In no other time in the history of the United States has our population attained the dubious distinction that as a nation we spend the most on health care and yet are one of the least healthiest of all the industrialized world. It can be arguably said that the greatness of a nation and it's ability to leave a lasting legacy lies in the health of it's people. For over two hundred years the United States achieved greatness not just because of it's military might but on the health and well being of it's citizens. Since the last quarter of the 20th century there has been a major assault on the health of this nation. It can't be more evident when we look at what is actually happening to too many citizens of the United States.
In the last 60 years we have seen many marvels of technology, medicine, and science come into play. But, with all the marvels of the age too many people are succumbing to too many preventable diseases and ailments. It seems along with Global Warming every year there continues to be a steady increase in preventable diseases and ailments. There has been steady increases in all forms of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, dementia, obesity and even birth defects. Let's not forget all the other ailments that many are associated with these diseases. Almost all of these illnesses and inflictions can be prevented.
One has to question why this is happening with all the medical technologies and marvels there are. It is as though there is a full scale assault on the health and stability a country that is considered to be the most advanced country on earth. If we take a close look back at the way things were 60 years ago especially with the food we ate you can't help come to the conclusion that as a nation the United States was a much healthier nation compared to today. The biggest factor to consider even though life expectancy was a little lower than today generally speaking we actually were healthier. Sure, people developed cancer, people had dementia and Alzheimer's, and yes many had diabetes. There were overweight individuals as well. But, all of these developments whether they were full blown diseases, aliments or conditions or not the numbers don't even come close to the skyrocketing increases we are seeing today.
One of the biggest culprits in contributing to the steady decline of the nations health comes from the industrialization of the food we consume. Sure, there have been strides to improve the quality of food sources, but it is the corporate farming industry that continues to mount an aggressive campaign to corner the markets sort of speaking in regard to the supply of food available for the overall populations consumption.
Not too many people even realize that the FDA has been an unwitting accomplice in contributing to the deteriorating health of the population of the United States. The scientific community has found that many additives, preservatives and supplements that are injected or added to many of the foods we consume are cancer causing carcinogens. One supplement in particular is Folic Acid. Let's not confuse this supplement with the natural Folic Acid found in many of the fresh foods. But, this supplement that is added to so many of the process foods is a detriment to everyone's health. This is just one example of the monumental amount of supplements, additives, and preservatives that are processed and not natural that is purposely put in the foods we all consume.
To further understand why as a nation we are faced with a full blown health crisis is to take a look at pharmaceutical industry, Monsanto Corporation, to the medical community and health care providers all are getting rich at the expense of the health of our citizens. Sixty years ago we still had local independent family farming communities which supplied the local population with abundant fresh nutritious food. Farms back then practiced crop rotations thereby giving the soil enough time to replenish the nutriments that are a vital source of the nutritious food we all consumed.
What we are experiencing here in the United States is part of a global health crisis. This global health crisis is all attributed to fresh water shortages, lack of sanitation and decreasing nutritious food sources. Every country rich or poor is affected by this growing health crisis. Today, the whole world is faced with the reality of a global nutritious food shortages along with depleting supplies of fresh water. In many parts of the world already are facing acute food and water shortages. Even here in the US a growing number of people face horrific starvation, lack of fresh water and poverty everyday. Just this past year the humanitarian catastrophe in Lake Chad where conflict has left over 8 million people facing acute starvation failed to get everyone's attention. In Yemen famine is already a harsh reality. In that part of the world the UN Secretary-General has stated and fears that genocide will take over through-out the region. All because of the lack of potable fresh water and acute shortages of food. With civil wars raging in Syria and Iraq along with the global refugee crisis the disaster in Lake Chad is said to be on an epic scale of biblical proportions with terrifying rates of child malnutrition.
