In the past week, watching television and reading the news has become an exercise in pain management.
August 31, 2005 (Press Release) --
In the past week, watching television and reading the news has become an exercise in pain management. Once again, it has taken vivid images of major catastrophes to reawaken the humanity within us. We have been forced to face the reality that unlike man, nature is no respecter of persons, religions, creeds, or nationalities. From Niger to New Orleans, and Baghdad, images of the dead, the dying and destroyed livelihoods have filled our screens.
Marley once wrote; “When the rain falls it don’t fall on one man’s house, just remember that”. Of course, the same is true of killer hurricanes, storm surges, tornadoes, and droughts.
There is no doubt that the extreme weather patterns that we see emerging all over the globe have something to do with the abuse we have heaped on our planet. The distress it causes, particularly amongst the poor, simply pulverizes the spirit.
Niger we all know was never a rich country. The drought in that region of Africa has been taking its toll for some time. Unfortunately, we have come to expect that tragedy is part of the natural order of things amongst Africa’s poor, and we were very slow to respond. Many more lost their lives than there should have. Yet, hurricane Katrina has shown that poverty is a crime even when you live in the world’s richest country.
Louisiana and Mississippi are amongst the poorest states in the US. In New Orleans, 25% of the population live below the poverty line, and yes they are mostly black. With Katrina bearing down the authorities called for a general evacuation of the city. Those with wheels were able to drive away. Those without wheels, that is most of the 25% below the poverty line, simply had to stay put. The authorities made no special arrangements for them, except for the few thousand that made it into the New Orleans Superdome, the local sports stadium.
In terms of property and possessions, the destruction wrought by Katrina is overwhelming. Yet, save for mementos and family heirlooms, the vast majority is replaceable. This is certainly not the case with human life.
The true tragedy of Katrina is not the billions of dollars in damage that it has caused but the callous disregard for the mostly poor, mostly black inhabitants who may have died in their thousands. It probably explains why the authorities have been reluctant to provide a clearer picture of the number of dead and missing.
Even now, three days after the hurricane, many of these people are trapped without access to food and water. Therefore, while looting of non-essential items cannot be condoned for any reason, much of the looting that has taken place is focused on the basic necessities for survival – food and water.
Wherever you are in the world there is nothing more dangerous than poverty.
Yet, in defiance of any logic or semblance of humanity, there are things now taking place at the UN that are as mind-numbing as they are willfully reckless.
Having been unable to secure John Bolton’s nomination in Congress, the Bush Administration waited until that body was in recess to appoint their man to the post of US Ambassador to the UN. The timing could not possibly be more apocalyptic. You may think I exaggerate so let me explain.
Before Bolton’s arrival, a broad international consensus had been reached on a number of global objectives. These included the Millennium Development Goals, which the UN defines as follows:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development
Now you would think it unlikely that any sane or rational person could disagree with these objectives. Or even if not rational, have at least some semblance of humanity within them that would accept that in the 21st century there can be no realistic alternative for mankind’s existence on this planet.
Surprise! Surprise! The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
John Bolton, the Bush Administration’s personal envoy to the UN – as Congress would not support him – has decided that these are not worthwhile goals, and he is backing that up with action. At the urging of his masters, themselves the puppets of other interests, he is doing everything he can to obliterate the consensus that has been agreed by almost every other country in the world.
The Los Angeles Times in an article euphemistically entitled “Bolton’s Mischief”, describes this surreal scenario thus:
After a year and a half of studies and negotiations, the United Nations recently came up with a draft proposal calling for extensive internal reforms and world action against injustice, poverty, and environmental catastrophe. Last week, soon after being appointed UN ambassador by President Bush, John Bolton may have sabotaged the entire effort...
His most odious change was to delete all references to the Millennium Development Goals, which commit industrialized nations to cutting world poverty in half by 2015.
The Washington Post makes the real objectives of Bolton and the Bush Administration even more apparent:
The U.S. amendments also oppose further action on climate change, new pledges for foreign aid, and call for nuclear powers to accelerate the reduction of their arsenals.
