What frightens me about this story is that Frank Wills died in poverty. After doing the American people a great favour, he was discarded. I'm Australian. It's now coming up to five years since I've been able to see my boyfriend. Twelve years since I've been able to retain a reliable income. Twelve years since I took an idea based upon my…
What frightens me about this story is that Frank Wills died in poverty. After doing the American people a great favour, he was discarded. I'm Australian. It's now coming up to five years since I've been able to see my boyfriend. Twelve years since I've been able to retain a reliable income. Twelve years since I took an idea based upon my family's / community's social contract in Rural Australia to a meeting with a staff member of the US National Security Council. At first I thought I would just have to wait until Trump lost power. Then I thought maybe I had to wait until after Scott Morrison lost power in Australia. Now, I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. And I'm looking at what happened to Frank Wills and I'm thinking ... there's something rotten in America.
An absolutely great bit of writing about how the US has generated ill will in most of the rest of the world while China has gone around building infrastructure and friends AND has not been talking out of one side of its mouth about "values" while simultaneously killing brown people for fun and profit in the Middle East.
Thanks for posting.
Yes, the US, especially if the Pubs take it over, is in for a tough ride where China is relevant.
During the time that the US built 2.8 miles of bullet train track in CA, the Chinese built bullet trains between and within every mid-size and large Chinese city in the entire country, from 2001 to now.
Just that single fact says it all.
Great Britain has hired the Chinese to build one of the largest nuclear plants in Europe.
And America? America has "outsourced" (given away) all of its technology to China in exchange for essentially cheap slave labor to get big management bonuses.
All in all? The US has behaved as if it is a spoiled, retarded, rich kid.
The Japanese, with whom we shared many of our (highly detailed) manufacturing details in the 50's and 60's because of the cheaper costs, were livid when we then did the same with the Chinese in the 70's and onward, simply because they were cheaper. After that turn about, they basically said the hell with you, you are now on your own. We lost a great democratic partner through greed.
Yes, we were actually partnering with highly capable Japanese (more capable in manufacturing and design that us ultimately) who worked within an ethical, Democratic framework.
Moving stuff to one of their great enemies was a mistake.
Mike, greed defines the U.S. from the start. Lofty words and ideals at odds with practice, and especially at odds with laws legalizing enslaving humans, genocide, and stealing land. U.S. mythology couldn't be farther from reality. Too many who see themselves as well-meaning and "liberal" cling to those myths as strongly as die-hard white supremacists. Which is how and why we've come to this point. The damage the U.S. has done in the world ... perhaps coming home to roost.
Who permitted the Chinese population to be drafted in the cause of providing cheap T shirts to the US and later made Steve Jobs rich in near slave like conditions? Who right this minute is trying to obliterate the culture of one of its major minority groups and jails its opponents? Who runs a police state and sides with Putin? I don't defend US wars or US foreign policy. I've actively opposed them. But spare us nice words about China.
I am not sure I would describe Mike's words about China as nice. What you say about China is quite true. But Mike is pointing out the effectiveness of a nation with a single minded purpose. China gets stuff done.
Would I want to live in such a place? Of course not. But China makes us look like fools as it screams ahead of us in so many ways.
Democracy (the real thing) is great as long as its inhabitants can agree on some common truths. We HAVE ceded International leadership and the well being of our own citizens to China in exchange for Walmart's inventory and an iPhone. Cheap Chinese labor is our economic heroin.
Thanks Bill. Correct, I was not not saying "nice" things about China nor do I admire their system of "government" which is NOT communist.
China is simply a dictatorship of of one man, not very different from an American corporation....and we see how well functioning corporations are where their interests are relevant.
"...ceded International leadership and the well being of our own citizens to China..". Indeed we have. And a few have become obscenely rich in doing just that.
China is far from altruistic. The "belts" it is constructing throughout impoverished countries have a self-serving purpose: access to materials and minerals for tech, shipping, and (even) cheap(er) labor. Doubtless, China has exceeded the world in production and infrastructure, once the domain of the US. Nevertheless, "How one does anything is how they do everything." Strange that China has emulated much of capitalism.
You are correct. China just walks right in. They are already threatening and using military leverage in India, Nepal and Bhutan. With all our horrific faults the USA still does not come even close to the human rights abuses of China. I know many refugees from Tibet and other Countries. The USA is still considered the best bet. I asked an Afghan refugee (not recent refugee) why the Afghan people hate America. "You invaded our Country." When I asked him why his huge family had immigrated here he said the USA is still considered the best place to live.
