Posted by Benjamin on: 03.21.2008 /
A good friend recently wrote to me, in the context of a discussion of the ongoing violence in Tibet with regards to the upcoming Olympics in China
Imagine the international goodwill if they [the Chinese] decided to give Tibet back and allow the Dalai Lama to return when the Olympics start
This struck me as such an absurdly hopeful idea that I decided he must be a Christian or something. (as a general lack of hope is part of what keeps me from still being a Christian).
And it led me to ponder: What could Americans do to generate a similar amount of international good will? Or the Jews? Or the Palestinians? Or the Russians? Or the French, or the British, or the Aussies (whose new prime minister, I must say, is doing a bonzer job along these lines). (Why is it I mostly think of the powerful (apart from the Palestinians, I guess)–I suppose because it’s the powerful who seem to generate the most ill will?)
But mostly, I’m thinking about America, I guess, since I’m from here. I honestly couldn’t think of anything. I can feel my mind tickling at the edges of some ideas, but my refusal to hope, I think, shuts them down. What do y’all think?
Your top three ideas for generating international good will?
Top answer gets a free Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier (as soon as we can find a spare US$8 Billion)
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Comment by: Steven
1 03/21/08 7:24 AM | Comment Link |1. Like our Aussie friends, we should apologize to the natives. Native Americans are one of the last areas the civil rights movement needs to touch.
2. Have a fair policy toward the Israel/Palestine dispute.
3. Dismantle some nukes.
Comment by: Benjamin
2 03/22/08 12:04 AM | Comment Link |Steven,
Thank you for your ideas. Have you followed the native american issue at all? I think there’s some movement toward an apology along the lines of the australian one. It was a while ago that I read about it.
It looks like both Obama and Clinton are interesting in reducing world stockpiles of nuclear weapons. Couldn’t find anything from McCain about it.
There’s also apparently popular support for the idea, however, apparently our government isn’t exactly going with public opinion on this issue (alas).
Anyway–great ideas. From over here I’m thinking that number 1 seems reasonably doable, number 3 somewhat less doable, and number 2 rather seriously unlikely.
Comment by: Martin Gugino
3 03/22/08 5:24 PM | Comment Link |I need one. I need one. I need one.
Comment by: Benjamin
4 03/22/08 6:19 PM | Comment Link |Martin
What are you going to do with it?
Comment by: Rachel
5 03/23/08 10:41 AM | Comment Link |One way to generate good will is to share our resources with people in need. On the President’s recent trip to Africa, he was greeted with cheering and dancing crowds who expressed their appreciation for the large increase in aid. Great progress has been made in combating malaria and providing antiretrovirals to patients with HIV thanks to US assistance. I heard that President Bush has a higher approval rating in Africa than in any other region of the world, including the United States! And I don’t see large numbers of terrorists who hate America coming from Africa. So why doesn’t it occur to the President that this might be a better approach EVERYWHERE?? Including in the Middle East, perhaps?
Comment by: Steven
6 03/26/08 1:30 PM | Comment Link |Benjamin,
I have not followed the Native American issue very much lately. It is very difficult to find good information. I’m originally from New Mexico, the injustices that occur against our native brothers and sisters is disgusting. It is something that has always touched my heart. There are areas that have no better conditions that third world countries right here in the USA. Something should be done.
Comment by: benjamin
7 03/29/08 3:02 AM | Comment Link |Indeed. Although “third world” is a term we could probably stand to dissect a little. But I hear you. Just … suicide rates, for instance. There are smallish signs of hope and help. But what does one do for a culture and people that have nearly been genocided? I mean … If we’re looking at numbers, do the Native Americans have it worse than the Jews, in terms of genocide? And just look at the vast literature and … cultural memory that has grown up around trying to deal with/understand the Holocaust. Unlike the Jews, the powerful haven’t banded together to grant the native Americans a homeland. And their languages *are* dying–in a story that is in many ways opposite of the story of Hebrew.