Are You Up for The Challenge?
Tuesday. I went 15 minutes late today to the third class of the second session of summer. As you know my first session which got over last month was "Ethics in International Affairs" and in the second session it is "Developmental Economics". I took the course with this teacher because she has worked in United Nations since 1968 and teaches as well at NYU and many other universities throughout New York City. But since the first class I felt squeamish because of her belief that America shouldn't give money to third world countries. I couldn't resist and so confronted with her in my first class would she ever recommend a Jeffrey Sachs (an economist who is an advisor to UN secretary general and helped design UN millenium developmental goals--who also supports funds from richer nations to poorer nation) book for her class. She said with a smirk "Sachs is all ideas but not practical".
How could I resist my mind going to Sachs recent book I read five months back "Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet" which has millions of ideas for wonderful pragmatic implemetation. If he is not practical, how will they keep him as an advisor for the current UN Secretary General and the past one (Kofi Annan)? I don't want to go into the book, but read it and you will know what I meant. It was sad to know from Sachs that one day of our Pentagon budget is enough to save millions of Africans dying of malaria by buying them mosquito nets for 5 years.
In second class again she brought the point of not giving support. Unable to resist, I asked how could she believe in not helping financially when she would have seen pictures in UN of kids dying in Africa of malnutrition? She said, well, say if my daughter takes my $20 and fritters it away, why should I give money to her? I said there is a big difference between helping Africa and your daughter. You are preventing your daughter from getting spoiled by obstructing her funds and when she grows up you are going to bequeath all your wealth to her whereas Africans need money to sustain for basic living and not for comfort and of course they are not going to inherit a penny from old Americans. Well there are also cases among Americans which I don't know how to express my gratitude and appreciation for
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/02/hunger.house/index.html
I cannot end this without a political talk. There are many right wing economists who believe that we should not give money to African or any third world countries for aid. I understand aid in the form of money might bring many problems to third world countries like African countries and similar countries including civil war and corruption of high officials to swindle the money. But what about in food, drinking water, clothing, medicines......
Last thing I asked my teacher was doesn't the right wing have a religious fervor, so why doesn't it follow God's preaching of taking care of the poor and oppressed? Well in today's class she gave an answer for my questions and I missed it because I went in late but my friends told me the information in the break and I saw in the blackboard as "Hill + Aid". I am up for her challenge all summer. Let it begin with Rocky's song --- "Eye of the tiger"
Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive ..................... lin
How could I resist my mind going to Sachs recent book I read five months back "Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet" which has millions of ideas for wonderful pragmatic implemetation. If he is not practical, how will they keep him as an advisor for the current UN Secretary General and the past one (Kofi Annan)? I don't want to go into the book, but read it and you will know what I meant. It was sad to know from Sachs that one day of our Pentagon budget is enough to save millions of Africans dying of malaria by buying them mosquito nets for 5 years.
In second class again she brought the point of not giving support. Unable to resist, I asked how could she believe in not helping financially when she would have seen pictures in UN of kids dying in Africa of malnutrition? She said, well, say if my daughter takes my $20 and fritters it away, why should I give money to her? I said there is a big difference between helping Africa and your daughter. You are preventing your daughter from getting spoiled by obstructing her funds and when she grows up you are going to bequeath all your wealth to her whereas Africans need money to sustain for basic living and not for comfort and of course they are not going to inherit a penny from old Americans. Well there are also cases among Americans which I don't know how to express my gratitude and appreciation for
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/02/hunger.house/index.html
I cannot end this without a political talk. There are many right wing economists who believe that we should not give money to African or any third world countries for aid. I understand aid in the form of money might bring many problems to third world countries like African countries and similar countries including civil war and corruption of high officials to swindle the money. But what about in food, drinking water, clothing, medicines......
Last thing I asked my teacher was doesn't the right wing have a religious fervor, so why doesn't it follow God's preaching of taking care of the poor and oppressed? Well in today's class she gave an answer for my questions and I missed it because I went in late but my friends told me the information in the break and I saw in the blackboard as "Hill + Aid". I am up for her challenge all summer. Let it begin with Rocky's song --- "Eye of the tiger"
Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive ..................... lin