So. Not only do we need to keep fighting the good fight for ourselves, family and friends we need to take care of this Country so people can seek shelter here. We are far far from perfect but we are a valued refugee shelter.
Umm, sorties flown over Taiwan? Military intervention in Hong Kong? Invasion of North Vietnam? Crushing Tibet? Weapons sent to Myanmar (and I think some troops, similar to us in Ukraine) China's war with Japan, et al. China's warships and aircraft have a heavy presence in Southeast Asia, currently.
I think the US is more like a spoiled teenager in its temperament, flashes of potential but wrapped up in self-interest and demanding immediate gratification for every want it has.
Oh no! The Chinese may accomplish all you say. Do you realize they use slave labor?
Here is a look at the massive massive human rights abuses the Chinese afflict upon people. The term "human rights abuse" doesn't even come close to describing the rape, torture, imprisonment and murder of the Tibetan people since China invaded Tibet decades ago. Estimates are it is perhaps as high as a million. Mao told the Dalai Lama religion is poison and he and his successors destroyed millennia old monasteries, libraries and the tried to erase religion from Tibet.
The Chinese government has committed a series of ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang that is often characterized as genocide.
The USA has turned a blind eye and deaf ear towards China's horrific human rights record because we wanted to trade with China and get cheap labor and goods.
With great respect Mike your following sentence could not be more wrong: "AND has not been talking out of one side of its mouth about "values" while simultaneously killing brown people for fun and profit in the Middle East."
The citizens of America must NOW vote like their life depends upon their determined effort...because now it does...vote our ALL republicans...every one of them!
What frightens me about this story is that Frank Wills died in poverty. After doing the American people a great favour, he was discarded. I'm Australian. It's now coming up to five years since I've been able to see my boyfriend. Twelve years since I've been able to retain a reliable income. Twelve years since I took an idea based upon my family's / community's social contract in Rural Australia to a meeting with a staff member of the US National Security Council. At first I thought I would just have to wait until Trump lost power. Then I thought maybe I had to wait until after Scott Morrison lost power in Australia. Now, I'm not sure what I'm waiting for. And I'm looking at what happened to Frank Wills and I'm thinking ... there's something rotten in America.
This what I read in The Daily Maverick this morning: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2022-06-17-how-the-us-could-lose-the-new-cold-war/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Weekend%20Thing%2018%20June%202022&utm_content=Weekend%20Thing%2018%20June%202022+CID_833021c41d06e8df42f0283de719324b&utm_source=TouchBasePro&utm_term=How%20the%20US%20could%20lose%20the%20new%20Cold%20War
Indeed the US seems to have a lot to work on.
Olof,
Thanks for the link.
An absolutely great bit of writing about how the US has generated ill will in most of the rest of the world while China has gone around building infrastructure and friends AND has not been talking out of one side of its mouth about "values" while simultaneously killing brown people for fun and profit in the Middle East.
Thanks for posting.
Yes, the US, especially if the Pubs take it over, is in for a tough ride where China is relevant.
During the time that the US built 2.8 miles of bullet train track in CA, the Chinese built bullet trains between and within every mid-size and large Chinese city in the entire country, from 2001 to now.
Just that single fact says it all.
Great Britain has hired the Chinese to build one of the largest nuclear plants in Europe.
https://www.economist.com/britain/2022/02/12/british-regulators-have-approved-a-chinese-reactor-design
And America? America has "outsourced" (given away) all of its technology to China in exchange for essentially cheap slave labor to get big management bonuses.
All in all? The US has behaved as if it is a spoiled, retarded, rich kid.
The Japanese, with whom we shared many of our (highly detailed) manufacturing details in the 50's and 60's because of the cheaper costs, were livid when we then did the same with the Chinese in the 70's and onward, simply because they were cheaper. After that turn about, they basically said the hell with you, you are now on your own. We lost a great democratic partner through greed.
Mike,
BEST COMMENT OF THE DAY.
Yes, we were actually partnering with highly capable Japanese (more capable in manufacturing and design that us ultimately) who worked within an ethical, Democratic framework.
Moving stuff to one of their great enemies was a mistake.
Mike, greed defines the U.S. from the start. Lofty words and ideals at odds with practice, and especially at odds with laws legalizing enslaving humans, genocide, and stealing land. U.S. mythology couldn't be farther from reality. Too many who see themselves as well-meaning and "liberal" cling to those myths as strongly as die-hard white supremacists. Which is how and why we've come to this point. The damage the U.S. has done in the world ... perhaps coming home to roost.
Exactly so.
