (if you doubt that this whole reading is traveling thing is really for you).
- Carnegie Mellon scientists discovered that the volume of brain white matter in the language area of the brain increased after study participants followed a six-month daily reading program. The Carnegie Mellon study proved that the brain structure can be improved by training poor readers to become better readers.
- In 2009, Mayo Clinic conducted a Study of Aging that offered some good news for middle-aged and senior adults. Reading a book and other cognitive activities could decrease the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MCI is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
This says we should assume the brain is like a muscle. Studies prove that exercising it and stimulating it makes it stronger. Reading stimulates brain activity. Reading a variety of “things” (blogs, books, newspapers, etc.) challenges the brain to think in new directions and absorb new concepts and information.
And children?
Children benefit from reading on many levels. Parents actively stimulate their child’s brain by sharing a reading time with them. Interactive reading time creates a shared bond between parent and child along with provoking a child’s natural curiosity about the world and environment.
Giving a child a chance to ask questions, express an interest in a particular topic, and hear new vocabulary and ideas forms a positive impression on a child that lasts a lifetime. Children with poor reading skills have a tendency to feel more anxious and sad (that comes from a study but I lost the source).
Reading also means we are in more control of how we learn and absorb different ideas. We can skim over portions that interest us less, move backwards and forwards, reread and, as in my case, make notes or write spectacularly articulated things down.
Reading helps keep us oriented and engaged.
Science, history, biographies, self help, religion, philosophy … the list is really endless … all make our ‘world’ a little more ‘full’ (but it is a glass that can never actually be completely filled) with each book we read.
I left this to the end because people who haven’t really figured out how to enjoy reading don’t “get” this. But there is an amazing pleasure to sitting down with a good book. It’s kind of like traveling to anywhere in the world (imagined or real) without leaving the comfort of our own chair. We can visit a fantasy realm with JRR Tolkien, or the American West with Louis L’Amour, or solve a mystery with Sherlock Holmes or see the intricacies of war with Tom Clancy. (that list could truly go on and on)
So.
In the end.
Some people will never ever be interested in learning unless dragged, kicking and screaming.
My biggest hope is that we adults (the ones who don’t like reading) don’t hinder our kids natural curiosity about the world and still encourage them to read (it is unfortunate that kids typically do as they see … so … if you don’t read they don’t feel compelled to do so).
I do know that I will never quit trying to give everyone the opportunity to love reading and knowledge and encouraging curiosity.
Why?
Because not all of us have the privilege to travel.
And books give everyone the privilege to travel.
Doesn’t get much simpler than that.
memory part 1: 65 years ago
Aug 20th
So. This is about amnesia.
Or lack of long term memory.
Look.
We Americans certainly have a pattern of historical amnesia on occasion.
And the day I am going to refer to edges upon an amnesia moment.
VJ Day.
Huh?
Known most for this picture to the right.
VJ Day is the day that Japan officially surrendered to the US and ended World War 2.
Of course everyone has seen the picture but if you think about it (beyond the obvious joy of two people – regardless of whether it was staged or not) it is a peek into a world none of my generation knows.
A world that believed total victory was possible. A world that said large sacrifices needed to be made to gain large things (democracy, freedom … stuff like that). A world that said you made hard decisions that often in retrospect may look not as black & white as you would like but in the moment achieved what needed to be achieved.
The Cold War (a 50 year silent war) was on the horizon.
This is a world difficult for any of my age group or younger can fathom.
It was on August 14th in 1945 that Americans were greeted with a two-word newsflash, “Japan Surrenders” World War II was over.
(note: it was August 15th in Japan, but, because of time zone differences, it was August 14th in the US.)
Most of us greeted the VJ Saturday as a day away from the office. Just a weekend day that gave us an opportunity to spend time with family, to shop or just relax.
It should have been a big day for remembrance.
August 14th marked the end of a conflict that claimed more human lives than any in history.
Many people believe that WWII ended with the dropping of the two A-Bombs on Hiroshima on August 6th and Nagasaki on August 9th but the Japanese did not immediately surrender after these attacks. In fact, there were Japanese rebels who wished to prolong the war
All Americans should take time to remember days like V-J Day and remember the men and women who fought to preserve the precious freedoms we almost lost.
War brought America together. Our military and citizens performed heroically, sacrificing on the home front as well as in combat. Political and personal disagreements were set aside. Output from our factories soared as the country became the arsenal of democracy in this global conflict. Americans united and labored as one, working toward a single goal: victory against the forces of totalitarianism and racist ideologies.
Victory would come, but it was hard won. On May 8, 1945, Germany capitulated. Then, following the atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan surrendered on august 14th.
There is urgency to addressing our historical amnesia. WWII veterans are dying at the rate of 800 a day, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This year there are 1,981,216 surviving veterans in the USA. In 2020 there will only be 269,721. Those who experienced V-J Day are leaving us.
Nowadays, it seems VJ Day celebrations are muted mostly because as we look in retrospect we tie the end of the war with the Air Force B29s, Enola Gay and Bockscar, dropping Little Boy and Fat Man, the atomic bombs on the essentially civilian targets of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs killing over 200,000 people, including many women and children.
My opinion?
Muted celebrations.
What’s done is done and don’t think for a moment that the Japanese wouldn’t have dropped a couple on the Allies (Americans and/or America) if they had them.
War is an ugly. And WW2 was all that. But one cannot suggest that the Allies should have sacrificed hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of their own troops in an invasion of Japan in order to spare Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
But. War is about winning (within a morality structure) with the least expenditure of your own soldiers and people. Period.
Oh. I would also like to point out, even without an atomic bomb, the Japanese managed to kill more innocent Chinese civilians at Nanking alone than the two atomic bombs together.
Historical amnesia.
Now. Historical amnesia is a scary thing. Because in generations and cycles and recurring actions (recurring mistakes) and memories it means we forget. And if we forget it means we are more likely to do again. Sound silly when you talk about something like a war the size of World War 2? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm … not really.
At the end I have some casualty graphs.
I sometimes believe World War 2 is becoming just a phrase.
