| | Today I am reading about erosion, desertification (of the world!!!), and water politics. It's huge, scary stuff that I want to figure out how to do something about.
It makes me think of a conversation I had with my friend G several weeks ago. We always talk politics and religion, so it's no surprise that the subject of immigration came up. He said, "Being an American citizen is not a human right." The way it's written, I have several arguments for both sides of that one. But it makes me wonder.
If I'm a farmer who lives on a river, working my land, feeding myself, and selling my excess to other people to make money to pay for things like upkeep and electricity... and then a company erects a dam upriver and stops water from reaching me - essentially crushing my life and my livelihood - what are my options?
- Well, some say I should find another line of work. Would that I could control the markets of my little community and find an available job.
- Make your own work by becoming an entrepreneur. This is attractive, but create value how? And with what resources (there's no water now, remember)?
- If there's no water, shouldn't the government intervene? Shouldn't they do something about the company that erected the dam anyway? Presumably (at least in the U.S.) they needed a permit for that dam. From the government. Sometimes the government does not look out for the needs of its people. Lobbyists and greed and bigger political games trump the needs of the people.
- Well then just move! Where? To another place that's getting the shaft by dams and the government? Or whose water is going to cities and production of steel instead of agriculture and food because the profit margin is infinitely higher? Or... or maybe to the U.S., where the government is corrupt but opportunity is a bit more available, at least in theory.
Why should we let *them* in? We have our *own* problems to deal with.
Well, that much is true. The U.S. is in a good place when you compare us to parts of the rest of the world. After all, "Although the depletion of underground water is taking a toll on U.S. grain production, irrigated land accounts for only one fifth of the U.S. grain harvest, compared with close to three fifths of the harvest in
India and four fifths in China" (Brown 40).
So why shouldn't be protect our interests and keep everybody else out? Build those walls. Let the unfortunate fend for themselves. Our churches and our charities will do what they can to provide aid and relief. ... Well, that's also true, to an extent.
How do you feel about this little quotation? The one I quoted yesterday, I believe:
"One of the hallmarks of a civilized society is the capacity to care about others" (Brown 24).
|
| | Posted 7/22/2010 1:06 PM - 36 Views - 2 eProps - 4 comments
Give eProps or Post a Comment |