The greatest concern is that around the world at least 80% of the earths farmable land is already under productive, and of this 80% 40% is so severely depleted due to extensive chemically based farming practices. Compounding this dilemma is the increasing dependence on hybrid varieties. In actuality they don't have nearly the capacity to self-replenish due to the fact that these hybrid food sources were designed using chemicals. Added to all of this is the continuing escalation of energy prices. The rotation of crops a direct link to enriched food sources really haven't been used for the past 60 years. This leaves the land so worn out whatever food is harvested is extremely weak if not completely void in vitamins and minerals that are essential for the bodies overall health.
With corporate farming where the bottom line is all that matters here in the United States and it can be said all around the globe the available soil that is the base for our food sources has been steadily over cultivated for the past 60 years. Over farmed to the point that the nutrients and minerals that are essential for healthy crops are completely missing. Consequently, the Honey bees are dying off because the soil hasn't had time to replenish itself. This is devastating to the Honey Bees and to humanity. The Honey bees are now more susceptible to viruses, mites and pesticides. This is the greatest cause as to why the Honey Bees are vanishing.
With the decline of the Honey Bee and the farming practices that corporate farms continue to use along with the GMO food sources that Monsanto produces the health of nations remains in jeopardy. And until we realize that local independent farming where proper techniques are used like crop rotation and put in place fresh water transfer technologies where everyone has abundant fresh water the health crisis we are facing today will only get worse.
Just this past year over 45% Honey Bee colonies were killed off. Millions poisoned by insecticides spraying for Zika. Other insecticides such as Bayer and Syngenta keep flooding our farmable land here in the US with toxins that have been known to wipe out bee colonies. They are still the most widely used pesticides in the country. Many other parts of the world also continue to use these bee killing pesticides.
The future of humanity rests with the action to protect not only the survival of the Honey Bee but action to stop the horrific carnage that is sweeping terror all over the world. As for the future of the Honey Bee if our newly elected President continues to ignore science the health of not only this nation but that of the world is in grave danger. Again, like Global Warming to ignore it's existence the health crisis facing the world today will only get much worse. And that is a scenario to horrific to contemplate.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Thursday, February 09, 2017
How Did Trade With China Get So Messed Up?
How come our trade deficit with China is so unbalanced? Currently, starting out in 2017 before Donald Trump takes office is hovering around $460 to $500 Billion annually. Interestingly enough, either the Obama Administration doesn't want to be embarrassed by the real numbers or no one actually knows just how bad it really is. We don't have free or fair trade with China and hopefully some of that will soon change. China is such a powerhouse of manufacturing that they could produce enough products for 5 planets with the combined global GDP.
So, where are we today? Well, we've allowed ourselves to get to this place, it's time to right this ship and sell it full of products back across that Pacific Ocean full of our goods and wares for the growing domestic consumption of China, and they'll have to oblige if they want continued access to our markets and peace in the world.
You know the worst of it? We have globalist billionaires, many went over to set up in China, they stole technology, information, and sell things back here bypassing all the rules, many of these internationals business entrepreneurs didn't care, and they influenced our politicians to institute stupid regulations to purposely slow companies here that compete with them around the world. It's a giant shell game to them.
Sure, they go where it makes sense, but many left the US because we were treating them so crappy. Do I blame them? It's hard to, you should see how my government treated me in my business, I am still a little pissed about that. The system is rotten to the core at so many levels.
Did you know the CEO of Blackwater is actually running a company out of Hong Kong now guaranteeing safe convoys in Africa for Chinese state-run companies extracting resources? We can hire them too, The Carlyle Group does, so do our oil companies there. We cannot keep screwing over the best and brightest US loyalist entrepreneurs and then expect them to be here for team USA when the 'fit hits the shan'.
One thing great about Americans is that we love everyone everywhere around the world and for the most part when traveling we are treated very well, Americans also come together for our team as almost a sense of responsibility, every executive of every company, every small business person too, but yet we crap on these people, that's so wrong. We've practically told half of the Fortune 500, you aren't welcome here anymore, no wonder they set up abroad, why wouldn't they?