At the same time the United States wants stronger action against terrorism, a new and stronger human rights body and a host of UN management reforms following the scandal-tainted $64 billion oil-for-food program for Iraq.
Given the events of the past few weeks one would have thought that anyone with a conscience, would have come to the realization that now was as good a time as any to place the bankrupt policies of the past behind us.
Apparently not.
Take for example the levees that were supposed to protect New Orleans from flooding. One commentator noted that the problems with the levees were well known and that repairing them would have taken only a fraction of the cost of the war in Iraq. How ironic it is that while all that money is being spent in pursuit of Iraq’s oil, Mother Nature has decided to play havoc with supplies at home.
Last week I quoted from Joseph Nyes’ book, The Paradox of American Power, in which he stated that terrorism was just one of a number of challenges facing us – and that the environment was as big a challenge as any. Somehow, that seems worth reiterating this week.
Until we get our priorities right, until we focus on the sustainability of human life, and until we stop dissipating our energies fighting each other, Mother Nature will happily participate in what she sees as nothing more than assisted suicide.
That said, I must use this occasion to extend all my sympathies to those that have suffered this week, wherever they are in the world. Moreover, I don’t subscribe to the idea that America is a rich country and that it does not need any help from outside. Giving is a personal thing, an expression of individual support. Today, poor Americans need our support just like everybody else, especially since their government is doing such a lousy job at helping them.
There is one further issue that I must comment on this week – avian flu.
If you live in the UK then you should be really worried. The government has plans to bring a limited supply of vaccines into the country sometime after the virus outbreak is expected to occur. Even more ridiculous are the government’s contingency plans. Apparently, there will just be enough vaccines for Members of Parliament, the security and emergency services, the BBC, and their families.
In the US, there appears to be a slightly different strategy. The authorities believe that Alaska’s cold wastelands will quickly kill any flu-infected birds migrating from Asia. That is assuming of course that the Administration’s policies do not add to global warming.
I call that wishful thinking on both counts.
Survival on this planet is critically dependent on democracy living up to its billing; “Of the people, for the people, and by the people”.
Despite what they tell you, we are nowhere near that ideal.
Jonathan Ledwidge is the author of the book A Mannequin for President - www.amannequinforpresident.com
Marley once wrote; “When the rain falls it don’t fall on one man’s house, just remember that”. Of course, the same is true of killer hurricanes, storm surges, tornadoes, and droughts.
There is no doubt that the extreme weather patterns that we see emerging all over the globe have something to do with the abuse we have heaped on our planet. The distress it causes, particularly amongst the poor, simply pulverizes the spirit.
Niger we all know was never a rich country. The drought in that region of Africa has been taking its toll for some time. Unfortunately, we have come to expect that tragedy is part of the natural order of things amongst Africa’s poor, and we were very slow to respond. Many more lost their lives than there should have. Yet, hurricane Katrina has shown that poverty is a crime even when you live in the world’s richest country.
Louisiana and Mississippi are amongst the poorest states in the US. In New Orleans, 25% of the population live below the poverty line, and yes they are mostly black. With Katrina bearing down the authorities called for a general evacuation of the city. Those with wheels were able to drive away. Those without wheels, that is most of the 25% below the poverty line, simply had to stay put. The authorities made no special arrangements for them, except for the few thousand that made it into the New Orleans Superdome, the local sports stadium.
In terms of property and possessions, the destruction wrought by Katrina is overwhelming. Yet, save for mementos and family heirlooms, the vast majority is replaceable. This is certainly not the case with human life.
The true tragedy of Katrina is not the billions of dollars in damage that it has caused but the callous disregard for the mostly poor, mostly black inhabitants who may have died in their thousands. It probably explains why the authorities have been reluctant to provide a clearer picture of the number of dead and missing.
Even now, three days after the hurricane, many of these people are trapped without access to food and water. Therefore, while looting of non-essential items cannot be condoned for any reason, much of the looting that has taken place is focused on the basic necessities for survival – food and water.
Wherever you are in the world there is nothing more dangerous than poverty.