As time goes by the true extent of that conflict (versus say a 9/11 which admittedly did happen on our home land which WW2 did not) is stunning in comparison. It may not be fair to compare 3000 to 1 million but numbers are numbers are numbers.
And if we do not remind ourselves of things like this on occasion we are doomed to make similar mistakes in the future and allow it to happen all over again.
Why? Because, of course, it could never happen to us (or so we say to ourselves).
Anyway.
Thus, while we may be a forward-looking people, I encourage all Americans to pause and reflect on the sacrifice of the Hero generation. The GI generation.
Remember V-J Day. Remember all remembrance days of World War 2 and the Korean War.
Seek out a GI veteran (heck. any veteran actually) and thank him or her.
They really did change the world.
To end this.
Some historical numbers to remember. Many many people took part in World War 2 and sacrificed a lot for us to be living the lives we lead today.
And we shouldn’t forget what they did … for us.
about china 4: struggles of African democracy
Aug 2nd
So. As I discussed in about china part 3 that Africa is becoming an economic battleground where (simplistically because there are others in play) you have china on one side and USA on the other where government (or let’s say “ruling ideology”) and finance are the weapons.
First. Let’s remind ourselves of what Africa offers economically. Africa is a big continent. Like really big. And sorry to say to all of us Americans … much much bigger than USA.
Okay.
Second. That said there is a lot at stake economically which means their politics should matter to us. Because democracies “play” with us (the USA) and non-democracies don’t like to play with us as much.
(that was simple global economics 101).
So what is happening? (because I titled this that democracy is struggling in Africa).
By the end of December almost half of the sub-Saharan Africa’s 48 countries will have gone to the polls for an assortment of local, regional and national elections. This is a big year for African voters. The electoral calendar has never been so crowded and crowed with some key “elections” (Kenya even has a constitutional referendum up for vote).
However. Let’s not be fooled. Elections are often a poor guide to a country’s overall state of democracy and civil liberties.
So. A total number of elections can be deceptive.
The Economist published this awesome map of Africa in their recent article “The democracy bug is fitfully catching on”. the map reflects how countries “rate” in terms of democracy (they had some nifty criteria to measure but suffice it to say the do a nice job of giving us a quick overview of the true state of democracy in Africa).
The Economist is hopeful. They believe the sheer number of coming elections is cause for hope (on the other hand, am not so hopeful).
But. The advance of African democracy remains spotty at best. It is true the “big men” (or authoritative if not dictative leaders) find a way to stay put, whatever the voters may want.
And I am less hopeful than The Economist because I also see the underpinnings of China’s economic influence.
China does not publicly condone democracy yet they certainly do not condone authoritative ruling systems either (and they invest a LOT of money).
In fact their economic support suggests a supportive stance to ‘dictatorship-like’ countries.
China has always been adept at ignoring and even stigmatizing western criticism of its foreign policy or human-rights record. It would be much harder for China to ‘ignore’ if African leaders consistently held China to account with regard to transparency and human rights. But the struggles of democracy point to China not being put in this position but rather being in a position of continuing strength and tight ties to the large number of “flawed” to hybrid to even nonexistent democratic countries.
We in the West would like to emphasize the ultimately unsustainable strategy of courting dictators in key resource-rich African states. However, that strategy certainly looks quite sustainable in the existing, and foreseeable, political environment because democracy seems to be struggling.
Looking at The Economist map it, frankly, becomes difficult to foresee it becoming possible to change China’s oil ventures from the amorality of “business is business” into something more tangible and positive for Africa and its peoples.
The hope?
Elections have become a normal occurrence on a continent once better known for the frequency and violence of its coups and civil wars. Since the late 1990s the number of coups has fallen sharply whereas the number of elections has increased, sometimes in the unlikeliest of places.
It also helps that it appears gone are the days of the cold war when West and East propped up their favored dictators for geostrategic reasons (although China is once again playing by their own rules).
It helps that a lot of aid money and diplomatic support are tied to progress in governance and democracy. Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, for example, held the country’s recent election as part of a peace deal with the country’s southern rebels, brokered largely by the United States in 2005. Countries such as Ghana and Mali have every incentive to stay democratic to get billions of dollars of aid from America’s Millennium Challenge Account, started in 2002. This requires Africa countries to prove a commitment to good governance and elections if they are to get the money.
(although, once again, I will point to the chart I placed in China part 3 with the billions of dollars being invested by China into Africa … hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm has anybody else noticed this is suddenly beginning to look like a high stakes poker game?).
And it’s not just the money. There is also a true belief beginning to take hold. Africa’s own regional groupings, notably the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have also started punishing member states that fall prey to coups.
Now.
It is clear that in the long term, a stable and prosperous Africa is certainly in China’s interest. And, The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing is clear evidence that that China is invested in Africa for the long term.
So. They ain’t leaving soon in other words. And they are interested in stabilizing the continent (in their best interest of course).
Someone else said this but I agree that the rest of the world (see USA although the UN has also stepped up lately) cannot ignore or stigmatize China in Africa. The only feasible strategy is to engage. And by engage I mean take them on.
Militarily? Nope.
Economically? Yup.
And, as noted earlier, it behooves us to tie the economics to government because in the long run that is sustainable (and a good sustainable for USA).
But China is going full bore using aid, diplomacy, weapons sales and Chinese ex pats with the intent to become the preeminent power in the region. And China’s increased activity in Africa has emerged at a time when the continent’s democratic evolution is at cross roads.
The rash of current elections is a reflection of the fact most African countries embraced democracy and open market economies only in the 1990s. Progress towards consolidation of democracy and respect for human rights has been very slow in most African countries, due to the narrow depth of internal democratic forces, high levels of poverty and role of military in governing but it is happening now.
Most of the democratic concessions obtained in Africa in the 1990s were certainly gained thru western government assistance (conditional economic support).
So. All that said. What are the implications of Chinese economic presence in Africa (and ultimately their presence will impact international relations, democracy, and human rights)?
Now, poverty in Africa is pervasive, and has hardly spared any one, including the political leaders. The Chinese are aware of this, and are preying on the poverty of many African political leaders.
How?
