Global problems abound and can no longer go unaddressed. There are still five million people who are suffering owing to nations that have effected torture on political opponents. North Korea systematically uses famine as a weapon to control its own people. Iran uses religion to suppress its citizens. Many African nations need massive humanitarian aid and education to erase its label of dark continent. The world needs to be assured that nations with nuclear weapons are under strict observation, and stockpiles under lock and key. There are still too many totalitarian regimes with UN membership and should be subject to suspension if they do not work toward open societies. There is great need to spread the idea of secularism not as an enemy of religion but rather as a tool to insure freedom and tolerance — particularly toward women. There is far too much global immigration that in fact is fearful exodus from oppressive nations. The globe is in need of clean power groups as well as clean air.
Though a global economy is a living reality, it is not progressing as a means to upgrade underdeveloped nations; on the contrary, it is an amoral act of furthering their exploitation in the manner of old empires under the guise of multinational corporate fleecing — such as the oil for food program ostensibly monitored by the UN in Iraq. Trade of enlightenment is meant to mutually benefit the countries involved, not to engender an irreparable imbalance as trades in the past. There was a time that the US was king of trade — it always came out on top by literally “dumping” its surplus onto the world. Now the table has been turned; but we cannot afford to accept this poetic justice. The world’s superpower must remain so in order to spread hope to the rest of the world, but we cannot do so if we continue to weaken our prestige by encouraging slave labor abroad, and at the same time place our economic superiority at risk. Government of, for, and by the people must regain control by stemming the tide of laissez-faire madness bent on destroying people power for the benefit of corporate power that ineluctably leads to plutocracy.
Copyright © 2004 Richard R. Kennedy All rights reserved. Revised: October 4, 2004.
http://stevendedalus.joeuser.com