Warning: Some of the following opinions may be controversial, but I am the Editor In Chief of this blog and I can say whatever I want.
Can you imagine being a citizen of a nation that doesn't care if you live or die? Or worse, in a nation whose government is actively, if not passively, trying to limit your life expectancy? In my opinion, that is modern-day China.
My step-father has lived in Hong Kong for more than 10 years. Not only do I enjoy hearing his tales of adventure and intrigue about living and working in Asia, I visited him for three weeks several years ago and was able to experience some of the culture myself. I happened to be there for the first Chicken Flu epidemic. Now, don't get me wrong, there are some awesome people and, in many ways, the culture is vibrant, interesting and inspiring. However, there are also aspects (probably evident in every culture/society, including ours) that I find disturbing.
For example, the Chinese government subsidizes cigarette sales for its citizens. Why would they do that? Why not just sell them for what they are worth (or, as our country does, put a heafty tax on them to discourage use)? Think about it and come to your own conclusion. Also, forget about any meaningful environmental protection (like, regulating industry to make sure chemicals and toxic pollutants aren't fouling the air and water). They may have "laws," but no one is enforcing them so long as the government gets its money and appropriate bribes to local Communist Party officals are rolling in.
There are many other examples and stories I could impart as evidence of the value they assign human, let alone animal, life. With more than a billion citizens and counting, what are a few (hundred-thousand) hazardous-waste-caused deaths? Eh, just the price of doing business as a communist/free-market capitalist nation without the bothersome hindrances of voting, free-speech and a system of checks and balances. Woohoo, the next Super Power. Look forward to it folks.
"Who cares?!", you might be thinking. "I live on the other side of the globe...they can do whatever they want to themselves over there." One only needs to read recent U.S. headlines about melamine-laced pet food and resulting deaths to understand why you should care, and care very, very strongly.
Read or listen to this article to bring the lesson forcefully home, literally. I especially like the part about rapid-drying tea leaves and contaminated fish imports....
Do you know what you're eating for dinner? Yeah, neither do I.
NPR : As Imports Increase, a Tense Dependence on China http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10410111&sc=emaf
*Listen to this story*Please click on the headline to the story using a RealAudio or WindowsMedia player.For players or technical support, please visit NPR's Audio Help page. http://www.npr.org/help/index.html?showdiv=100
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The Boss
11 comments:
Leah, I agree. The chinese are exempt from everything and the world thinks America is the problem.
The symbiotic nature of the environment and economies means that China will dramatically impact our way of life in the next 3 years. I am afraid. What should I do?
Gosh, I wish I knew. If you read that article, there is no way to tell where the ingredients in prepared foods (everything from mixed-leaf teas to bread, crackers, soups, baby food...) come from. Even vitamin supplements are subject to this -- China is the leading supplier of vitamin C, for example.
I suppose the only thing anyone can do is vote with your checkbook and ONLY buy food you can verify. Unfortunately, that is extremely difficult. Easy for whole/raw foods, like fruits/veggies/unprepared meats, but how are you going to know if the bread the local baker makes uses only ingredients grown in a responsible country?
We are certainly in a fix. If the Chinese (and other such countries), don't mind much about killing off their own, they absolutely don't care about what poison they shipped over here for my family to eat.
And, on our side, only 1 percent of Chinese food imports are even checked by the FDA. How about you guys in the UK?
Any ideas?
Another thing we can do is spread the word about this silent danger. Tell everyone you know.
Ok, babe I can bake my own bread but I cannot grow my own oranges! I try to grow my own veg in the few summer months but this just isn't sustainable. I can do a little bit but my family will starve (or at least suffer severe malnutrition). And, quite frankly, I simply cannot afford to buy all my groceries fair trade and organic. I think that a number of these products are a rip off. Call me cynical!
I agree. It is very expensive to live like that -- not many people can do it. We can't...which is why this is such a problem.
Did you see on today's news that the Chinese are going to EXECUTE their food minister because of poison found in medicines and anti-freeze found in toothpaste? Crazy on so many levels.
Those crazy chinese. I blame the fortune cookies.
I find they don't tell fortunes anymore...they're more statement cookies. "Young trees sway in the wind." So, maybe that has confused everything. World gone wild.
LA, come down here. I just planted a lime tree in my back yard. I can plant an orange tree if you want as well.
The check book is the best vote here. I believe chinese furtune cookies were actually an american inventioi. And finally... At least they are executing the guy responsible for the poisoning. How would you like to be his replacement? Talk about Sarbanes Oxley responsibility... :-)
Joe - You just don't get my sense of humour. You couldn't plant a forest of trees big enough to get me to come to Florida. I was there once....twice....never again! At least until I want to take my children to DisneyWorld. Or maybe I'll just do EuroDisney. The foods better in France!
Boo hoo...aggggghhhhhhhhh... Arrrrrrr.... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha... he he he he he he he... awwwwwwwwwwwww..zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
:-)
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