Righteous Indignation

The tension between minority indigenous populations and the "ruling" majority is a constant and challenging reality of the modern world. For example, here in the USA we have a sad legacy in regards to our national treatment of the Native American. Across the way, in China, nationalistic fervor and authoritarianism result in the systematic oppression of the "aborigines". William Harlan and Ryan Wylie have made an excellent short documentary of the conflict between the Raramuri, an indigenous group in Mexico, and commercial loggers. It provides an instructive example of the elusiveness of providing justice to the indigenous and of obtaining an equipoise between societal morality, preservation, and modernity in the setting of many years of fault.

Photo: Opening screen shot of the documentary, "Running For Their Lives".

Good Governance

The Dominican Republic and Haiti are two fascinating countries of compare and contrast. They both occupy the same island in the Caribbean, yet their fates have been much different. The Dominican Republic is well governed, democratic, peaceful, and a tourist destination. Haiti is disastrous on all these fronts. A look at the environmental devastation of Haiti is instructive.

Photo: Satellite photo of the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic demonstrating the clear cutting of Haitian forest.

An American Accent in Sydney

"America might control the world, but we must control and keep our own language" -Queensland, Australia's premier

The iconic Sydney opera house is a distinctly Australian image and manages to capture the personality and spirit of both the city and country. Australian identity, like all national identities, are tightly linked to its language. What then to do (if anything) when the rise of American english and associated cultural detritus continues? English is the language of world business and of medicine and public health--though this might be argued by the francophile WHO/UN. There are clear efficiency benefits of a world language, i.e. english, but as accents fade will too the things that make a multicultural world so interesting?

Photo: Sydney opera house, taken July 2007 while attending the 4th International AIDS Society Conference.

Show Me the Passport.

I had a feisty conversation with some Canadians last night about whether Americans or Canadians are more internationally-focused (or really, which country was more insular). It is interesting to note that probably only 1/4 to 1/3 of Americans over 18 even have a passport. However, Mark Twain counseled caution, in a way, of travel snobbery. This having been said, I think I would err on being too well-traveled than too lightly. And, having done so, to try to keep learning humility in the process.