Yet, in defiance of any logic or semblance of humanity, there are things now taking place at the UN that are as mind-numbing as they are willfully reckless.
Having been unable to secure John Bolton’s nomination in Congress, the Bush Administration waited until that body was in recess to appoint their man to the post of US Ambassador to the UN. The timing could not possibly be more apocalyptic. You may think I exaggerate so let me explain.
Before Bolton’s arrival, a broad international consensus had been reached on a number of global objectives. These included the Millennium Development Goals, which the UN defines as follows:
Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development
Now you would think it unlikely that any sane or rational person could disagree with these objectives. Or even if not rational, have at least some semblance of humanity within them that would accept that in the 21st century there can be no realistic alternative for mankind’s existence on this planet.
Surprise! Surprise! The lunatics have taken over the asylum.
John Bolton, the Bush Administration’s personal envoy to the UN – as Congress would not support him – has decided that these are not worthwhile goals, and he is backing that up with action. At the urging of his masters, themselves the puppets of other interests, he is doing everything he can to obliterate the consensus that has been agreed by almost every other country in the world.
The Los Angeles Times in an article euphemistically entitled “Bolton’s Mischief”, describes this surreal scenario thus:
After a year and a half of studies and negotiations, the United Nations recently came up with a draft proposal calling for extensive internal reforms and world action against injustice, poverty, and environmental catastrophe. Last week, soon after being appointed UN ambassador by President Bush, John Bolton may have sabotaged the entire effort...
His most odious change was to delete all references to the Millennium Development Goals, which commit industrialized nations to cutting world poverty in half by 2015.
The Washington Post makes the real objectives of Bolton and the Bush Administration even more apparent:
The U.S. amendments also oppose further action on climate change, new pledges for foreign aid, and call for nuclear powers to accelerate the reduction of their arsenals.
At the same time the United States wants stronger action against terrorism, a new and stronger human rights body and a host of UN management reforms following the scandal-tainted $64 billion oil-for-food program for Iraq.
Given the events of the past few weeks one would have thought that anyone with a conscience, would have come to the realization that now was as good a time as any to place the bankrupt policies of the past behind us.
Apparently not.
Take for example the levees that were supposed to protect New Orleans from flooding. One commentator noted that the problems with the levees were well known and that repairing them would have taken only a fraction of the cost of the war in Iraq. How ironic it is that while all that money is being spent in pursuit of Iraq’s oil, Mother Nature has decided to play havoc with supplies at home.
Last week I quoted from Joseph Nyes’ book, The Paradox of American Power, in which he stated that terrorism was just one of a number of challenges facing us – and that the environment was as big a challenge as any. Somehow, that seems worth reiterating this week.
Until we get our priorities right, until we focus on the sustainability of human life, and until we stop dissipating our energies fighting each other, Mother Nature will happily participate in what she sees as nothing more than assisted suicide.
That said, I must use this occasion to extend all my sympathies to those that have suffered this week, wherever they are in the world. Moreover, I don’t subscribe to the idea that America is a rich country and that it does not need any help from outside. Giving is a personal thing, an expression of individual support. Today, poor Americans need our support just like everybody else, especially since their government is doing such a lousy job at helping them.
There is one further issue that I must comment on this week – avian flu.
If you live in the UK then you should be really worried. The government has plans to bring a limited supply of vaccines into the country sometime after the virus outbreak is expected to occur. Even more ridiculous are the government’s contingency plans. Apparently, there will just be enough vaccines for Members of Parliament, the security and emergency services, the BBC, and their families.
In the US, there appears to be a slightly different strategy. The authorities believe that Alaska’s cold wastelands will quickly kill any flu-infected birds migrating from Asia. That is assuming of course that the Administration’s policies do not add to global warming.
I call that wishful thinking on both counts.
Survival on this planet is critically dependent on democracy living up to its billing; “Of the people, for the people, and by the people”.
Despite what they tell you, we are nowhere near that ideal.
Jonathan Ledwidge is the author of the book A Mannequin for President - www.amannequinforpresident.com
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