[lit-ideas] Re: A Possibly Very Good Idea
- From: "Simon Ward" <sedward@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:21:21 +0100
Eric,
I'll do the apology in a while, but first some explanation of why I jumped.
We live in a modern world in all respects except the specific intent towards
the health and welfare of the least developed nations and where that intent
applies to the most-developed nations. To say we haven't got the means to
raise the living standards of the least well-off is nonsense, it just comes
down to the will. And remember, we are all of the same species and we have
but one planet between us.
Now on from that, besides inumarable charity organisations, there is but one
world body that is dedicated towards alleviating distress in the world
caused by natural and man-made disasters. The UN is fundamentally good, its
basic tenet is to serve those in need. And yet it's been the subject of a
mythologising effort for some time now.
Yes there have been scandals, but then you get scandals everywhere. Would
you damn capitalism because of Enron. Would you damn government because of
Watergate. Of course you wouldn't, so why damn the UN because of a scandal.
Further, your tone when discussing the UN never fails to set my teeth on
edge. Your phrase: "The corrupt UN debating entity..." stinks of right wing
propaganda and it smells really bead. I can't believe this is a view you
have come to from many hours of tight study. Is it?
Given all that, all I could see from your hospital fleet was its potential
to serve US interests. I could imagine - if there were fleets of different
nationalities - that the US one would be competing or negotiating rights of
passage or rights to diseases. The fundamental idea, as it seems to me, is
to seek national gain through a philanthropic idea rather than to follow the
philanthropy without regard and it's the latter that's needed in a divided
world, anything less will create mistrust. Intent not effect.
And finally, my "USS Yost" was intended to signify the particular flavour of
your fleet, a shorthand for its design. That you took as a personal slight
is unfortunate and unintended, but I still offer up an apology.
I've been called worse and recently.
Regards
Simon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Yost" <eyost1132@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 2:40 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: A Possibly Very Good Idea
Simon: On this basis, I have decided to jump ship. Under Eric's premise,
their is no intent beyond what can be done for the US.
Eric: That's because I imagine this to be a US effort. It would help,
according to its lights, in the countries it serves. However, it must be
capable of immediate redeployment to US coastal cities in case of terror
attacks.
Simon, my notion does not preclude UK hospital ships, which would help
abroad but be capable of recall to the UK. Would you jump off a UK
hospital ship? Would you only support an internationally controlled
hospital fleet?
I mean, group hugs are okay but spending your life in a group hug is sort
of infantilizing isn't it?
Simon: The final nail however is the notion that it will result in the US
being able to combat deseases brought into the US by those 'dirty
immigrants' (my paraphrasing).
Eric: But Simon, immigrants are bringing heretofore rare diseases into the
US all the time. Take malaria or yellow fever. According to a clinician
friend, it's increasingly commonplace for both documented and undocumented
immigrants brand spanking new to the country to show up in Emergency Rooms
for treatment. If this is a trend, it should be dealt with as a trend,
rather than ignored out of political correctness.
Simon: ... USS Yost
Eric: That's just plain nasty. YOU come up with a sweeping humanitarian
idea then, so I can refer to it as "Simonizing."
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