Look what we are doing. The simplest thing we could do is to Change Our Attitude, say we are sorry, and tell them, promise them we won't ever treat them like that again. You watch what would then. We really need a leader who cares, speaks out, and stop this class warfare nonsense. See, now you got me fired up! Ha ha ha. Hoorah - Team USA!
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Innovation in America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net.
So, where are we today? Well, we've allowed ourselves to get to this place, it's time to right this ship and sell it full of products back across that Pacific Ocean full of our goods and wares for the growing domestic consumption of China, and they'll have to oblige if they want continued access to our markets and peace in the world.
You know the worst of it? We have globalist billionaires, many went over to set up in China, they stole technology, information, and sell things back here bypassing all the rules, many of these internationals business entrepreneurs didn't care, and they influenced our politicians to institute stupid regulations to purposely slow companies here that compete with them around the world. It's a giant shell game to them.
Sure, they go where it makes sense, but many left the US because we were treating them so crappy. Do I blame them? It's hard to, you should see how my government treated me in my business, I am still a little pissed about that. The system is rotten to the core at so many levels.
Did you know the CEO of Blackwater is actually running a company out of Hong Kong now guaranteeing safe convoys in Africa for Chinese state-run companies extracting resources? We can hire them too, The Carlyle Group does, so do our oil companies there. We cannot keep screwing over the best and brightest US loyalist entrepreneurs and then expect them to be here for team USA when the 'fit hits the shan'.
One thing great about Americans is that we love everyone everywhere around the world and for the most part when traveling we are treated very well, Americans also come together for our team as almost a sense of responsibility, every executive of every company, every small business person too, but yet we crap on these people, that's so wrong. We've practically told half of the Fortune 500, you aren't welcome here anymore, no wonder they set up abroad, why wouldn't they?
Look what we are doing. The simplest thing we could do is to Change Our Attitude, say we are sorry, and tell them, promise them we won't ever treat them like that again. You watch what would then. We really need a leader who cares, speaks out, and stop this class warfare nonsense. See, now you got me fired up! Ha ha ha. Hoorah - Team USA!
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Innovation in America. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net.
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
Trump's Wall Will Never Happen
Listening to the raving and hateful messages he announced in his speech yesterday was enough to know that the wall Trump promises to build if elected will never happen. He is a potential dictator who assumes he will run the government if elected president. That simply cannot happen in the USA as it is not a one-man show. Unlike countries where leaders such as Assat, Gudafi, Hussein, and others came to power they did so with extreme violence.
Trump is forgetting the Senate and Congress. While President Obama has had many of his promises knocked back and become obsolete in the Senate there are lessons to be learned there for other aspiring leaders.
Trump states that from the first hour in office illegal migrants will be targeted and sent out of the USA. The facts are, however, that he has no authority to do that. The Constitution is clearly in favour of supporting people from all countries irrespective of their circumstances and that is not about to change just because one man says so.
To build a wall of the magnitude and cost he proposes will solve nothing. We live in a different world to even that of a few years ago when a massive fence was erected. Sophisticated tunnels have since been built that sees not only illegal migrants gaining free passage into the USA but drugs and other things as well.
Mexico is a poor disorganised and poverty-stricken country. No matter what measures he could put in place the ingenuity of humans will see it outdone. People are fighting for their lives in many cases and fleeing from inhumane and often murderous gangs. You can't stop their survival instincts from wanting better. No wall of any size or cost will stop them.
Norma Holt writes articles on many issues including Current Affairs.
Trump is forgetting the Senate and Congress. While President Obama has had many of his promises knocked back and become obsolete in the Senate there are lessons to be learned there for other aspiring leaders.
Trump states that from the first hour in office illegal migrants will be targeted and sent out of the USA. The facts are, however, that he has no authority to do that. The Constitution is clearly in favour of supporting people from all countries irrespective of their circumstances and that is not about to change just because one man says so.
