Iraq- but from a different point of view

[welsh]

Here's an issue that isn't getting much play but should be thought about.

I am quoting, a length, a news article in a recent paper written by a law student back from Iraq in support of a "rule of law" project,
(Malk this can be found in the 9/4-9/10 edition of the The Hook - a c'ville weekly).

"... I can't help by wonder at the world of difference between her (a peace activist) and what in this country are called peace activists, who opposed the war- as did she- out of concern for its potential Iraqi victims. Now that the victims of recent fighting are real, wiht names and faces- and millions more no less real victims, with names an faces revealed in files of teh Released Prisoners- those anti-war activists, unlike her, appear to have exhausted their efforts at exactly the moment when they coudl do the most good.
It woudn't take much-- a couple of dollars, an old laptop, a scanner, some sandbags for windows, a word of encouragement- to multiply the good done by these amateurs by a factor of ten, or a hundred, or more. A tipping point between civilization and its oppisite can be found at this address."

Point I am trying to raise here is that if we rely on states and governments to do "right" then we are deluding ourselves. National governments work on behalf of interests and often themselves. However, it also seems that individuals or groups of non-government folks can also do a great deal to help these folks. We have talked about Bush and Chirac, US vs French interests, whether we should go to war or not. But regardless, this is not merely a matter of governments but of people.

We do not have to consign ourselves to the will or disputes of our governments. I think we, as individuals could and should do something. This is especially true of students. If anyone, it should be true of students. And yet, it doesn't seem as if much is happening. Regardless of one's position for or against the war, I think most of us could get behind the idea that the people in Iraq are pretty much in trouble and that more could be done to help.

I would be curious to see what ideas you might have as to what could be done to make life better for these folks. I am floating some ideas around campus to different student organizations to see if they would be willing to get involved. So your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[JJ86]

I have done a bit to improve relations between the US and Cuba and yet there is so much to do. Twice I went down there to deliver medical and school supplies and have lobbied our government to ease restrictions on travel. It is a very large undertaking.

I don't agree with the way Castro handles his country and there is some repression but the poor people there are better taken care of than in most other Latin American countries. There is definitely room for improvement but 100% free trade democracy is not the answer. Corporations would take over and gut the island like all the other islands of the Caribbean and like it was in the past.

 

[Brother None]

Hmmm, well trouble with this is the over-shoot. Young people oftimes think they can change the world easily and when they find out they can't, they become dissapointed and draw back in their shell.

Strangely, while your neighbour may not be the person most direly in need, he's still the first person you should do good for. Don't go all "I want the world to be a better place!", start with "I want my neighbourhood to be a better place"

It sounds corny, but it's still true. And once you learn to do this kind of easy-and-direct-result effort, you can start on the easy-with-no-direct-result efforts (foreign aid etc.)

I mean, it's too difficult to hold on to an effort to change the world. I think Hunter S. Thompson stated it nicely in fear and loathing (quoted here from the film, I don't have the book handy):

"And that, I think, was the handle---that sense of inevitable victory over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we didn't need that. Our energy would simply prevail. There was no point in fighting---on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave. So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see the high-water mark---the place where the wave finally broke and rolled back."

I think the greatest trouble with foreign aid is that you'll not soon see the result of this aid unless you go there to help personally...Blablabla, yadada, I've totally lost my train of thought, nevermind.

 

[welsh]

JJ- I think its a great idea. I am not a big Castro supporter either, but I think that some opening is needed. It seems the anti-castro gang in the US is more keen on frustrating that though.

Kharn, I think you raise a good point.

The reason why I am thinking about this here- that charity begins at home.

I also agree that the young are often disillusioned. Still, if you can't be idealistic when you are young, then when? It would also be nice if some of these students could follow their ideals, at least for a little while, before dealing with the cold cruel realities of adulthood (no- I'm just kidding- it's not that bad).

This war has already begun to divide people. People don't talk about it because they are afraid of expressing their opinions. But I think its important that we find a way that people here can feel engaged productively and purposefully regardless of whether they supported the war. I think most people felt how they did about the war do to some sense of humanitarianism. Either get rid of Saddam because he's a cruel dictator or don't fight the war because people will get killed. Ok, regardless, there is still a humanitiarian issue here that I think people could get together on.

American students have a unique opportunity. For one thing, this is their war. The war was fought, theoretically, for their interest- in either a more democratic middle east, security of oil, or to kill terrorists. And yet many feel frustrated for lack of something to do. Secondly, students here have that peace activists in Iraq don't have is money and material. What could be done is to shift some, and not a lot, from here to there- where it could do more good.

The trick would be how to do it.

Imagine, a keg party for Iraq! Drinking to help Muslims- what a great world.

 

[OnTheBounce]

I don't agree with the way Castro handles his country and there is some repression but the poor people there are better taken care of than in most other Latin American countries. There is definitely room for improvement but 100% free trade democracy is not the answer. Corporations would take over and gut the island like all the other islands of the Caribbean and like it was in the past.

I'm w/you on this one, JJ86. Castro isn't a gem, but he's better than Batista was, by far. Also, for all of the lampooning that Cuba's socialist medical system gets here in the states it seems to me a "no-brainer" that it's better to get 2nd rate medical care than no care at all, which was the case under the old regime where people either broke their backs in the sugar cane fields or had the rather dubious pleasure of gratifying the baser needs/wants of tourists. (:hehe: Yep, there's a reason for all of those longing songs from the '30s, '40s and '50s that spoke of Havanah...)

If multi-national corporations took over things would quickly get worse for the bulk of the populace. Cuba would just be one more example of an extractive economy in Latin America, and that would be that.

OTB

 

[Sander]

I'll ignore Cuba, because it isn't really the place for it.

What I think is important, is for people to actually form an opinion about things. INstead of just going "What? But that's [...] miles from here! I don't care!" or "You can't change it, who cares?" people should actually form their own opinions(For one side or the other), and be able to access good information about things like this.
One thing I DO know, is that I can do very little right now, I'm still in high-school, living at home, in the Netherlands and basically have little access to any means of affecting something. I could try running a website, or something like that, however, there are many websites around, and I doubt I would get the time to frequently update it....

SO, I just participate in debates on fora and show my opinion about things...

 

[welsh]

The trick, as I see it, is to recognize your constraints and figure ways around it.

Sander, your point is right. As a little guy in a big world, there is little you can do to make a difference. Truth is most people can do little, but feel constrained. Voicing opinions helps develop a consensus around an idea, but sometimes action is need to give substance to that idea.

So here, how to get lots of students involved, yet realizing that they can't individually do much.

We could probably get them to donate, and as Kharn points out, they would probably be better off working within reasonsable geographic proximity.

So one way might be to raise money. Students could drop a dollar or two.

Then you would have to figure out how that money gets spent.

You would also have to figure out who would do the organization and managament of such a project.

 

[JJ86]

The problem that most aid organizations find is that they must waste a lot of resources due to corruption in those countries. Thousands of dollars are wasted in bribes and hiring guides that are just out to get rich.

 

[welsh]

I agree and have been thinking about that problem. We already have something of a viable network here that could get supplies in, what we need, I think, is student involvement.

I just sent an email to one of the big wigs here and will see what kind of action I get on it.

At some point when you throw an idea you have to accept that the ball has been thrown and see what happens, and that it's up to the other side to catch and run with it. If they drop it, or fumble, well.... such is life.