My senior year in college I had a fabulous roomie from the north of France. She lives in a small village near Lille. She's cosmopolitan - she's been to Africa several times on worktrips, speaks German, English, Woloff (a Senegalese dialect) and of course French. She opened my eyes to a France I had no idea existed, which has displayed itself to the world in the past few weeks. I've read a lot about colonialization, and I've studied social movements and political unrest, but the racial and socio-economic inflamation today in France is something I cannot imagine.
Extended post hereThe stench of colonialization, racism, and religious prejudice colors the entire thing. Like the Irish conflict, or the American civil war, or the Arab-Israeli conflict, there are economic issues couched in all kinds of veneers. The only cause greater inflamation. I keep expecting another Bastille storming the way things are going, or a Rousseau to rise up as a voice for the masses. Every hundred years or so Europe gets restless - is this just another restless and thoughtless rebellion? Or is this something more? Will it turn into something more? Is there class consciousness? Is that too much to hope for? Will it spread to the Americas?
The depiction of the riots in our news is enough to make Latin America look stable, and as a student of international issues, I can't help feeling like Latin America is the only safe place to study as the bird flu is spread across the Asian continent, and political unrest is aflame across Europe (I have no real attachment to Africa, though I have heard wonderful things about the place).
As I glance around the world, with all the natural and human disasters - disease, riots, famine, hurricaines, tornadoes, earthquakes - I feel as though the world is falling apart. Every professor, indeed, every adult I have spoken with in the past 2 or 3 years has said something to the effect of 'Glad I won't be around to deal with this shit. I'll be dead!' Thanks guys, it's very encouraging.
The situation seems hopeless.
I knew a Palestinian guy and would talk to him about the situation in Israel/Palestine (I was also studying the situation in an International Politics class). It truly seemed hopeless. We hold on to the same stones so hard that we cannot see the faces across the barbed wire.
Desmond Tutu came to speak at UCSB last week. At the end of his speech he answered a few questions. The last question was something to the effect of 'What can we do to help further your work?' Contrary to his other answers, this one was quite succinct. He said 'End poverty,' and sat down.
If we could address the most extreme suffering in the world, we might be able to have something close to peace. It is not WAR that makes peace. War begets more war. 'Whoever lives by the sword dies by the sword.' I would rather beat my sword into a plowshare and feed my brothers and sisters. That is more constructive than decimating the land with bombs. Rather, if we address our brothers' and sisters' most basic needs we can decrease their level of desparation. Everyone knows it is a lot easier to talk when you have a full belly, a safe place to sleep, and clothes on your back.
If we could apply this prior knowledge... we might never see another Bastille storming again.
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Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue. - 2000 yr old "Art of War", Maybe another 1000 yrs?
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