Are we paying attention?

Check out Thomas Friedman's NYTimes Article
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/opinion/29friedmanOpEd.html?hp#

"The most populous country in the Arab world shows all the symptoms of national bankruptcy -- the kind that produced hyperinflation in several Latin American countries during the 1970s and 1980s -- with a deadly difference: Egypt imports half its wheat and the collapse of its external credit means starvation," Asia Times Online observed May 10.

The Caucasus: People Media and Political Agenda

Oil and energy of Azerbaijan, democratization of Georgia, Turkmenistan’s natural gas, the BTC pipeline and the Caspian Sea, the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the Iran contra scandal and the hostage crisis, the Persian Gulf War, the US military invasion of Afghanistan, and the death of Osama Bin Laden. All for what? 

I can’t make sense of this madness and so I start to think cynical. I start to think that the US knew of this man’s location for a long time. I start to think that his murder was planned for this time because there is an agenda to gain leverage with Pakistan for an objective yet to be revealed. 

If I were to say it is all for oil, this would be an inaccurate description of the extent of global political interest and military engagement in and around the Middle East. Nope, it is not oil. It is not natural gas. It is not social justice and human rights. It is the epitome of American greed, our disinterest in anything beyond our doorstep of pleasure, privilege and overindulgence of everything beyond essential. We do not wish to change, we do not wish to share, we do not wish to conserve because we do not care about those less fortunate, those suffering nor generations that follow. We are everyone from the oil company investors to the welfare recipient using food stamps to purchase Drakes cakes for breakfast. 

“Kill that terrorist”, so we can celebrate in a circus of ignorance. Is murder and combat a sporting event? I am embarrassed for the people waving flags and cheering in the street like they were a winning team at a baseball game.

I am embarrassed for people, who exaggerate events and create stories and find creative ways or untruths to somehow turn events into personal experience. Why? In this way we can become victims and justify not helping or avoid changing our behavior.  For example, I was pouring a cup of tea where my dear friends were watching footage of the September eleventh terrorist attack in lower Manhattan. An image of a fear struck woman, looking as though she just climbed out of a collapse of rubble and concrete debris, having emerged seconds before death who continued in a brisk walk, flashes on the television screen. Effie in her comfort of intoxication on fine wine and pharmaceuticals states, “That’s Loshie.” This simple statement implied that my sister was somehow a ground zero survivor. WHAT! The only connection between Loshie and the collapse of the World Trade center is that she walked home to Brooklyn from somewhere midtown, most likely around 30^th street. Ridiculous. 

Our fascination with dirty laundry is a costume. It masks the real issues that deserve attention. And I suppose focusing on others allows me to maybe avoid the guilt that both my two children and I are attending the university and private school, eating well, taking sporadic weekend trips to New York City, the occasional shopping spree and regular on-line purchases of books. I suppose my indulgence in food and education is similar to political leaders that establish relationships with foreign leaders who like so many of us, continue to make bad choices. We always have a choice between right and wrong, no matter the degree of either.Where are we willing to make changes? Should the diminishing suburban middle class (baby boomers) continue to build huge homes with a completely unnecessary amount of space and cut down pine trees to build it in exactly their chosen spot? If I could afford a floor in a Spring Street, SoHo building, certainly I would take it even if it meant I had less to give. I do this already. I could increase my charity donations and buy less. I could  do more service to others and take less time for myself.

The public pawns of the news media, pay attention to the next covered event and bounce around void of feeling from one tragedy to the next. Or as in my case before recent emergence from a coma, do not pay attention at all and instead live in a completely made up small world of light, love and giving birth to pretty brown babies. Shame.

I am a consumer. Petroleum is in everything except food so, I too am guilty. My next purchase once I am privileged to move home to New York, will be a tandem bicycle with a front bar pad for my four year old. I am excited about my family of three’s new method of transportation. Hm? Maybe I will fly our flag off the back.

Sanctions and Non-Proliferation

The evolution of society is a continued conflict of good versus evil. The protection of Human rights is the good and power and greed are the evil. Sanctions are the attempt at a more civilized approach to international coexistence.  They provide a choice between bad and worse options when faced with the dangers of a world that is filled with the threat of total destruction. Sanctions that focus on ending human rights infractions and the threat to international security can provide a peaceful alternative to war and prevent nuclear weapons disaster.

