Summit of Americas – Viewed From The “Back Forty”
Here on my Back Forty, I had a good view of much of that activity and excitement, which took place on the Plains of Abraham as history was being reenacted.
Gathered in Quebec City, meeting behind closed doors, were thirty-four delegates (democratically (?) elected heads of state), from the constituent states of the Western Hemisphere. Their alleged purpose was to discuss ways and means of implementing “free trade” among themselves in a more or less democratic manner. It seems that these ways and means had been known in the minds of those delegates before this meeting took place.
The question still remains why should not these ways and means have been made known to their public before being implemented? On the streets of Quebec City, well protected behind a wall of concrete blocks and security fencing, thousands of (democratic) citizens, anxiously waited, wanting and willing to let their voices be heard. “Tell us the secret that is so vital for our welfare”. To make sure that the secrets, of this Political Brass assembly did not escape to these concerned civilians on the public side of the security fence, our federal government, the host for this assembly, had supplied members of the armed forces as well as police forces. They were well equipped with suitable arms and ammunitions; – just to make sure that trouble would not develop. It was evident, thanks to the excellent news coverage that a handful or so of the demonstrators succeeded in fomenting enough trouble to warrant the deployment of this mixed armed force. To demonstrate to the media, the magnitude of their strength and bravery, a large number of arrests (many false) were made and retained over night
The news media covering this event, kindly showed to the world individual photo shots of each of those political delegates. To me, here in the grass roots of Ontario, they appeared like ordinary people from their several geographical areas.
What is all this fuss about anyway?
It is not a secret that each of these countries is apparently interested and willing to have “Multinational Corporations” within its boarders where they assume control, in a more or less “democratic” manner. Here these corporations sanctioned by a majority vote of their shareholders, established and are ruling their own little “democracies”.
This is “Free Trade”, “Free Enterprise”! With no holds barred, may the best and the strongest of the corporations win! These are all parts of the future Global picture of our world “civilization”.
Well folks, if this is bound to happen, let it happen by a vote of informed civilians, in a civilized manner. Along with this planetary control by “free enterprise”, a common currency would eventually be mandated.
Here on my humble “Back Forty”, I offer you, who read my web page on the Internet, my studied opinion. I suggest to you a better way to solve our world crisis. First off, let me say that we do not need “world trade”. Furthermore, we do not need trade of any kind. Rather than trade, we need “Sharing” � world wide “sharing”. To make a “better world” we need to share between Nations, across boarders, across cultures, across religions. We need to practice sharing within families as well as from family to family, as well as our next-door Neighbours. We need to appreciate and to share with Nature, in appreciation for Nature’s sharing with us.
This concept of “Sharing” will naturally nurture the feeling of fellowship.
It is now true the world ruled by Politics and Economics requires Currency and then, for uniformity, a “common currency”. Here in my humble abode among the forces and creatures of Nature, I can see that, for many millenniums, “Money” in its many forms represented the measure of wealth and prosperity. Mankind has fought, struggled and squabbled over this concept. Many wars have been and are still being fought in order to obtain personal and national wealth represented by “Things” and “Currency”.
This “Currency” enjoys Competition but abhors Co-operation. In fact Currency is the very lifeblood of “Business”, large and small.
In our civilization the absence of “Currency” generates poverty, ill health, the housing crises, causes riots, robberies, criminals, wars, broken lives and broken homes.
Currency, Money and in its disguise, Credit, etc, has come to be regarded as the basis of our present-day civilization (?) It is for this reason that social reformers have, until now, regarded the Money System as well as “BUSINESS” as untouchable, too sacred to be considered replaceable.
Now in the twenty-first century, Science and Technology can challenge this notion. To explain this statement, I invite my reader to scan back several “Views” to the one about “Vi-Tocracy” (View twenty-five.).
Yes, my friend and neighbour, I was saddened and disgusted by the goings on in Quebec. I saw the Summit of Americas, a fragment of the World Summit being attacked by ill-informed civilians, who knew what they did not want, but were as yet ignorant of what they did want. When we get our act together, then I am sure we will be satisfied to let “Big Business”- Corporate Power, exhaust itself, leaving Industry in the hands of the qualified Civilians in our civilization where it has a right to be.
Let us now consider the implications of a Universal, No-currency Economy.
Within a relatively short period of time the scourge of Poverty would disappear from our world. Our relationship with Nature would begin to take on meaning. Most of the crimes against humanity and against individuals would vanish. Wars of all kinds would cease for lack of purpose. All employable individuals, male and female would be enabled to find suitable, useful activity right around home. The health and welfare of individuals would tend to improve, as is their right. National and cultural demarcation boundaries, separating nation from nation, would dissolve. Our engineers could begin at once to solve those universal pollution problems, without having to wait from two to five years to make feasibility studies. Those sacred words and phrases Democracy, Party Politics and Free Enterprise would be replaced by easily definable words like Fellowship Co-operation, Vi-Tocracy (unity with Nature), Caring and Sharing, Each for All and All for Each.
Yes my Friends and Neighbours, I believe this is what “Civil Rights” is all about! This is what we should be asking those who are occupying those exalted positions of world leadership! If anything, this is what all of you, who enjoy marching, should be marching for!
Well, that’s the way I perceived this “SUMMIT of AMERICAS”.
Now, I must go have my nap!
From the Back Forty –
Timothy Haystubble (Grass Roots Philosopher)