To build a wall of the magnitude and cost he proposes will solve nothing. We live in a different world to even that of a few years ago when a massive fence was erected. Sophisticated tunnels have since been built that sees not only illegal migrants gaining free passage into the USA but drugs and other things as well.
Mexico is a poor disorganised and poverty-stricken country. No matter what measures he could put in place the ingenuity of humans will see it outdone. People are fighting for their lives in many cases and fleeing from inhumane and often murderous gangs. You can't stop their survival instincts from wanting better. No wall of any size or cost will stop them.
Norma Holt writes articles on many issues including Current Affairs.
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
Putin's Teddy Bear Military - A Cardboard Cutout
Who's afraid of the big bad bear?
President Putin has masterfully crafted a program to provoke the West into a hissy-fit about a former military superpower seeking to recapture its past Soviet era glories and domination through military adventures that challenge NATO and American might. During Russia's recent aggressive thrust close to and beyond the Near Abroad, Russia engaged in battles that were guaranteed public relations victories, not military ones notably: Crimea, eastern Ukraine and Syria. Each encounter had limited downside risk because Russia's military faced inferior, if any, opposition. Consider the following:
Eastern Ukraine has a large ethnic Russian population and Ukrainian government forces in effect felt like it was fighting on foreign soil. Although Russia denied utilizing its ground troops in this campaign, they still had to be clever to minimize the burials of "little green men."
Crimea was a lightning invasion of an island whose Russian population heartily welcomed them. Ironically it was a Pyrrhic victory because Russia now assumes Crimea's burdensome economic responsibilities.
Syria is exclusively an air campaign (a cost savings on body bags), a reinforcement of long-established military installations and access to a deep-water port at the behest of longtime ally, the Syrian government. As a de facto intensive training exercise Russia has been able to test their new high-tech toys under battle conditions against an opposition that didn't have advanced weaponry to threaten them.
In each case Russia engaged their military where the West was not legally compelled nor threatened to intervene because neither Ukraine nor Crimea are NATO members and Syria is a Russian ally. Additionally each territory conquered had a sizeable Russian population. In the meantime Russia has continued their incursions over the tiny Baltic States and small nearby NATO countries.
Militarily thin Russia is like a former world-class prize fighter who gets himself back in decent shape though far from his peak fighting years. He then buys some cool-looking boxing trunks, gets a good promotional manager and proceeds to beat up drunken beer-bellied toughs in a local dive bar and avoids battle-hardened fighters. It's all a clever measured risk that maximizes Russia's image and minimizes their military's short-comings. Any significant Russian ground battlefield losses regardless if it's a skirmish would spell doom for Putin's strongman political image. The question is whether Putin push his military too far in future ventures.
Russia is a bully in its neighborhood casting a long and dark shadow over smaller nearby countries. To these small countries Russia is a big, hungry bear seeking easy morsels. Though it seems implausible that Putin will risk any military offensive maneuvers in Europe because of potential world condemnation and sanctions, Putin's thirst to gain respect may supersede better judgment.
On the other hand, election victories by European ultra-conservatives in 2017 in France, Germany and other countries may provide Putin a level of respect he desires and will cease his military threats. Nonetheless Putin is keeping his worst-case options open in case the European ultra-conservative parties fall short in the elections and decide change their pre-electoral rhetoric to engage with Russia with respect and as an equal. Taking the non-NATO small countries "hostage" militarily may provoke, in the eyes of the Russians an aggressive military NATO reaction, a confrontation Putin is guaranteed to lose badly.
So I ask again, "Who's afraid of the big bad bear?"
Copyright Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC 2016. All rights reserved.
Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC is a NYC-based global advisory service and think tank with connections at the highest levels specializing in international investment, political and security risk assessments. International business is increasingly complex featuring a highly mobile professional class in all corners of the globe. We provide you the tools to successfully negotiate cross-culturally in your global business endeavors. Tell us about your challenges. We'll get you on the "Short List".