Sanctions in conjunction with tough diplomacy, intrusive inspections and the threat of military action can put on the defensive, countries that abuse citizens in hostile pursuit of power. Negotiations around trade interests along with a moral stance of diplomacy work by creating a negative image of target countries. This “name and shape” tactic reveals the despots and influences international relationships of target countries.

Thirty three countries are now involved with crippling energy and financial sanctions against the Iranian regime.  By focusing on the energy sector, which is the lifeline of a country like Iran, creating nuclear weapons no longer becomes an additional source of power, but essentially the catalyst of its demise. Nuclear non-proliferation sanctions become effective when the negative consequence of creating nuclear weapons becomes greater than the potential power of having the weapon.

In a more and more globalized world the focus on human rights infractions can cripple hostile regimes. Countries like Iran that want to see themselves as a world power understand the importance of global relations and therefore are concerned with their image and how the world sees them.

Sanctions have worked in Libya and Iraq. They have helped to reveal human rights infractions and have slowed down and in some cases terminated the nuclear programs.  Mark Dubowitz, Executive Director and founder for Defense in Democracies, believes that, “commitment to sanctions, multilateral, strict enforcement with international unanimity I think can bring down down not only the Iranian Regime but at least can stop the Iranian regime’s march to a nuclear bomb.”

The work of the Obama administration that involves creating an international coalition against the threats of international hardship is having an impact globally. The commitment to creating united world powers that have a strict obedience to enforcing international law makes sense. It is time the US stops acting as the big dog that makes independent decisions. Maybe this is the good that has come of the recession and our current budget crisis. Having less, forces cooperation.

When international energy companies, banks and insurance companies stop doing business with tyrants, it makes a huge economic impact. A government that is concerned with the economic prosperity of the nation will make choices to grow. It is a tough job to communicate with world leaders and find common interests and weigh out the positive and negatives of actions when each countries objective are not the same. I believe that international dialogue that focuses on human rights, social justice and the importance of education is essential to global harmony. The more we demonstrate domestic behavior that backs up what we claim to value, the more these concerns for a healthy world will grow.

Although I see much violence and an increase in natural disasters, I also see improvements. I see a world reaching out for international support and I see the US taking a more humble approach to international relations. I see improvement in leadership. Certainly China has transformed dramatically since the days of Mao Zedong and I have faith that Egypt is transforming in a positive direction. I see a world that is recognizing the impact of our behaviors and I think that people are becoming aware of the need for cooperative efforts in the face of such global crisis. Clearly we have a long way to go. I think what is most important when we choose our leaders is that we select the person who’s character reveals priority to the higher good. Leadership is most freighting when selfish interests overpower the lives of citizens and people worldwide. I believe our current leader is the closest we have come to electing someone working toward a peaceful world and a prosperous country; not a peaceful country and a prosperous company. Building a team of good guys is a difficult challenge. I support the commitment to improve global communications, support human rights and maintain the privileges of a strong economy. I am also willing to go without some luxuries in effort to support others and ensure a better world for generations that follow.  

I work at home to model love and kindness. I work at improving education and building the character of tomorrow’s leaders. I "imagine all the people living life in peace...and [hope] the world will live as one."

Lernen und Wachsen

What is that? The colors are nice, warm and bright. Is it a detail of a flower? No, too spongy to be a flower. What is that? Red and yellow. Hm? An Urchin? A Sea anemone? Yes it’s a Sea anemone. Now, why would a book titled, “Bonn to the Berlin Republic”, choose a sea creature for the cover art?

It didn’t. The cover art is an image of the World Cup Soccer with a large number of Germans holding flags. Young Germans gathered together smiling and waving flags. (I saw a sea anemone)

I share with you my unique perception of the cover art just prior to Dr. Jeffrey Anderson’s lecture on the evolution of the New Berlin Republic, for a couple of reasons.  I felt compelled to share my self fascination, and it fit well in my efforts to exemplify diversity of perception. We all approach information differently and much of our thinking has evolved from our history of experiences.  This illusion or obscure synthesis of shape color and light that fabricated a photograph of a jellyfish is metaphoric to Germany’s post world war II development. What is the world’s perception on this nation? How do Americans see Germany’s progress and what do you think?

