What are we fighting for? : . : Freedom : . : Is it just a word?


: . : Yes, this certainly is a sorely overdone subject, but I hope to add my little bit of cynicism to the already packed debate. A new thesis certainly has been a long time coming here. This is because I'm used to writing these late at night, and I'm not exactly sure what night is anymore. That being said, I'm not exactly sure what this catchy little monicker for all that is good and holy in our world really means anymore. There are so many uses for the word, from the religious, to the social, to the bare physical. I'm hoping to only discuss the social here, but who knows where things might end up.

: . : You certainly can't have a discussion about freedom without mentioning the "war" in Iraq. Even so, I will linger on that topic only as long as I must. It seems to me, in my infinitely limited perception of the "liberation" of this country, that there is only a small portion of the people that are actually better off than they were before. Many months after the central conflict is over, people are now dying because they cannot get the medical care that they need, the care that they once had access to, under the "fascist regime". Oddly enough, many people shy from leaving their homes, for fear of being shot, blown up, or arbitrarily detained at a check-point. Now, while I'm sure that many of you may now be waving a flag of progress in protest of my remarks, you have to admit that the progress is far too slow-going, and the "freedom" that has been won here is little more than a word for most Iraquis.

: . : Does the end justify the means? There's a question that will never be solved, so long as we ponder it. Some things may only be attained by force. And some forces may only be reduced by force - but what amount of force is necessary? And is any of this really true at all? It's difficult to say at this point. I suppose that I write about these things because they are difficult to say, and they must be said. Somehow.

: . : I've really been waiting for an inspiration to get this website back off the ground again. As it was once a place of power and intrigue for my brain, it seems to have of late become more of a graveyard for poorly thought out ideas. Which brings me to the meat and potatos of this little segment. So much is said, but what is done? So many good ideas, but what really happens?

: . : The world is changing, and is at a breaking point of some kind - I think that just about anyone can see that these days. From the altered and doctored reports of global news agencies (we just need one disaster after another), to the carefully monitors deceptions of governments (lies about everything from healthcare to war plans), and protest of the atrocities of the world being brought to the mainstream by the most destitute of our society: celebrities and musicians, where is this all going? I wish I knew, because then I could get out of the way. So now it's cool to care about children starving in far off countries, and it's also cool to be mad at the government for its many and varied transgressions. Well, that's just wonderful, but where will that get us?

: . : The fact is, it seems like there is a great and glorious human rights movement happening right now, that is nothing but a publicity fanfare. Like the opposite of the movie "Wag the Dog", instead of the the government pulling the wool over the eyes of the people, as they so often like to do, the people are now taking a turn at the wool pulling. We see commercials, and rallies, and concerts, and protests for all sorts of things. Giving to charities such as oxfam and world vision is on a steady rise, but at the same time, the G8 governments are still not moving a bit with regards to progress towards global equality. Although the 'masses' seem to be in agreeance that there absolutely must be something done as soon as possible, for all intents and purposes, nothing is happening at all.

: . : But wait! Aren't these countries free democracies that are essentially run by their people? Aren't the elected officials there to do the will of the people? That's what I thought many years ago. The problem is, Tommy Hilfiger and K.C.Irving might have trouble putting food on the table if things change too much, too soon. Our governments (USA & Can) have demonstrated time and time again that their main concern is corporations and capitalism, not 'the free peoples of yadda yadda . . .' Whether through sponsorship scandals, or oil money, slowed progress in research for new energy sources, or the refusal to ratify the kyoto accord, the continued unnecessary outsourcing of labour, or the refusal to eliminate third world debt, the will of the beaurocratic and aristocratic governments has been made painfully clear.

: . : This goes on and on, showing no sign of stopping. You ask any little child, or most any adult, what would be the greatest selfless thing they could give to the world, after some thought, they will likely either tell you world peace, or the absolution of world poverty and hunger. It's as simple as that. It is a core need that is understood the world over. It is an innate understanding that each and every person on this planet has an equal right to be free and happy and healthy. Instead we are lead along to bicker about healthcare and military spending, about 'corruption' and elections. You want corruption? How about a government that doesn't care in the slightest about what is quite possibly the most valued concern of its population? That treats it like a wound to be nursed back to health, by putting bandage after bandage of small spending commitments that are never really realized in the end anyway.

: . : And yet on the surface it seems as if we're raging. Asif something is really going to happen to make a difference in the long run. Well you know what? I am raging. And a bunch of TV commercials and idle complaints are not going to do this time. Enough is enough. I'm not talking about bombings or small protests. I'm talking about everyone, together, all at once. Protest? Yes. How? Every way. They learned a few things about it back in the sixties and seventies, maybe we just need to look back for the answer. Maybe someone needs to stand in front of a tank once more. Or to stand in front of their elected official, and tell them things are not alright, and that there is still an awful lot of work to be done. And you know what? It can be done. Right now, we have the power. The G8 has the power to end world poverty in a matter of years.

: . : That's right. If the richest countries in the world really put their heads and their pocketbooks together, undertaking the greatest simultaneous humanitarian effort in the history of the world, world hunger could be nearly eliminated in a generation. It IS completely possible and plausable. I've already spent a great deal of time talking about why they don't want to do this in previous articles, so I won't bother winding that argument up again. The the goundwork of how this will happen has already been laid by such groups as World Vision, Compassion International, Amnesty International, OxFam, etc. They already have the experience and the knowhow to know what works best, most efficiently, and most cost-effectively (which, as we all know, is a favourite of governments. At least they like to pretend it is). The restarting of entire communities and national economies may sound like the dreams of a utopian dreamer, but think of it this way:

: . : The Bush administration has already dumped billions of dollars into a war that didn't have to take place. Even more untold hundreds of millions of dollars have gone into relief for the Tsunami, which, in case you didn't know, wouldn't have had half the deathtoll it had, had the countries it struck been developed and prepared (I use this word loosely, because no one is prepared for something of that scale), for widespread disasters, or had an infrastructure capable of handling the outpouring of aid that was sent. Amnesty organizations the world over continue to pour money and aid into the third world on a daily basis, and while their efforts are productive and greatly helpful, they go on year after year, decade after decade, showing very little progress in the great scheme of things. All of this could be avoided in the future. The savings to the global economy could be staggering. If we took into action all of the aid that we would theoretically be giving out over the next fifty years (which really isn't all that much) all at once, another fifty years of aid would no longer be needed.

: . : Am I out of my mind? Have I finally gone from the realm of the real (some people other than me believe what I say, I assure you) into the realm of the fantastic? I don't think so. Out of my mind, maybe. Is this possible? Absolutely. But it doesn't just stop there.

: . : You know that happy little 'world peace' that kids and Miss America hopefuls always ask for? We'll be an awful lot close once everyone has food on their tables, and truly equal rights to everyone else on the world. People will still bicker, and still war, but they will have one less thing (and it's a big thing) to war about. This won't change immediately by any chance, but things will definitely be a lot better when everyone has their fair chance, and has gotten used to having that chance.

: . : I admit, we don't live in a perfect world, and things certainly can't ever be truly perfect, or even all that close to it, but that definitely is no excuse for just letting things slide, and not fixing that which is easily fixed. Let's get behind this, because there was never a better time than now.