July 3, 2009 @ 3:42 pm | Category: gender/feminism, global issues
One of the most exciting things happening right now for women globally is in Iran. See this story in the Washington Post on the role of women who are demanding change.The Muslim world is known for its repressive laws against women’s freedom from denial of education to stoning for accusations of adultery. The women of Iran are demonstrating that for many education, plus a communications revolution, is fueling the spread of liberalizing ideas. The question remains on how this will affect the Muslim religion itself. Will there be, as some have proposed, a Muslim reformation? The alternative is a long and violent struggle within the Muslim world.
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July 2, 2009 @ 8:18 pm | Category: global issues
I just returned from a three week trip to Argentina, the land of my birth, I was both pleased and alarmed. Buenos Aires has all those things you hear about: The ever popular Evita, tango, Malbec wine, lots of grass fed beef, soccer fanatics, and wild traffic. I enjoyed it cafes, old architecture and watching its political process as elections were being held. The country suffers from chronic political and economic uncertainty while its people remain passionate about life. One of the things I love about the country is that BA’s neighborhoods are dotted with small family owned businesses that provide not only the day to day needs of the people but constitute the middle-class social network. Unlike the U.S., independent small scale manufacturing, grocers, bakers, fruit and vegetable vendors, and butchers still thrive. It was an opportunity to see once again something of what E. F. Schumacher wrote about in his 1973 book Small is Beautiful:Economics as if People Mattered.
Unfortunately what looms in the horizon and threatening the small business is Wallmart. As I said to one of my relatives, Wallmart is the devil dressed in American prosperity. Once the small businesses are out of business their former owners and employees will find themselves working for less not only economically but socially.Wallmart does not have a good track record when it comes to how it treats its employees. This state of affairs will only add to social and political unrest. The “American way of life” is not the answer for Argentina and other third world countries. Maintaining strong local networks must be a top priority on the road to prosperity and a working democracy. They don’t need our bulldozer.
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