- In Rwanda, the big modern Chinese embassy bristles with communication antennas and dishes serves as a gateway to the Eastern Congo and its untold mineral wealth. It has been widely reported that China recently purchased half the farm land under cultivation in the Congo.
- Roads in Nairobi are being widened and repaved with large billboards telling Kenyans that the work is a gift from the people of China. Yet the fact is the roads create a modern infrastructure to move African commodities to ports for shipment to China.
- Rural South African towns that have been losing population for two decades are seeing an influx of Chinese small businesses. It has been suggested many of the small businessmen who have fanned out across rural farming and mining constituencies have ties to Chinese intelligence.
- In neighboring Namibia, China established its first overseas military base to track its satellite and manned space flights.
So. Here is the tricky part.
America is in a unique position to promote freedom of choice/thinking and free markets in Africa. The United States can compete with China diplomatically and commercially in the region. The United States does not carry baggage from a colonial past as do European countries. Sub Saharan Africa is a place where America remains truly popular. The Millennium Development Corporation is better known there than here. The United States is lead by a President of African descent, widely admired on the continent, and American pop culture rules in Africa.
Okay. That isn’t tricky. It is actually doing it that is tricky.
To stem the Chinese tide and to give Africans the opportunity to have a better future, the United States must strongly advocate for human rights, democracy and freedom on the continent. We cannot be reticent to criticize African strongmen in forums such as the UN. The people of Africa are looking for us to bolster them as they struggle against tyranny and corruption.
Oh. And, yes, bolster means money (and that is where it gets really tricky).
We should support those countries such as Botswana, Rwanda and South Africa (and any country that appears as democracy, flawed democracy or hybrid on The Economist map) that are committed democracies and nurture any countries that are making progress in the right direction with increased trade, investment and tourism. The budget of the Millennium Development Corporation should be increased and focused on Africa. America should remain at the forefront of funding HIV/AIDS, polio vaccination and anti-malaria programs on the continent.
Ah. But right now the US people are just not interested in spending money elsewhere when we have 10+% unemployment and we want to spend money at home. But. We gotta do it.
So.
Why us?
(I have two answers to that)
First. A non economic reason.
We are the voice of democracy. Like it or not that is our role. We stand for “freedom of” and no matter how much we want to bitch and moan about “focusing on us” our country has a responsibility. Particularly when a bully enters the schoolyard (China).
Look.
I write a lot about letting other countries govern as they see fit. Yes. I believe we should sometimes let China govern their own country & people as they see fit (or how about just because they don’t have a democracy we shouldn’t be so high and mighty to a country that has a history that makes our looks like a dot on a page). But. There is a difference when they seek to bully another kid in the playground.
We are the one, and should be the one, to step up and say “not in this playground.” We encourage democracy and do not stifle freedom to … whatever. So. That said. We need to step up to the plate with emerging governments and give them a chance to really govern. And make a choice. So. That’s that.
Second. Economically.
This where short term pain cannot dictate long term gain development. A free and transparent Africa will be a friendly place for the United States and a partner in trade and culture long into the future. An Africa dominated China is unlikely to be such a partner.
All that said. The time for America to fully engage in Africa is now. Because if we don’t we won’t be allowed to play in the playground. And this is a really really big playground. And our wallets will look a lot slimmer in the future. And none of us want that.
The economic battle for Africa is on. Clearly China has taken the field. USA must also.
about China thoughts part 3: africa
Aug 2nd
I have written a couple of posts about the growing conflict between United States and China. Maybe I shouldn’t call it ‘conflict’ but rather their ‘jockeying for position’ globally. 
Okay. Yeah. I am gonna call it conflict.
In this case I will call it “economic conflict.”
(although I would imagine it could elevate to another type of conflict at some point)
How this post started.
I just read two things at almost at the same time and in my wacky brain I connected a couple of thoughts (at least they were both about China).
The Economist had a short article on “the simmering anger of urban china.”
Henning Mankell’s new book “The Man from Bejing” (its fiction but has a thread of an interesting plot about China’s current situation).
So. Of all the creepy communist leaders Mao kind of got communism the best. His teachings create a dilemma today in china.
First is the Chinese vision of communism industrialized and encouraged a thriving rural agricultural community. For all of his visions warts he created (using his words) “a society where everyone can now buy a pair of pants but we need to understand that getting everyone to the second pair was more difficult than the first.” (and we in “abundant” USA have a habit of focusing on the second pair more than getting to the first pair)
Second. Colonization is not an option in Mao communism. That is a capitalistic concept. (this is key to something I speak about later)
Third. Culture. What I mean is ‘China as being the forefront empire globally’. This creates boundaries to Maoism communist expansion.
For example (and I am going to generalize to get the points across).
Lenin’s vision of communism was a coalition of communist “countries” sharing an ideology. If he had lived he wouldn’t have aimed for a “soviet” union but rather a “communist” union with disparate geographies within the union.
Stalin believed a Russian personality or culture was essential and therefore boundaries needed to be defined and Stalinism communism preeminent within boundaries (hence the Soviet Union).
Anyway.
The current Chinese situation (as predicted by Mao himself) is the increased separation or gap between the haves and the have nots. That is not really a reflection of ideology but rather a thriving economy globally which has permitted some sectors to thrive faster than others (which is a no no in communism). Add in a huge rural population (or unrest among a growing number of have nots) and a huge military (not necessarily driven by the haves but compelled to protect the state).
So Henning Mankell (mostly known for his excellent Kurt Wallander mystery series) suggests the solution to China’s problems is by moving millions of rural Chinese to third world countries with fertile geography (but the developing country doesn’t have the population to cultivate it). Therefore creating a new source of income for China as well as cultivate satellite communist countries making them economically and ideologically viable as well as ease the existing rural dilemma in current China (by shipping them elsewhere).
Wow. On so many levels this is a viable solution to China’s issues (overlooking Maoism construct). And a very scary proposition on so many levels for other countries around the world even if they plan on peaceful expansion.
Regardless. Africa will be, and current is on a lower scale, playing a significant role in the ongoing economic conflict between China and the USA. Interestingly (in that I had mentioned Lenin/Stalin) the reality is China learned a lot about how USA squeezed the Soviet Union economically (no real shots fired in that conflict) to ultimately defeat the Soviet Union. And it seems China is trying the same tactic now to the USA.