We provide executive coaching, speaking engagements, speechwriting and workshops. Contact us at http://www.indobrazilian.com
President Putin has masterfully crafted a program to provoke the West into a hissy-fit about a former military superpower seeking to recapture its past Soviet era glories and domination through military adventures that challenge NATO and American might. During Russia's recent aggressive thrust close to and beyond the Near Abroad, Russia engaged in battles that were guaranteed public relations victories, not military ones notably: Crimea, eastern Ukraine and Syria. Each encounter had limited downside risk because Russia's military faced inferior, if any, opposition. Consider the following:
Eastern Ukraine has a large ethnic Russian population and Ukrainian government forces in effect felt like it was fighting on foreign soil. Although Russia denied utilizing its ground troops in this campaign, they still had to be clever to minimize the burials of "little green men."
Crimea was a lightning invasion of an island whose Russian population heartily welcomed them. Ironically it was a Pyrrhic victory because Russia now assumes Crimea's burdensome economic responsibilities.
Syria is exclusively an air campaign (a cost savings on body bags), a reinforcement of long-established military installations and access to a deep-water port at the behest of longtime ally, the Syrian government. As a de facto intensive training exercise Russia has been able to test their new high-tech toys under battle conditions against an opposition that didn't have advanced weaponry to threaten them.
In each case Russia engaged their military where the West was not legally compelled nor threatened to intervene because neither Ukraine nor Crimea are NATO members and Syria is a Russian ally. Additionally each territory conquered had a sizeable Russian population. In the meantime Russia has continued their incursions over the tiny Baltic States and small nearby NATO countries.
Militarily thin Russia is like a former world-class prize fighter who gets himself back in decent shape though far from his peak fighting years. He then buys some cool-looking boxing trunks, gets a good promotional manager and proceeds to beat up drunken beer-bellied toughs in a local dive bar and avoids battle-hardened fighters. It's all a clever measured risk that maximizes Russia's image and minimizes their military's short-comings. Any significant Russian ground battlefield losses regardless if it's a skirmish would spell doom for Putin's strongman political image. The question is whether Putin push his military too far in future ventures.
Russia is a bully in its neighborhood casting a long and dark shadow over smaller nearby countries. To these small countries Russia is a big, hungry bear seeking easy morsels. Though it seems implausible that Putin will risk any military offensive maneuvers in Europe because of potential world condemnation and sanctions, Putin's thirst to gain respect may supersede better judgment.
On the other hand, election victories by European ultra-conservatives in 2017 in France, Germany and other countries may provide Putin a level of respect he desires and will cease his military threats. Nonetheless Putin is keeping his worst-case options open in case the European ultra-conservative parties fall short in the elections and decide change their pre-electoral rhetoric to engage with Russia with respect and as an equal. Taking the non-NATO small countries "hostage" militarily may provoke, in the eyes of the Russians an aggressive military NATO reaction, a confrontation Putin is guaranteed to lose badly.
So I ask again, "Who's afraid of the big bad bear?"
Copyright Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC 2016. All rights reserved.
Indo-Brazilian Associates LLC is a NYC-based global advisory service and think tank with connections at the highest levels specializing in international investment, political and security risk assessments. International business is increasingly complex featuring a highly mobile professional class in all corners of the globe. We provide you the tools to successfully negotiate cross-culturally in your global business endeavors. Tell us about your challenges. We'll get you on the "Short List".
We provide executive coaching, speaking engagements, speechwriting and workshops. Contact us at http://www.indobrazilian.com
Monday, February 06, 2017
The Need for an Impartial International News Service
The history of 2016 will be very hard to write. There have been so many false bulletins repeated by every news outlet, and with commercial and political pressures behind every medium, the news is rushed out in fierce competition to be first. Falsities were often corrected, but corrections are always less sensational, and hence less memorable, than the first scandalous pronouncement. Then both in connection with the Brexit referendum in the UK, and the presidential election in the USA, individuals were contradicting themselves and making unsubstantiated statements at a rate that left both the media and the public confused and floundering far behind the facts, where facts were able to be discerned.
