Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id XAA03403 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 26 Feb 2002 23:30:54 GMT Subject: RE: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 18:25:33 -0500 x-sender: wsmith1@camail.harvard.edu x-mailer: Claris Emailer 2.0v3, Claritas Est Veritas From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: "Memetics Discussion List" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable Message-Id: <20020226232529.F1E4A1FD8E@terri.harvard.edu> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Lawrence DeBivort -
>Also, the Peace Corps. And Fulbright and later Pell scholarships.
Yes. (Of course, I won't mention where they started.... Perhaps things
are not always stupid?) But, largely, these are not policies of the
executive of government toward other nations, although the Fulbright
could be said to be international in statement.
>Switzerland's Neutrality policy.
Predicated upon their natural buffer status, and, in fact, responsible
for the hiding of billions of dollars of criminal monies. Time will tell
if it's stupid or not.
(But, as I know, I'm pretty provincial about international stuff, so,
one, excuse me any naiveté, and two, correct me gently.... We're all ugly
americans regardless of where we're from until we're not.)
I know there are efforts to do unstupid things, good, strong efforts, and
efforts that have produced good and strong effects and results.
But, these are not _national_ level intrusions, and it is at this level
that I fail to see non-invasive and colonial or usurpational motives.
Stupidities, as you will.
>OK, for good government policy, got a quick one: the establishment of the
>USAID program (humanitarian and socio/economic development assistance to, at
>latest count, some 72 countries)
And may it continue.
I know I hawk E. O. Wilson with a certain frequency (it's mostly because
he's such a darling of a man, and rides a bicycle, because he is a bit of
problem in some areas...), but, his newest book, The Future of Life, sets
out a stageful of intelligent and compassionate and over-arching policies
for the survival of this planet and its lifeforms, and, almost _all_ of
them involve NGO's....
I think he might think GO's are stupid, too....
- Wade
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