And a key fighting ground is Africa in the ‘economic conflict’ now taking place (the Google thing is another thing which I will have another post on later).
We shouldn’t overlook China simply because they are on the other side of the world.
China has been ignored as a true world power and a player globally for quite a long time.
But even Napoleon recognized the potential of China when he said “let china sleep, for when china wakes, she will wake the world.”
Well.
She is awakening.
And we should pay attention now to what is happening in Africa (and I have another post about how the battle for democracy is struggling in Africa which ultimately affects China’s ability to impact African activity).
China is well placed in Africa as democracy struggles.
To establish a long-term and stable relationship of full cooperation between China and African countries in the 21 century, President Jiang Zemin put forward five principles of guidance during his visit to Africa in 1996:
- sincere friendship
- equality
- solidarity and cooperation
- common development
- being oriented to the future
Other Chinese leaders such as Premier Zhu Rongji, Chairman Li Ruihuan and Vice President Hu Jingtao visited Africa successively in the recent years. Since 1997, over 40 chiefs of state and heads of government from various African countries have visited China. China and African countries have conducted productive bilateral and multilateral dialogues.
The shining example of this dialogue is the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation–Ministerial Conference held in Beijing in October 2000. It is there a program was adopted towards the creation of a new-type, long-term and stable strategic partnership between China and Africa based on equality and mutual benefit. The Foreign Ministry of China has set up workable consultation mechanism with a dozen of their African counterparts. African countries firmly support China in its endeavor for national unification (uhm, that means Taiwan is no longer a sovereign state but rather just another Chinese island).
And most of them support China’s “one China” policy.
China and African countries have carried out many exchanges in the fields of parliament and political parties.
In particular, close cooperation has been established in international forums while handling the issue of human rights and other important issues. In those forums they made joint efforts to maintain the lawful rights of developing countries and push forward the creation of a new, fair and just political and economic order in the world.
(note: this is a slightly disturbing issue in that China has never been the poster child for positive Human rights)
China has provided African countries with great assistance since their independence; with a view to help them develop national economy and advance the social progress (and, yes, while not a big ‘push’ there has certainly been some discussion of Chinese farmers cultivating African soil).
In the past decade China has clearly identified the African continent as an area of significant economic and strategic interest. America and its allies and friends are finding that their vision of a prosperous Africa governed by democracies that respect human rights and the rule of law and that embrace free markets is being challenged by the escalating Chinese influence in Africa.
Let’s be clear.
The People’s Republic of China aids and abets oppressive and destitute African dictatorships by legitimizing their misguided policies and praising their development models as suited to individual national conditions. Beijing holds out China’s unique development model-significant economic growth overseen by a disciplined, one-party totalitarian state with full authority, if not control, over all aspects of economic activity-as an example for their African counterparts to emulate.
Specifically.
Chinese government firms have invested billions of dollars in foreign exchange and have used Chinese engineering and construction resources on the economic infrastructure (oil, gas, minerals, etc) in dozens of African countries (Algeria, Angola, Gabon, Nigeria, Sudan, Zimbabwe).
The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) is the single largest shareholder (40 percent) in the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, which controls Sudan’s oil fields. In March 2004, Beijing extended a $2 billion loan to Angola in exchange for a contract to supply 10,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Oh. And the loan is being reinvested (up to 70% of it) back into Chinese firms building economic infrastructure. In July 2005, PetroChina concluded an $800 million deal with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to purchase 30,000 barrels of oil per day for one year. In January 2006, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) purchased a 45 percent stake in a Nigerian offshore oil and gas field for $2.27 billion and promised to invest an additional $2.25 billion in field development.
Once again.
I write these things to try and make us a little smarter about what is happening in the world outside of our own struggles.
There are big things happening in the world today.
Things that affect us. And, frankly, things that affect our economy (which is near and dear to our hearts and wallets).
China is patient (they don’t think in terms of years but rather in terms of hundreds of years).
China is smart (attacking economically and not militarily).
And they recognize opportunity (Maoism at its best).
About China 4 is about the struggles of democracy in Africa. That struggle becomes a cornerstone to defending ourselves from the global economic conflict taking place at the moment. And at the moment democracy is losing in Africa.
Stay tuned.
reading comments under articles scares me sometimes
Jul 29th
So. Here was the article in USAToday: Blind to history in Richmond http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2010-04-08-editorial08_ST2_N.htm
Suffice it to say when the governor of Virginia declared April to be confederacy history month (which I don’t mind personally) he never mentioned slavery as an issue or a discussion point with regard to the confederacy and the civil war.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm …. Not once.
Okay. That I do have an issue with. But. Anyway.
It’s the comments below the article that gave me pause.
That’s the killer. That’s what scares me. Try this comment on for size:
Come on folks. if we’re going to teach our children about America’s worst yet finest hour, then let’s teach it correctly. Slavery in the south was but a secondary cause of the civil war. states rights were the first and foremost cause of the War of Northern Aggression.
First and foremost, so many of you actually don’t know history and are re-writing it here. The fact is that the civil war WASN’T about slavery! Yes, we all know that Lincoln signed the emancipation proclamation essentially ending slavery. And we know that the south certainly was in FAVOR of slavery. But, again, that is not why the confederate states succeeded, nor was that why the civil war was fought.
Anyone with even a basic knowledge of US History knows that the Civil War was not about slavery. That was only a side issue.
ok. Yikes. (even beyond the fact the commenter suggested “seceded” should be spelled “succeeded”)
ok. Double yikes then.
Giving the benefit of the doubt … maybe this is the chicken and egg discussion (which comes first).
In my wacky world it is called stimulus – response. In this case the stimulus is slavery.
I don’t really care what response you select (the war, states’ rights, sustaining southern economy, etc) the stimulus seems to be slavery. Maybe someone can argue that if slavery wasn’t around that eventually states would have eventually seceded at some point over some other state power struggle.
Sure.
And maybe someone can get their head out of their ass and just stop this whole discussion.