The news media must share a good proportion of the blame for the disastrous outcomes of the UK Brexit referendum and the US presidential election. In both cases, emotion was allowed to overwhelm reason: the perceived need for strict controls on immigration was trumpeted much louder than the opposition could voice the consequences of undefined social and economic policies. In both cases, it was the opposing social and economic arguments that were based on fact, the benefits of the huge European free market in the one case and the extrapolation of the successful Obama policies in the other, yet linked to more liberal policies on immigration they were destined to be lost in the media clamour.
There was a time when the BBC World Service was regarded as a relatively impartial news medium but funded by an annual grant from the British Foreign Office it could not be said to be entirely free of political bias. Since this support ended in 2014, the BBC has proposed limited commercial activity which suggests a move out of the frying pan into the fire. Anyone experiencing the incessant commercial breaks on alternative news services knows the pernicious influence of big business, overt recurrent boredom imposed by the have-plenty on the have-nots and concealed political manipulation.
While the BBC World Service could serve as a useful model for an impartial international news medium, the new organisation cannot be associated with any one national government. It must be under the aegis of the United Nations. Issues like Brexit and the US presidential election have complex international ramifications and must be seen and reported from a global perspective. A nucleus already exists to distribute news of UN activities, but this needs to be greatly expanded to provide a fully global news service. Freed from competition, it would have no need to rush, and could take its time checking facts to ensure accuracy. Freed from the need to take commercial breaks, it would have time to fully consider current issues, consulting leading experts in all fields and at all locations. The need for UNIVOX may have existed for a long time, but it is perhaps only in the confusion of 2016 that it has become an urgent necessity.
My novels set in Ghana: The Colonial Gentleman's Son and Return to the Garden City, as well as my children's book: Saint George: Rusty Knight and Monster Tamer, together with many pictures of Ghana are featured on the website http://www.ghanabooksjwp.com and the books are available on amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Garden-City-John-Powell/dp/184624949X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442856892&sr=8-1&keywords=Return+to+the+Garden+City and other booksellers.
The news media must share a good proportion of the blame for the disastrous outcomes of the UK Brexit referendum and the US presidential election. In both cases, emotion was allowed to overwhelm reason: the perceived need for strict controls on immigration was trumpeted much louder than the opposition could voice the consequences of undefined social and economic policies. In both cases, it was the opposing social and economic arguments that were based on fact, the benefits of the huge European free market in the one case and the extrapolation of the successful Obama policies in the other, yet linked to more liberal policies on immigration they were destined to be lost in the media clamour.
There was a time when the BBC World Service was regarded as a relatively impartial news medium but funded by an annual grant from the British Foreign Office it could not be said to be entirely free of political bias. Since this support ended in 2014, the BBC has proposed limited commercial activity which suggests a move out of the frying pan into the fire. Anyone experiencing the incessant commercial breaks on alternative news services knows the pernicious influence of big business, overt recurrent boredom imposed by the have-plenty on the have-nots and concealed political manipulation.
While the BBC World Service could serve as a useful model for an impartial international news medium, the new organisation cannot be associated with any one national government. It must be under the aegis of the United Nations. Issues like Brexit and the US presidential election have complex international ramifications and must be seen and reported from a global perspective. A nucleus already exists to distribute news of UN activities, but this needs to be greatly expanded to provide a fully global news service. Freed from competition, it would have no need to rush, and could take its time checking facts to ensure accuracy. Freed from the need to take commercial breaks, it would have time to fully consider current issues, consulting leading experts in all fields and at all locations. The need for UNIVOX may have existed for a long time, but it is perhaps only in the confusion of 2016 that it has become an urgent necessity.
My novels set in Ghana: The Colonial Gentleman's Son and Return to the Garden City, as well as my children's book: Saint George: Rusty Knight and Monster Tamer, together with many pictures of Ghana are featured on the website http://www.ghanabooksjwp.com and the books are available on amazon at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Return-Garden-City-John-Powell/dp/184624949X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442856892&sr=8-1&keywords=Return+to+the+Garden+City and other booksellers.
