-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 3rd Annual Konkan Fruit Fest, Goa - May 6-8, 2005 | | | | Today's Events include Fruit Carving - Decor - Watermelon eating | | Fancy Dress. Check out http://konkanfruit.swiki.net | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- All,
NGO's and non-profits should be held to the highest standards, just like the media and other institutions. However, in the last 10 years or so, it has become fashionable to bash NGO's, something which started in America with Newt Gingrich and the American right, often hiding behind faith and religion. They go after anything which challenges their views, the latest attack is against judges in America who do not share their narrow view. Traditional NGO's & non-profits side with the poor, suffering, diseased, under-developed, etc. - in short those who fight multi-national corporate interests and the rich for their fair share. Hence, they become the target of media and political campaigns attacking them. This is a pattern now occuring world-wide. However, the rich, elite have now started their own NGOs to serve their own special interests and fight traditional NGOs for "market share". One never see these NGOs attacked publicly mostly because the rich own the newspapers, television stations, movie and entertainment companies. Most of the Christian right in America today has an unholy alliance with capitalism and does not speak out against exploitation when it occurs unless it serves their interests. Not that capitalism is evil, but its excesses are well known. The Catholic Church has historically also had a cozy relationship with the rich and powerful. Pre-conclave, Cardinal Ratizinger in his homily attacked a number of "isms" (relativism, liberalism. Marxism, etc.) but was silent about Capitalism. His known opposition to liberation theology which sides with the poor and his omission of capitalism makes one wonder whose side he is on. The attack on traditional NGOs is part of a larger plan of taking sides in the ongoing, age-old economic battle - rich versus poor. Regards, George ----------------------------------------------------------------------- * G * O * A * N * E * T *** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S * ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Make your mother in Goa happy on Mothers' Day. http://www.goa-world.com/goa/expressions/mothersday/ Limited "Mother's Happiness" packages. First come, first serve. -----------------------------------------------------------------------
