Since you asked... ;)
On May 11, 2005, at 10:15 AM, Ronn!Blankenship wrote:
I just wonder what can be done to solve the plight of those millions of human beings
Nothing.
There is no way to save the world. There is no way to change human nature. And what we define as a solution now might not apply in a different social context 100 years from now. For instance 150 years ago the answer to dealing with all the "backward" people "suffering" in the Congo seemed pretty obvious.
There's some question, too, regarding how much of the world actually needs saving. Do we stop at oppressive regimes? Which ones? Only the ones who can't nuke is in response? (So N. Korea is safe.) Just the ones we don't get along with at the moment? (So Saudi Arabia's safe too.) Or do we keep going with nations whose governmental structures don't match ours closely enough to suit us? (Look out, Egypt!) Or do we keep going based on how close to "holiness" -- some flavor of Xtianity or other -- we think they are? (Bye-bye, Thailand!)
Now with situations like Rwanda, I think things are obvious. With Iraq they were grey. (Why haven't we done a Regime Change on Cuba yet?) And then there are some are-they-or-aren't-they cases where no clear solution presents itself, and that makes me think that possibly -- just possibly -- we shouldn't be trying to "fix" things in the first place.
Besides, I think we're seeing that an enforced change won't work. It looks like the older means is still the better one -- be an example and let change be effected internally to a given nation. Maybe supply training and *some* weaponry to the "freedom fighters"; maybe not. The USSR collapsed without a revolution. That it has happened before suggests it can happen again.
But attempting to shoulder the responsibility of "saving" millions of miserable people, ostensibly from some oppressive government-bugaboo of the week? Not practical and not possible. Regrettable -- tragic -- but I think true.
-- Warren Ockrassa, Publisher/Editor, nightwares Books http://books.nightwares.com/ Current work in progress "The Seven-Year Mirror" http://www.nightwares.com/books/ockrassa/Flat_Out.pdf
_______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
