I think it's time I correct an impression that I somehow have an anti-US bias. I can see how that would come out, and those of you who know me from LDS-Poll would see it even more there. The reasons, from *my* perspective, for this are that I am by nature a bit of a contrarian, or as I would put it, a "force of balance." I'm the kind of person who would join the Democrats if I moved to Utah (or the Republicans if I moved to, well, wherever....) What needs balancing, in my opinion?
1. The preponderance of USAmericans on the list (not the list's fault, it's just the way it is). 2. A strong pedagogical streak -- my favourite church calling is teaching, and this extends to political affairs. Since until recently I had the opportunity to trave literally all over the world and see many things firsthand, and consider myself well-read on international affairs, I often have strong opinions which I'm not shy about sharing. 3. The fact that the US is the superpower de jour. A century ago I would have been "anti-English" so to speak. Complaints from the elephant when the mouse steps on its foot are taken by me with a grain of salt ;-) Human nature is human nature, and there is nothing inherently different about USAmericans per se. If Canada had the power you did, we'd do the same thing you do. In fact, before I get to the actual point of my post, which is to point out that we're just as capable of abusing others as you are, let me point to another example of an interesting paradox; namely, the more powerful a country is, when it follows its own short-term best interests (which shouldn't surprise anyone that it would want to do that), it usually ends up harming its own long-term interests. That example is Saudi Arabia. Now all of a sudden we're realizing that the Saudis aren't our buddies. But the Saudi royal family has gone out of its way to cooperate with the US, as I think most of you know. One of life's delicious ironies is that after fundamentalists attacked US barracks in the Eastern Province (where Riyadh, Dhahran, al-Khobar and Dammam are), a new base was built for them in the desert, far from populated areas. The idea being that this wouldn't grate on the nerves of locals who resent the presence of "infidels" in the land of the two shrines. The irony? The base was built by a subsidiary of SGB -- Saudi Group Binladen, the construction firm founded by Osama bin Laden's father, Mohammed. There's no link between SGB and Osama bin Laden per se anymore, I just thought it was an interesting irony. Okay, finally to the link about Canadian mining companies being bad boys with big toys: <<http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/TGAM/20021022/UCONGX/International/international/international_temp/3/3/29/>> -- Marc A. Schindler Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada -- Gateway to the Boreal Parkland “We do not think that there is an incompatibility between words and deeds; the worst thing is to rush into action before the consequences have been properly debated…To think of the future and wait was merely another way of saying one was a coward; any idea of moderation was just an attempt to disguise one’s unmanly character; ability to understand a question from all sides meant that one was totally unfitted for action.” – Pericles about his fellow-Athenians, as quoted by Thucydides in “The Peloponessian Wars” Note: This communication represents the informal personal views of the author solely; its contents do not necessarily reflect those of the author’s employer, nor those of any organization with which the author may be associated. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// /// ZION LIST CHARTER: Please read it at /// /// http://www.zionsbest.com/charter.html /// ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?aaP9AU.bWix1n.YXJjaGl2 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================
