KP Week-End (3/28/2010): Thoughts on Haiti & Chile
Link: demiandashton.org/
Haiti and Chile seem to have fallen off the so-called Main Stream Press. But, the suffering continues unabatted and the recovery will take a very long time.I recently read a piece by Marc Cooper of the USC Anenberg Center that he published in a recent edition of the Nation Magazine. Mr. Cooper served as a translator to Salvador Allende, the President of Chile that was assassinated by the butcher Pinochet during the 1973 Coup supported by the United States to protect US Economic Interests. I was frankly under the impression that Chile was the Switerzland of Latin America and had what it took to recover very quickly. Marc Cooper's piece really put that piece to bed very very quickly.
Of all the things that he wrote about, one thing that I was shocked to read about was the fact that basic commodities are sold to the Middle Class on twelve months installments at 30% interest. Most universities are privatized and the K-12 Education process is so out of touch and out of reality that it perpetuates a wide divide between the rich and the poor. The "dog-eat-dog" mentality he talked about seems to be ever more. Michelle Bachelet, the former President, made inroads to make things right. But, the new President, Pinera, wants to shrink the state and continue upon the "dog-eat-dog" mentality. He probably has to delay his plans because he has to spend 30 Billion Dollars to rebuild San Sebastain, the City destroyed.
I find Chile's story especially striking in light of the parallels I see with the United States. There is an onslaught on Public Education as we speak which I am researching on. I have periodically written about the onslaught on Public Education in KP's sister site, Outsider Views. The gradual starving of resources will perpetuate a society of haves and have nots. Universities are being starved of funds, too. Although the resources are scarce, the need to invest in Education is key. If one educations now, then one does not have to build the prisons. I find it especially funny to read about Meg Whitman's plans to build more prisons while wanting to reform education. Meg Whitman is the leading Republican Candidate for Governor of California who has already spent 52 Million Dollars on promoting his vision for a better California. Poiszner, another multi-millionaire who is the current Insurance Commisioner of the State, is also running to "save California"--whatever that means.
Now, there is of course Haiti. I congratulate Demi Moore and Ashton Kushner for launching an initative through their foundation to stop Child Slavery in Haiti. This is just a symptom of a larger problem. I was quite taken aback by the fact that Haiti was apparently self-sufficient in food 30 years ago until the US apparently forced Haiti to "see the light" by moving to Manufacturing. Now, there is a realization that food security is key. When Food Security is there, then one can create the right economic environment to build upon it. Creating sweatshops is not the answer.
Both countries have to change and change drastically. Will the World allow it, though? Will the World support the right kind of change?
Mike Pouraryan