The civil war was about slavery. Period.
Everything else was simply a result of it.
If someone wanted to argue that the war was fought because the government couldn’t align on finding a solution to slavery I may tag along for that discussion. For in the end (assuming you believe America has some moral compass) if someone had said to slave owners “here is how we can abolish slavery and maintain the current economy” I would hope that everyone would have sat down at the table and say “let’s do it.”
But arguing the civil war wasn’t about slavery seems downright silly to me. For if you believe it is about state’s rights, and therefore each state had the right to elect to have slaves versus not have slaves … or that owning a person was “right” … well … yikes again.
(Sorry. That is as smart a response as I can come up with when thinking down that path).
Look.
Our founding fathers knew slavery was wrong. It is fiction but if you want an easy read and a nice background on the discussion surrounding slavery and our constitution pick up The Lost Constitution by William Martin. Our constitution was written struggling with this issue. And they were pretty smart people. The civil war was the ultimate culmination of that struggle.
State rights as the issue of the civil war. It’s sad to see people write that. Very very sad.
It suggests the moral compass of the country doesn’t exist. And that is just plain wrong.
Owning another human being is wrong. C’mon people. We know that.
If we want to fight a war over state’s rights go ahead and be that stupid and do it.
But ultimately the civil war was a morality war. And while soldiers may have actually fought for any variety of reasons and were heroes in their own right (confederate or union) our government failed us in that they couldn’t offer a viable economic solution to the moral dilemma.
And in the end we fought a war because we were not united in an effort to right that wrong.
But. Suffice it to say. Reading comments under some articles scares me.
unhealthy eating Part 4: implementation
Jul 15th
A friend (I use that term loosely) asked me how the program I suggested in Part 3 could be effectively implemented when there is an economic cost of eating healthy and the role the government would have to play in altering that.
Well. First. He is correct.
It is a fact there are some significant subsidies and a lot of companies with great interests in keeping things the way they are:
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/why-a-big-mac-costs-less-than-a-salad/
Second. Look. I don’t really believe the wacky pyramid charts in the article (too many dimensions and % of %’s aspects that make it difficult to put in a useful pyramid).
But.
Let’s just agree in the current situation/environment the government subsidizes (for a number of good reasons as well as some wrong reasons) a variety of unhealthy focused items versus more healthy items.
Bottom line? The government spends an average of $4.6 billion on subsidies for corn and nothing on fruit/vegetables.
And according to a March ‘08 NY Times article, My Forbidden Fruits (and vegetables), farmers are actually fined when they plant fruits and veggies on land that is designated for corn (oh, here’s a random factoid for you, a Big Mac registers at 53% corn due to all the corn that the cows ate and the high fructose corn syrup so Big Macs – not picking on McDonalds although I like Wendy’s burgers better but they are also in the same situation – are actually partially subsidized by the government).
Anyway.
I guess the point of all these facts is to point out that the existing farm and government infrastructure is not really conducive to a large population shift in eating behavior.
Well.
You could pretty much have said the same thing about the tobacco & government relationship at the onset of the anti tobacco initiatives in the early 1970’s. In addition that battle continued for decades before subsidies and government programs actually swung in a different direction.
There were lots of subsidies and “keeping things the way they are.”
But. It has changed. It has been a long complex battle but in the end smoking (tobacco) has lost … or let’s say is in the process of losing.
All that said let’s go to implementation (because that will be the way to actually affect unhealthy eating behavior AND actually change the way that government looks at this issue).
So. I have suggested Unhealthy Eating as an addiction.
And Mortality education is the linchpin to a communications program.
My thoughts on implementation.
First. I do believe the recent healthcare reform where the government will become more active in day to day health insurance programs should benefit unhealthy addiction programs. Well. Let me take that back. IF the new healthcare reform (which, ladies & gentlemen, is unlikely to happen as the government argues over stupid stuff) happens, an unhealthy initiative would benefit.
Second. I have already written here I am not a big detractor of government developed programs. I do believe they do a nice job developing and initial implementation of national programs (ongoing management not so much). So some type of national federally funded initiative would work well here. Let me clarify this also. This does not mean it has to be an actual federal program but rather a national fund where states could access matching funds if they meet some specific criteria (portions of anti-tobacco does this same thing I believe).
Third. I would implement unhealthy eating programs on a state level (primarily).
Similar to anti tobacco (anti smoking) campaigns from day one the most successful case studies came from individual states and in fact success at an individual state level eventually drove a stake through the heart of federal subsidies and the tobacco lobbyist construct.
We should let states take this one on in the beginning.
Some will get it righter than others but they learn fast.
The key is getting some success and some trial & error things in place. State driven initiatives are incredibly good at ‘borrowing’ successful ideas from other states (as well as challenging ideas with the intent of always improving … or simply the competitiveness of ‘looking better than those jerks in that other state).
Going back to my “primarily” comment I would like to note that it was a federal program that created the controversial smoking black lung messaging and drugs scrambled egg and John Lennon ‘imagine’ gun control messaging. So a federal based campaign can create a strong messaging platform. That means, stating once again, I wouldn’t be opposed to a federal unhealthy eating campaign.
I just believe in the end if we really want to get some traction and develop campaigns that will affect behavior they should be implemented on the state level.
There you go. Nothing brilliant here. In fact I am stealing the successful learnings from the anti-tobacco initiatives. But why reinvent the wheel?
Célébrons ! bastille day, baguettes & vel’ d’Hiv
Jul 14th
Bastille Day
So. Today, July 14th, France celebrates its national holiday in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille prison. Oh. Everyone should also note that if you want anything done in France today forget it. I flew through De Gaulle airport one 14th only to find out about 50% of the workers didn’t show up that day. Needless to say there were some delays.
Anyway. Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution marked the end of absolute monarchy, the birth of the sovereign Nation, and, eventually, the creation of the (First) Republic, in 1792.
The Bastille was a prison and a symbol of the absolute and arbitrary power of Louis the 16th’s Ancient Regime. By capturing this symbol, the people signaled that the king’s power was no longer absolute: power should be based on the Nation and be limited by a separation of powers.