Sunday, February 05, 2017
The Pride of a Nation
However, you only need to take a quick look at YouTube to unearth the uncomfortable tensions that exist between nations and their citizens when it comes to their national pride. For each war or skirmish there are clips on You Tube which pitch one country against another and claim that their own armies, navies or air forces are better than the next. These flag waving movie clips, along with rousing and inspirational music accompaniment bring out the worst of people in terms of the comments left by visitors.
In any war or battle, in any cause or revolution, there are casualties. For every glorified military success there are failures in terms of the mothers of sons who never return home. How interesting then that we shout about the glory of our military and the pride of our nations whilst brushing the debris and destruction of war under the carpet.
Please, do not think that I am not proud of my country. I am. In fact I am proud of the two countries that I have been fortunate to spend most of my life in. As I have become older and more mature I have become wary and nervous of misplaced pride. Yes, I am proud of the achievements of my countries. I am proud that the people have stood up for their beliefs.
What I am not proud of is citizens of those countries who taunt, deride and spread hate by waving the flag of our nations in an inappropriate manner. Why would you do this? Why is it so important to you that you shout from the rooftops about how your countries armed forces will destroy the armed forces of countries that you just happen not to like for whatever reason you have not to like them?
What a shame then that this passion for your nation could not be put to better use by engaging with citizens from other nations and befriending them. People are people wherever they may come from. The fact that you are a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim is something that happened by default. If you were born in the USA you might be Christian and if you were born in Tunisia you might be Muslim. Where then is the logic behind your hate for your fellow mankind?
We only need to take a look at what is happening in Syria and in Iraq to realise that the deep seated hatred between the warring parties stems from a major flaw in our human nature. In the same way that we feel comfortable with our own people, and our respective countries, we have a deep mistrust of other countries whose languages, culture and religion are different to our own.
Perhaps it is time for us all to grow up and accept that our governments, the respective governments of other nations and those that are supposed to represent us are told in no uncertain terms that we do not want our nations to go to war for any other cause than for the ultimate defence of our own respective lands and peoples, and that this would only take place as a last resort when every other negotiation and avenue has been explored and ultimately failed.
In any war or battle, in any cause or revolution, there are casualties. For every glorified military success there are failures in terms of the mothers of sons who never return home. How interesting then that we shout about the glory of our military and the pride of our nations whilst brushing the debris and destruction of war under the carpet.
Please, do not think that I am not proud of my country. I am. In fact I am proud of the two countries that I have been fortunate to spend most of my life in. As I have become older and more mature I have become wary and nervous of misplaced pride. Yes, I am proud of the achievements of my countries. I am proud that the people have stood up for their beliefs.
What I am not proud of is citizens of those countries who taunt, deride and spread hate by waving the flag of our nations in an inappropriate manner. Why would you do this? Why is it so important to you that you shout from the rooftops about how your countries armed forces will destroy the armed forces of countries that you just happen not to like for whatever reason you have not to like them?
What a shame then that this passion for your nation could not be put to better use by engaging with citizens from other nations and befriending them. People are people wherever they may come from. The fact that you are a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim is something that happened by default. If you were born in the USA you might be Christian and if you were born in Tunisia you might be Muslim. Where then is the logic behind your hate for your fellow mankind?
We only need to take a look at what is happening in Syria and in Iraq to realise that the deep seated hatred between the warring parties stems from a major flaw in our human nature. In the same way that we feel comfortable with our own people, and our respective countries, we have a deep mistrust of other countries whose languages, culture and religion are different to our own.
Perhaps it is time for us all to grow up and accept that our governments, the respective governments of other nations and those that are supposed to represent us are told in no uncertain terms that we do not want our nations to go to war for any other cause than for the ultimate defence of our own respective lands and peoples, and that this would only take place as a last resort when every other negotiation and avenue has been explored and ultimately failed.
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