Everything is relative to our experience and it seems governments like people make decisions and conduct themselves based on this fact.  Germany has a history of racism, genocide, mass murder, ethnic hatred, ethnic cleansing, anti-Semitism and group hatred. The Germans historically are viewed as the elite of violence, fear and oppression. The history of the Third Reich represents the horrendous capabilities of the forces of evil on humanity.

Seeking Redemption from the epitome of leadership has been a progression that required humility, earnestness, and determination to change and revitalize. Revitalization required implementation of a new plan with a strong interest in human rights and a steadfast determination to operate within a just system of government.  

The forty year transition from a violent heritage to an internationally cooperative nation has been an interesting evolution. Some would say that Germany is currently making decisions based on the higher good for its people and that its process of change reflects a transition that we can only hope to be contagious.

Some perceive the Federal Republic of Germany and the “basic law” structure in combination with the Federal Constitutional court and multiparty system as the most progressive democratic system.  The forty years of democracy has moved Germany into a country with strong international relations, commitment to domestic well being and a culturally diffused economic system.

German is proud of its remembrance and education of the Holocaust as a force against anti-Semitism as demonstrated in curriculum, museums and memorials.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Memorial_to_the_murdered_Jews_of_Europe.jpg

Although these efforts symbolize German’s willingness to recognize a past of extreme government brutality and terrorism in order to prevent future inhumanity, the country is not without racism. It has been argued that any current anti-Semitism effort proposals on the political agenda are nonsense and more efforts should be placed on celebration of the Jewish culture in hopes to lead people to love their neighbors. 

As the historian Julius Schöps of Potsdam University put it in the newspaper Tageszeitung:

Protests against anti-Semitism, organized by small groups, do not get extensive attention in Germany. Resolutions by the German parliament to reject anti-Semitism are drivel of the worst kind....But all those ineffective actions are presented to the world as a strong defense against the charge of anti-Semitism. The truth is: no one is really interested in these matters. No one really cares.

Julius Schöps, "Antisemitismus ist Teil dieser Kultur," Taz, 25 October 2002. See http://www.berlin-judentum.de/bildung/antisemitismusforschung.htm (German).

How could this be true? Is it? Germany’s recent call to public art was closed undecided. Thousands of applicants were turned down. This is significant in that it demonstrates the level to which Germany reflects on what they value. A public art piece will represent the German image. Who is Germany? It would seem they are still in transition to whom and what they are becoming.

Why did Germany choose not to become involved with the no fly zone over Libya?  Has Germany always had the intent to allow its troops to take part in humanitarian aid to Libyan civilians?  

I don’t know. But I do know they shut down their nuclear power plants the day after the tragedy at Fukushima. For this I wave a flag.

No Nukes

 

Germany shut down nuclear power plants to conduct a three month long safety check. German Chancellor Angel Merkel has been accused of  using the voters fear of the nuclear crisis in Japan to earn votes. The criticism stems from her overthrowing her previous decision to keep older plants operating past their time due for renovation and inspection. Hm? I am not sure I see what is wrong with changing your mind in loo of a nuclear crisis. Or for that matter, making a decision based on the peoples state of emotion during a crisis. If we are afraid of nuclear energy, by all means turn it off. Right? And if you are doing it for votes, good. Shouldn't a person in a leadership position make decisions based on what the people want?

Laurence Goldborne, Chile's energy and mining minister has chosen not to sign a memorandum of understanding on nuclear cooperation. Instead he decided to take time to consider other energy alternatives. 

Today was the thirty second anniversary of the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant partial core meltdown. Clean up lasted into the 1990's. Concerns for health and fear over the inability to understand and control a nuclear crisis has so far prevented the construction of any more nuclear plants in the US. 

I hope the prospects of building are now dead. How about you?

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Fukushima-Plant-Could-Leak-Radiation-for-Months-119143794.html 

Its Hard to Think About Anything Else

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/12/world/asia/20110312_japan.html#1

The Financial Crisis and Its Relative Insignificance To International Poverty

Are the financial crisis, recession, mortgage foreclosures from a false safety in the investment of real estate and the U.S. debt to China, the result of our desires for instant gratification and unwillingness to follow the rules of basic money management? Is get now and pay later, still the majority of American cultural philosophy? How about other developed countries? Do most people want what they want, right away and ignore the consequences of spoiled behaviors? It seems so many of us behave like the college student with their first credit card.