Although the Bastille only held seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the storming of the prison was a symbol of liberty and the fight against oppression for all French citizens. The other symbol remains the French Tricolore flag. It symbolizes the Republic’s three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity for all French citizens.
What English speakers call Bastille Day the French call le 14 juillet. If you want to wish French speaker a happy Bastille Day “Bonne Bastille !” is the simplest. But say Joyeux Quatorze Juillet ! and a Frenchman will smile.
“Une baguette de tradition, s’il vous plaît.”
Nothing beats a Parisian baguette which you can pick up at almost every corner in Paris as you walk. Oh. The “de tradition” part is important, because a traditional baguette tastes a whole lot better than a regular baguette. It’s usually slightly more expensive but worth it (a good baguette only costs around €1.20).
So. Ever wonder why the streets of Paris almost smell so nice (the fresh smell of bread and baking). An authentic baguette has a shelf life of only four hours so bakeries churn out fresh loaves throughout the day.
Oh, some other baguette protocols. If there’s a line, as there is at almost every boulangerie with excellent baguettes better have exact change ready (no fumbling at the counter or you can quickly uncover the surliness of the French). And say “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur” when it’s your turn, ask for your baguette (hesitating makes them move on to the next person in line) and put down the exact change when you get your baguette. With it, you are likely to hear the French word “Parfait!” and get a smile.
rue de Saintonge and Marais district and Vel’ d’Hiv
Famous for its 17th-century mansions, its Jewish heritage, a vibrant contemporary gay scene and edgy art galleries, the Marais district is also filled with quirky, unique boutiques specializing in the coolest fashion, the hottest design and the trendiest beauty products. The Marais is the labyrinth of streets stretching south from Boulevard du Temple in the 3rd arrondissement stretching into the 4th arrondissement. The Marais is interesting, sometimes not for the faint of heart and unlike walking the more touristy areas this Paris district is chockfull of a vivid mix of characters. Stroll its medieval lanes and you’ll rub shoulders with muscle-shirted gays and feather-boa transvestites and long-bearded rabbis and scruffy rock musicians and West African restaurateurs and Eastern European bakers.
Rue de Saintonge is in the 4th arrondissement near the center of the Marais (I think). This is one of my favorite neighborhoods as it is lively, eclectic and contains several of the oldest sections of the city as well as lots of trendy bars, shops, and restaurants. The rue des Rosiers is a centerpiece of Jewish lifestyle in Paris and the Ile St. Louis and the Ile de la Cité are the oldest parts of Paris.
A moment about rue de Saintonge
What makes this even more interesting is that I just finished reading a book called Sarah’s Key which centers its historical fiction story around an apartment on rue de Saintonge. The book’s back story revolves around a relatively unknown event during WW2 in occupied France involved with the Holocaust. An event, Vel’ d’Hiv, whose anniversary is on July 16th.
Vel’ d’Hiv (commonly called the Rafle du Vel’ d’Hiv – “Vel’ d’Hiv Police Roundup” – from the nickname for the Velodrome d’Hiver -”Winter Velodrome” cycle track) was a Nazi decreed raid in Paris on July 16 and 17, 1942, code named Operation Spring Breeze (Opération Vent printanier).
The roundup was one of several aimed at reducing the Jewish population in Occupied France. According to records 13,152 victims were arrested and held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver and the Drancy internment camp nearby, then shipped by rail to Auschwitz (of which almost 100% perished. The roundup, which was part of a continentwide plan to intern and kill Europe’s Jewish population, was a joint operation between the Germans and French leaders. The Vel’ d’Hiv roundup wasn’t the first. Nearly 4,000 Jewish men were arrested on 10 May 1941 and taken to Gare d’Austerlitz and then to internment camps and then to the “death” camps. Women and families followed in July 1942.
Roundups were conducted throughout France but public outrage was greatest in Paris because of the numbers involved in a concentrated area. The Roman Catholic church, which had not always been quick to condemn the Germans, even spoke out in protest. Public reaction obliged French leadership in occupied France to ask the Germans on 2 September not to demand more Jews.
The roundup accounted for more than a quarter of the 42,000 Jews sent from France to Auschwitz in 1942, of whom only 811 came home at the end of the war. I believe French Jews represented about 80,000 of the total 6 million Jewish people who died during the Holocaust.
Do I say this to diminish this event?
Nope.
I mention it to remind people that if you solely focus on 6 million you forget the smaller horrible events that took place in every country occupied by the Nazis during World War 2 that contributed to an incomprehensible number.
Everyone was accountable for the Holocaust. And it is very easy for us to suggest all those who did nothing to stop it should be shamed (and I believe all do feel it) but unless you were there, unless you know what it is like to be under the thumb of ferocious dictatorship it is simpler to just say “we were all accountable and a brave few knew how to have the courage to stand up.”
And while it may be easy to also focus on the complicity of the French police and government in this event (as well as any government in occupied Germany during this time) I will note to complete this particular section that 3,158 persons were awarded the Righteous among the Nations honor (of which 160 received a Legion of Honor).
- note: Righteous among the Nations (Chassidey Umot HaOlam, more literally: righteous men of the world’s nations, also translated as “Righteous Gentiles”) is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis.
The French, as do many countries, refer to the days of WW2 occupation and the holocaust as “their darkest hour.”
So.
On Bastille Day I would ask that they remember the few (of probably many) who were recognized for standing up to evil.
And on the 16th they remember that evil is difficult to face.
Célébrons ! Bastille Day.
america
Jul 6th
So. For the 4th (well. it would have been the fourth except my site still wasn’t fixed in the 48 hour ‘guesstimate’ so now I am doing the 4th post on not the 4th) I wanted to talk about America.
Ok. Maybe rather just the attitude of what makes America America.
Kinda the thing that keeps us going and doing and pisses a lot of other countries off because it is perceived as arrogance (and I would imagine that is part of the attitude … some bad comes with the good).
