In response to Steve Smith's views on our inalienable rights to have access
to the natural resources we need to continue our lifestyles, I found a
couple things worth noting --1) I do believe we all have the right to
oxygen, water not contaminated by outside influences (i.e. industry and
non-community users), the sun and wind; I could even be argued into a new
view of land ownership that might take into account some defense of public
recreation, community garden needs, access to publicly owned resources
within defined bounaries. But I do not believe that we have the right to go
into any other country that we are stronger than militarily and take
minerals, etc, without that country allowing said "taker" to do so with
some sort of agreement. I do not agree with the world where might makes
right, because new lifestyles will constantly develop new needs for new
products, and just because one country (or a few) decides they want a
certain product to enhance their lifestyle, I don't believe that gives them
the right to walk into another country and simply take the resources needed
to create that product. Water is the most difficult of the resources that I
believe all must share. If water starts in one state (headwaters), can that
one state use it all up, drying up a river that other peoples in other
states have come to rely on? An ancient question. I would argue that it is
up to all peoples using that water to work out the amounts that all
together each gets. Of course, that then gets into population increases.
What if a downstream population suddenly burgeons immensely (a new "cool"
place to live or whatever). Do they then get far more of that water supply,
putting the upstream lower population at a disadvantage. I would argue that
the downstream community needs to figure out new sources of water over and
above the original agreement or understanding once their population has
gone a certain amount beyond expected growth. But fancy magnets (and I am
very for wind power, but I think we are figuring out a new wind system that
doesn't require those magnets) is a questionable product. We either have to
pay a high price to the country that has them, or design other type
windmills, or develop solar, or geothermal, or help the Japanese finish up
their work (with our DOE) on cold fusion, or all of the above.
2) I am not sure I would have characterized Genghis Khan's depradations as
"extravagant". For some reason that term seems to reduce the level of
violence that was used to quell resistance.
Just some thoughts.
Good discussion.
Peggy Miller
--
Miss Peggy Miller, owner/OEO
Highland Winds
wix.com/peggymiller/highlandwinds
Art Studio/HerbShop is at 1520 S. 7th St. W. (Just off Russell, four blocks
from Good Food Store)
406-541-7577 (home/office/studio shop)
Shop Hours: Wed: 11-6
Thurs: 3-8 pm
Fri-Sat: 11 am -6pm
Herbal Consults during studio shop hours and also on Tuesdays.
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