Who permitted the Chinese population to be drafted in the cause of providing cheap T shirts to the US and later made Steve Jobs rich in near slave like conditions? Who right this minute is trying to obliterate the culture of one of its major minority groups and jails its opponents? Who runs a police state and sides with Putin? I don't defend US wars or US foreign policy. I've actively opposed them. But spare us nice words about China.
I am not sure I would describe Mike's words about China as nice. What you say about China is quite true. But Mike is pointing out the effectiveness of a nation with a single minded purpose. China gets stuff done.
Would I want to live in such a place? Of course not. But China makes us look like fools as it screams ahead of us in so many ways.
Democracy (the real thing) is great as long as its inhabitants can agree on some common truths. We HAVE ceded International leadership and the well being of our own citizens to China in exchange for Walmart's inventory and an iPhone. Cheap Chinese labor is our economic heroin.
Thanks Bill. Correct, I was not not saying "nice" things about China nor do I admire their system of "government" which is NOT communist.
China is simply a dictatorship of of one man, not very different from an American corporation....and we see how well functioning corporations are where their interests are relevant.
❤️
"...ceded International leadership and the well being of our own citizens to China..". Indeed we have. And a few have become obscenely rich in doing just that.
❤️
China is far from altruistic. The "belts" it is constructing throughout impoverished countries have a self-serving purpose: access to materials and minerals for tech, shipping, and (even) cheap(er) labor. Doubtless, China has exceeded the world in production and infrastructure, once the domain of the US. Nevertheless, "How one does anything is how they do everything." Strange that China has emulated much of capitalism.
The "like" button isn't working. China rapes and pillages Countries' for their natural resources.
Correct.
But, unlike the USA, they do not use war as the process.
You are correct. China just walks right in. They are already threatening and using military leverage in India, Nepal and Bhutan. With all our horrific faults the USA still does not come even close to the human rights abuses of China. I know many refugees from Tibet and other Countries. The USA is still considered the best bet. I asked an Afghan refugee (not recent refugee) why the Afghan people hate America. "You invaded our Country." When I asked him why his huge family had immigrated here he said the USA is still considered the best place to live.
So. Not only do we need to keep fighting the good fight for ourselves, family and friends we need to take care of this Country so people can seek shelter here. We are far far from perfect but we are a valued refugee shelter.
"With all our horrific faults the USA still does not come even close to the human rights abuses of China. "
Probably true, however, it would be a tough case with a 12 member jury.
Umm, sorties flown over Taiwan? Military intervention in Hong Kong? Invasion of North Vietnam? Crushing Tibet? Weapons sent to Myanmar (and I think some troops, similar to us in Ukraine) China's war with Japan, et al. China's warships and aircraft have a heavy presence in Southeast Asia, currently.
I think the US is more like a spoiled teenager in its temperament, flashes of potential but wrapped up in self-interest and demanding immediate gratification for every want it has.
Oh no! The Chinese may accomplish all you say. Do you realize they use slave labor?
Here is a look at the massive massive human rights abuses the Chinese afflict upon people. The term "human rights abuse" doesn't even come close to describing the rape, torture, imprisonment and murder of the Tibetan people since China invaded Tibet decades ago. Estimates are it is perhaps as high as a million. Mao told the Dalai Lama religion is poison and he and his successors destroyed millennia old monasteries, libraries and the tried to erase religion from Tibet.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/asia-and-the-pacific/east-asia/china/report-
china/#:~:text=EN-,CHINA,-%C2%A9%20Amnesty%20International
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uyghur_genocide#:~:text=Uyghur%20genocide,-From%20Wikipedia%2C%20the
The Chinese government has committed a series of ongoing human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang that is often characterized as genocide.
https://www.breakpoint.org/genocide-in-china/#:~:text=BREAKPOINT-,Genocide%20in%20China,-Do%20We%20Actually
The USA has turned a blind eye and deaf ear towards China's horrific human rights record because we wanted to trade with China and get cheap labor and goods.
With great respect Mike your following sentence could not be more wrong: "AND has not been talking out of one side of its mouth about "values" while simultaneously killing brown people for fun and profit in the Middle East."
Spoiled, retarded, entitled rich kid! Spot on.
The citizens of America must NOW vote like their life depends upon their determined effort...because now it does...vote our ALL republicans...every one of them!
(out)
WHOOOOPS!
No, no - just a tiny "oops", nipped in the bud.
Oh, my. I’m trying to put myself in your position - and… I dunno. May Lady Wisdom shine a light for you.
Thank you Jean-Pierre. I do wonder if I have missed something.
I hope you will update your newsletter soon.