Anyway. There is a whole new thing in the branding world called “nation branding.” In fact when I first started my site I did a post on the “rebranding of Nigeria.” I think Switzerland, Slovenia and several other countries have done ‘nation branding’ campaigns. It is interesting because when I was at J. Walter Thompson and we discussed branding we had an amazing presentation we would give ending with what we suggested was the greatest brand story – America (or the United States of America). Combination of culture and constitution and leaders guiding the ‘brand’ through critical transition moments to insure the ‘brand’ crossed generations and maintained its relevance.
But. I am not going to suggest in this post we do some ‘branding campaign.’ However I do believe we, as in “we the people,” would do well to remember our brand. Oh. And by “we the people” I also include our leaders.
So. for the 4th I want to take a minute to talk about this brand, this country I am proud to be a part of, a country I believe is struggling a bit and a country which as a whole is stronger than its parts (if we would remind ourselves of this on occasion).
America is a doing country. It is our culture. It is our ethos.
In fact, in a somewhat arrogant, or adolescent way, we believe we ARE the original doing country.
We don’t want people telling us what to do and holding us to their standards.
We want to discover things and learn how to do things our own way.
And, you know what? That is awesome. And we should be remembering it and focusing on it and being ‘as one’ as a country.
Ok. So what do I mean by “doing?”
Well. If you want to see something done, just tell Americans it can`t be done.
Just say it`s impossible to fly to the moon, or no one can hit more than 61 home runs in a season, or run a mile in less than 4 minutes or create a handheld computer or even stuff 20 people into a phone booth. Dangle the undoable in front of Americans and you may as well consider it done.
When did this ‘doing’ culture begin?
When our forefathers came to America and viewed this huge undeveloped land.
Their first thought wasn’t “let’s take a nap.” It was “let’s get to work.”
We are doers.
We are workers.
And above this culture of doing we have a culture of how we act while doing built around an amazing democracy with a somewhat unique ability to maintain freedom of choice and expression in our doing and how we act.
Which means above all we are like ambitious teens.
We are the adolescent in a world of staid and unoriginal adults.
We rebelled against our parents in our youth (the British king) and, honestly, our rebellious spirit has never ended.
Our culture has adolescence traits:
- intense focus on the “now”
- dramatic mood swings
- a constant need for exploration and challenge to authority
- a fascination with extremes
- openness to change and reinvention
- a strong belief that mistakes warrant second chances.
Our culture contains the trappings of adolescence (Coke – the drink, Nike shoes, fast food, blue jeans, and loud, violent movies).
Even the people we love (celebrities and such) fascinate us in their resistance to growing up. They are forever young at heart, crazy, up one day and down the next, one day invincible, one day totally rejected – and they always come back. They are the “eternal adolescents” many Americans would love to be. Our celebrities are victorious through nonconformity.
We are America. A country 230+ years young. Our culture isn’t nearly as old as the French, Italian and German cultures (all of which existed long before the current nations of France, Italy, and Germany). We are adolescents in a world of adults.
But we are ambitious adolescents. And it has evolved as it did because the original settlers, and later the waves of immigrants who came to our shores, brought with them the necessary attitude of nonconformity necessary to not only “pick up and move” in the first place but also to survive the conditions of this vast country.
This included traits such as Puritanism, a strong work ethic, the belief that people deserve a second chance, and putting a premium on success all helped us to survive in this new world.
So maybe Nike was so successful because they captured the spirit of America within themselves: “Just do it.”
Think about it.
Our heroes are athletes, entrepreneurs, police officers, firefighters, and soldiers – all people who take action. We may respect thinkers, but we don’t celebrate them nearly as much as we do our action figures.
And as doers we have had to learn everything ourselves – through trial and error. Learning from our mistakes not only allowed us to survive, but also helped us to grow into a powerful and hugely successful country. We have been rewarded for our ability to pick ourselves up off the ground and do things better the second and third times.
Trying, failing, learning from our mistakes, and coming back stronger than ever is an essential part of the American archetype.
And doing is embodied not only in our 24/7bto do lists but in our attitude toward work.
Americans celebrate work and turn successful businesspeople into celebrities. Donald Trump and Bill Gates are pop stars. Stephen T. Covey, Jack Welch, and Lee Iacocca are mega-selling authors. Instead of great literature (I don’t count Patterson or Clancy as great literary options) our best-sellers include The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Good to Great.
We associate work success as ways to get to know people, excite children, keep family going, or plan your future. Work can make you believe you have ‘made it’ in American culture.
As Clotaire Rapaille would say: the American Culture Code for work is WHO YOU ARE.
We seek so much meaning in our jobs. If our job feels meaningless, then “who we are” is meaningless as well. If we feel inspired by our job, if we believe that we are doing something worthwhile in our work, that belief bolsters our sense of identity (as a person and ultimately as a country).
Our work ethic is so strong because at the unconscious level, we equate work with who we are and we believe that if we work hard and improve our professional standing, we become better people and a better country.
So. When you read this (despite all your misgivings on how high an importance we attach to work) this explains why a high rate of unemployment creates such a struggle to American ethos. It attacks our inner being of who we are as a culture.
By the way, this doesn’t mean we are a culture only concerned with money.
Clearly, money signifies more to Americans than the means to buy things. It shows us how we’re doing, tells us how far we’ve come from impoverished poor roots. Money reminds you that your business is successful, that you’ve worked hard to get something, that you can fulfill your responsibilities, that you are appreciated, and that you are moving up to the next level.
So. Here is what I think.
We are a doing country. And things like unemployment and an ineffective government stop people from doing. And that strikes at the core of who we are and how we feel. It strikes at us emotionally maybe even more so than physically.
The truth is 80% of our life is emotion and only 20% is intellect (I made that truth up).
How we feel is something deeper and stronger and it’s that something inside that drives us as a ‘brand.’
And America doesn’t ‘feel’ right (or let’s say we are ‘unaligned’ on what we are all about).
The government is lost. Well. Maybe, most importantly, they cannot agree on what we should “do.” and their indecision is cutting us at our core.
Our leaders are not aligned.
Unemployment is high (which as noted unsettles us at the core).
Our soul is in doing.
We will find our way back by saying “let’s go to work” on something.
Something big.
Something … well … impossible.
Because in the end we are dreamers. We do because we dream … and dream big. Clotaire Rapaille also suggested this. He said that the American Culture Code for America is DREAM.