With the government focus on cutting spending and the recent bill that eliminates Wisconsin's collective bargaining rights, I thought about the republican philosophies which stem from the concepts of less government and a stronger power to the individual. This may sound good, but what it ends up becoming is an invitation to greed and selfish neglect of those in need. I began to think about alternatives, like a tax increase on gasoline. So I read and read and studied this topic as much as my schedule allowed. 

Some ideas I have heard and read sound best. Create an alternative currency that deflates the value of the US dollar, individuals start saving, export more than we import, spend government savings when in crisis and save when doing well. It’s what we were taught when we opened our first checkbook. Right?

So, rather than focus on the U.S. financial crisis, I have decided to reflect on global socio-economics, international issues of poverty and the use of technology for bottom-up economic development. 

In my early twenties I was interested in the bohemian lifestyle of the “La Vida” community of squatters that occupied a building on thirteenth street between Avenue A and Avenue B in Manhattan. In my delayed adolescence, I looked at this lifestyle as chosen and somehow, "cool". The magnitude of the world’s poverty issues had never once entered my thoughts. I was content with my stomp around Loisada and disinterested in the world beyond my own foot. The next video clip is from NY Times reporters, Simon Romero and Maria Eugenia Diaz. It puts, “La Vida” on the level of a penthouse. 

Here is a link to a beautiful slide show from another region of our world. I wonder how much it would cost for President Hugo Chaves to install solar panels on the roof of Venezuela's, “Tower of David”?

 Sustainable NRG Transforms Lives

Of course how I receive information is always relative to my current state of emotion; still right now, this next link may be one of the top ten articles I have ever read. I offer you read it and check out what cell phones mean to the people living in our impoverished communities around the world.

 Connecting the Unconnected

Even in Tumsifu, Kenya, a community where cow poop is fuel, their use of cell phones reveals the important of staying connected. People may not have indoor plumbing, but they are using cell phones! Cell phones empower us with an abundance of knowledge, right at our fingertips, all day, every day.

I suppose I do put communication on the same level as running water. I rather die in the arms of a beloved than live a life time disconnected. Nokia is paying attention. Is anyone else?

According to the United Nations Human Settlements Program, at the current rates of migration, one-quarter of the earth’s population by 2020 will be living in slums. And with the increased rate of natural disasters, the numbers of those immune to this tragedy is decreasing. Where do you see yourself in 2020? Will you be in a possition to help others? Are you now?

Creating a Society in the Midst of War and Revolution

 Check out Libya..

Below is from an article written by Anthony Shadid, published in today's NYTimes.
"impose order, distribute charity and run schools"

Free of Qaddafi, a City Tries to Build a New Order

Ed Ou for The New York Times

The entrance to the town of Masa in Libya outside the rebel-held Bayda, where residents are trying create a new civil society with little precedent to guide them.  NYTimes article

Somalia...the Tip of the Horn

How do we help those who suffer? Although geographic location remains a prevalent factor in deciding to whom the US provides support from an economic standpoint, we cannot ignore human suffering no matter how remote the region is from the United States or more importantly remote from something we desire.

Perhaps it is just my own awakening, and I am ashamed to reveal how I have in only the last couple of years emerged from a self induced Coma, but I believe the concept of a global community and our responsibility toward one another is being more acknowledge worldwide. We continue to become more and more connected globally and thank goodness for those who have been advocating for human rights and social justice. It is because of their example that I believe in kind hearts and the innate goodness in so much of humanity. I even believe such benevolence remains at the core of many of us in leadership positions today. As far as the current US leadership, I choose to focus on things that are good and leave the revealing of what is not to those more knowledgeable and therefore better at earnest critiquing. I hope to hear from you. I am not ignorant to the fact we all have room for improvement. And as I have previously shared I am not without more than my share of cake.  

