From Another Perspective, .....

Although I consider myself a conservative, this seems a good time to mention some things I find perplexing and to look at a few things from another perspective, even if that look will necessarily be rather brief.

 

I find it incongruous that the United States--and much of the world in general--is so opposed to certain nations developing nuclear weapons.  If Canada wanted to develop nuclear weapons, would we be as outraged as we are when Iran and North Korea try to develop the same?  I haven't heard anyone saying that if North Korea and Iran will stop developing their nuclear weapons, we'll get rid of ours!  I do think I remember a certain degree of outrage when France was conducting underground tests of nuclear weapons many years ago.  The point is:  Why should the United States, along with other nations, try to bully certain countries into certain policies--especially when we do not follow those same policies? 

I also am very concerned about agriculture companies who genetically engineer their seeds in such a way that farmers in under-developed countries are not able to use seeds from last year's crop to produce future crops.  (This would also have an adverse effect on poor farmers, even in wealthier countries.)  For thousands of years, farmers have been able to count on using the seeds from current crops to grow future crops.  Now, that is changing.  And you could say that it's because of the greed of certain business interests. 

 

Along the same lines is the matter of companies who move operations overseas to avoid paying the high wages necessary in the U.S.  I actually do understand this practice; but much has been made of the presence of "sweat shops" in factories owned by western companies in the Third World. I suspect that the wages and working conditions of people working in western-owned companies are probably better than those of the workers in many native-owned shops; but I have no evidence for that supposition.  If companies are going to maintain operations in poor countries, they should strive to improve the lives of the people and be good corporate citizens, just as they are encouraged to do in this country.

 

And one more thing.  I'm interested in the "fair market" products that help bring a decent way of life to some farmers and craftsmen in under-developed countries.  I haven't yet pursued this interest.  I used to see it strictly as a political movement of which I was highly skeptical.  Well, in a sense, it is a political movement.  It also costs more for us to buy these "fair trade" products than to buy the mass-produced products we see in our grocery stores.  Additionally, I'm not for buying anything of inferior quality just to make a political or spiritual statement.  From what I understand, however, these "fair trade" products are not inferior.  It is a way of affirming our support of developing entrepreneurship in the Third World and not being wholly conditioned by the multi-national corporations.