I don’t hesitate to say I love being an American. I won’t suggest I am not frustrated. I won’t suggest that I know the exact solution. I will suggest that if our leaders would remind themselves who we are culturally they would better serve us. Serve us in giving us an impossible assignment and let us go do it.
For in the end, for all the culture code speak and thoughts about what makes us happy, America is pretty simple. We make the impossible possible. And that is what makes America, well, America.
Happy 4th.
Note: I drew heavily upon Clotaire Rapaille’s Culture Code learnings but only used portions that I truly believed in and cut out the things that I don’t agree with him on.
assessing the penalty of the death penalty
Jun 3rd
So. Next up on topics suggested by others from my 200th post. Maybe the third suggestion I received. I think the first two were spam.
Next thing I know someone says “What ya think about the death penalty?”
Yowza. Couldn’t someone have asked “what your favorite ice cream?”
Anyway. Here you go.
My opinion on the Death penalty. I wish I could make this a two sentence post. An unequivocal yes or no. But I can’t. It’s a dilemma (to me) where the only true ‘right versus wrong’ in the discussion is that whomever we are discussing as the ‘death’ in the death penalty equation has done something quite worthy to be in the discussion equation (with very rare exceptions when mistakes are made … which is rarer than the media makes it out to be).
Let me begin with getting two things out of the way:
- I understand that a death penalty does not correlate to less criminal activity in death penalty like crimes. In other words the death penalty does not deter these types of crimes and criminals.
- I understand that the cost to maintain and try to rehabilitate someone for a lifetime of prison versus death is exorbitant (and, yes, it chaps my ass to have the country absorb that expense).
Ok. That said. Here we go.
I wonder if ‘the death’ in a death penalty really makes a mother feel better. Does it fill the empty space left behind? I would find it hard to believe the action would make it so. The initial sense of revenge has to be overcome by a sense of “well, that was not a 1 for 1 deal.”
But I also know (or believe) if it was my friend killed, or my sister, or someone else I loved I would probably want to do it myself. Without reservation I may add.
But does that make the death penalty right?
Just because emotionally I would pull the level/pull the trigger/whatever.
Nope.
Because I don’t believe anyone has the right to take someone else’s life. Certainly not out of revenge. Certainly not for “an eye for an eye” mentality. Violence simply begets more violence (a proven fact).
If that were ‘it’ for the discussion I could unequivocally say I am opposed to the death penalty.
But. That’s not it.
I do believe the right to take someone’s life has two possibilities.
In war. In self defense.
On those two situations I am very clear on my point of view.
Kill or be killed. Pretty black and white to me.
War? I am fairly sure no one will debate with me on this. Am I sure about self defense? Well. Using myself as an example. I never want to be in the position (never having killed anyone) but if it came down to someone who is going to kill me and me killing them … well … give me a gun and a lucky shot (because I am unclear I could hit the broad side of a barn) and I would do it.
(I hope that doesn’t sound too selfish but to me my point of view of the death penalty is going to come down to the individual).
So. What I mean by ‘coming down to the individual’ is:
- A person doesn’t lose their rights when they are killed (I am no legal beagle but I have watched enough Law & Order to know that).
- A person still has the right to defend themselves even from their grave.
So. I believe a murdered person has been denied their right to self defense.
To me the death penalty gives the freedom to defend themselves back to them.
So, yeah, I would put the defense weapon back in the hand of the one who paid the price.
I would invest the money to create a life size cutout of the person (or persons) the convicted murderer killed and put it beside them as the penalty is implemented so that everyone knew it wasn’t the state or government or anyone else other than the person killed being given their right to self defense (and maybe that would stop some of the people who attack ‘the system’ for capital punishment).
There you go.
I believe in self defense therefore I believe in the death penalty.
happiness and freedom
May 31st
It seems appropriate on Memorial Day to continue the conversation on ‘freedom’ (because ultimately whether you want to debate it or not we are memorializing the efforts of the people who have put their lives on the line for ‘freedom of’ protection globally).
I imagine this is part two of “freedom of” if only because it follows up the burden of responsibility that comes along with having ‘freedom of’ by recognizing, that despite the burden of that responsibility, people who live in cultures with freedom tend to be happier people.
I do follow this thought with some facts (some research) but let me suggest subjectively that the concept doesn’t surprise me.
Mainly because I believe when people are involved I choices being made or decisions or even voicing opinions they feel more involved (and are proportionately happier). That doesn’t mean there is a massive risk of unhappiness if there is constant involvement in choice and decision by the ‘common people’ and constant rebuffed in final decision by “leader people.”
(and Americas current divisiveness and splinter vocal groups is an example of such)
But, in general, people are happier if they feel like their voice matters (and being able to vocalize or have freedom of choice is one way of ‘mattering’).
So. The research.
It figures that I find a piece of research and an awesome graph (with lots of little data points) and I cannot remember who did the research (so I apologize to that person/team).
By the way. I don’t want to suggest these findings refute past evidence that genetic factors play an important role in subjective well-being (that has been proven before).
However, these findings indicate genetic factors are only part of the story because happiness levels vary cross-culturally.
Since cultures are constructed by human beings (and therefore human nature), this suggests that the pursuit of happiness is not completely futile. Genes may play a crucial role, but beliefs and values also are important. The research findings also indicate that varying levels of well-being are closely linked with a society’s political institutions. In other words sharp declines in a society’s level of well-being can lead to the collapse of the social and political system and conversely high levels of well-being contribute to the survival and flourishing of the social and political system (it just so happens that democratic institutions flourish more often than collapse).
So. Through this research they have discovered (in their words … “we now know”) that a nation’s past communism, economic development, and freedom are closely related to well being, and that freedom has the highest correlation with well being suggests that it is the strongest factor.
And well being translates to happiness.
Hey. This is kind of like if A plus B = C then … well … okay … whatever.
So.
Just another reason to support freedom of.
We will be happier.
Just in case you need to have it spelled out … being happy is better than being sad.
Anyway.
If freedom contributes to happiness, well, you can’t beat that.
Up with freedom.