Recently with the Somali pirating intrusions on trade, the US has drawn its interest toward the Horn of Africa. Because the level of human suffering in Somalia is equivalent to a humanitarian disaster zone, people cannot even consider a thought about the regional waters of the Arabian Sea without feeling an obligation to support healing and change on the land that takes up so much of its coast. Actually, there is nowhere worse. Living with the risk of a tiger attack due to flooding and lack of land and prey in Bangladesh, would be better than to live in constant fear of brutal slaying and human butchering that people are doing to people in Somalia. If existence is an ongoing battle of good versus evil, Somalia is the epicenter of dark war and genocide. It is for this reason I will focus my reflection not on Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea and Kenya, but on this tip of the horn; Somalia.  

What happens in Somalia is extremely important, just as human rights are anywhere in the world. Ethiopia and Kenya have many refugees from Somalia and most of the security problems affecting the region are due to violence stemming from Somalia. Somalia is Homogeneous with one religion. Rivalry between clans caused Somalia to never have effective government and basically since 1991the country has been in a state of anarchy. The people of Somali suffer unrelenting hardships of extreme poverty, drought, flooding and human brutality. The population has no hope of establishing communities because they are forced to live a rural nomadic lifestyle in order to survive the constant threat of violent attack.  It is hard to envision hope for improved health and education in any foreseeable future. To add to the crisis, food, medicine and emergency shelters are not getting there. It is too dangerous. Somalia is the most dangerous place in the world to try and deliver aid. Basically the only hope for the chance at a peaceful life is to get out. This is the mission for most of the population. Twenty percent have fled to seek refuge in the neighboring countries of Ethiopia and Kenya. Somalia is the foremost example of a failed state.

I was shocked to discover that the main source of income for the local population is actually from the one hundred thousand Somali living in the US. Surely this cannot be significant for change.

If the hardship on the people isn’t enough, there are the pirates who are impeding trade, and still worse a much more significant threat of raising a terrorist population. The Jihadists have settled in the lawless, stateless country. Religious extremists want to turn Somalia into a radical religion based state. Ethiopians despite international recognition and aid, failed to provide the country of Somalia with a new government. Instead a new extremist unit of Al-Qaida supporters emerged and Ethiopia in 2009 withdrew all troops.  

Media reports the use of tactics designed to maximize civilian casualties, like the Al Shabaab claimed July eleventh bombing in Kampala. This bombing that took place where crowds of civilians were watching the televised broadcasting of the world cup was stated to be in response to Uganda’s leading political and military role in Somalia peacekeeping force.

The Transitional federal government that was founded after years of negotiations remains on paper only. Its members lived abroad for fear of returning to Mogadishu. Ministries are not functioning and security forces operate as corrupt autonomous groups. Confidence in the success of the Transitional Federal Government was never high, but currently all hope is gone. The only support that can be provided is through African missions (AMISOM) that fight to expand Mogadishu. And the more thought I give this, the more I am in favor of leaving them on their own. With such corruptions how much of the opposition has infiltrated their forces. A Friday Reuters news article states that President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed claims recent battles have left the Somalia military force controlling seventy percent of the capital city. Hm? Do they?

If all the “good guys” stop providing weapons, won’t soon enough everyone’s ammunition run out?

Other than grass roots support for those brave enough to operate in Somalia the best the US can do in rescue efforts is to protect the neighboring countries by isolating Somalia by preventing any outside support getting to the terrorists and pray that within its borders, evil will defeat itself. The only relief efforts to Somalia should be in the form of food and medicine. Sadly even such charities have been reported as being sold for more weapons.

The only other thought I have to leave you with is this....

Don’t forget about those trapped in terror. Send them your love in thoughts. 

Notable information:

Somalia minerals include uranium and likely deposits of petroleum and natural gas throughout the country, not exploited commercially. Charcoal production has led to widespread deforestation.

All land line telephone systems have been destroyed, but they have cellular phone service throughout the country. They have ship-to-shore communications (INMARSAT) and oversea satellite from private telecommunication in major towns. Mogadishu, Hargeisa and Galkaiyo have radio broadcasting of programs in Somali and some other languages. There are two television stations in Mogadishu and one in Hargeisa. Cities are linked to the internet. 

http://www.so.undp.org/ 

http://www.hrw.org/en/world-report-2011/somalia

I wish to remind any viewers that comments are encouraged. I welcome any corrections of facts presented and I am hopeful for opportunity to learn.

Tahrir Square responds to Mubarak's resignation