> > Subject:
>        Love Conquers All
>     Date:
>        Tue, 25 Sep 2001 00:15:21 -0400
>    From:
>        Liza May <[log in to unmask]>
>  Reply-To:
>        Raw Food Diet Support List <[log in to unmask]>
>      To:
>        [log in to unmask]
>
So my thought is a landing in some part of Afghanistan – perhaps
up in
> the north where the little pocket of resistance still remains, or near
> the Pakistan border, where there are two million Afghani refugees, or
> both – and setting up a protected area. There we build housing, schools,
> hospitals, mosques, infra-structure (water, sanitation, roads, electric
> power) and bring in some light industry, like needlework shops to make
> clothes for export, sneakers, ceramics (plenty of sand). Teach people
> job skills and pay them. And treat them with decency. Put them in
> charge. But guarantee that we will stay there and protect them and keep
> channels open for refugees from the Taliban to come in. We and they can
> set up a democratic counter government and siphon off an oppressed
> population into a Muslim, but free, modern world.
>
> A Marshall Plan for a free Afghanistan!

To me it sounds like You are suggesting turning them into a small
version of America. Infrastructuring a mountainous desert can be
tricky and very expensive. Moving troops in and setting up an
alternate government sounds a lot like Vietnam and a few banana
republics - we had terrible problems with that last time we tried
it.

Get rid of the Taliban?  Works for me, if that is what the
population wants. Send in the peace corps to teach them how to
turn fecal matter and other organics int methane to heat,
generate hot water and possibly electricity on a homestead by
homestead basis? Ok, if that is what they want. Vietnam? Not in
your life. It is not part of our constitution that we have to
keep the peace in the world whether or not the indigenes want it
- it is not our business to decide what form of government is the
best.

Laisez-faire politics? Yep, it just isn't our business to rule
the world.

As to the comparative value of lifestyles - How you live isn't my
problem. I have less distance to fall in the case of a depression
or civilization collapse. I have less stuff to support and a less
costly lifestyle, I can afford [occasionally, the navy pays for
garbage compared to the real world] real books, real cookware,
real foods, the time to relax and watch the compost form. I can
play with my sheep and chickens [sheep like watching TV through
the window. They seem to like stuff with lots of noise and action
like rambo movies and karate movies, no accounting for taste ;-0]

I just know I don't have a credit card bill, the only credit
payment we have is the mortgage on the farm, and it is almost
paid off. If you want the agira of paying credit bills, working
extra hours to get that brand new Saturn or video game console,
or the zippiest new electronic toy, help yourself. I'll kick back
and catch Princess Bride on TV and finish up wading through my
email - my cooking list is next down the line - great discussion
on preserving techniques of the high german middle ages ;-) [I
eat both cooked and raw low carb, and am very interested in
historic foods and dietary practices, in case you were
wondering.]
margali
--
~~~~~
The Quote Starts Here:
> It would be nice for people to be able to choose their lifestyle, is my =
> opinion. I wish they could have more freedom and liberty there, like we =
> do here. Then they could decide for themselves whether they wanted coke =
> and MTV or Walden Pond.
>
>
> > Just because we happen to live in a consumer-product driven
> > economy, don't make the stupid assumption that everybody else in
> > the world wants one also.
>
> Did a post on this forum suggest this? I'm thinking maybe you're upset =
> with a post you read elsewhere, and have confused the two.
>
>
> > margali
> > who has 1 computer, 1 tv, and a phone only because I need to
> > occasionally telecommute and the Navy requires my husbanto have
> > one. I don't even have air conditioning, a play station or a car
> > under 10 years old. I keep sheep, poultry and we garden. Think
> > Walden - SIMPLIFY!
>
>
> Maybe you like to "simplify."  Why should everyone else like what you =
> like? That, perhaps, is a bit "ethnocentric" or "imperialistic" or =
> "arrogant"  don't you think?   Did you think your "simple" way of living =
> is superior to my hedonistic, materialistic, high-tech way of life?
>
> Love Liza