You have woven the threads in a powerful way to illustrate a bigger picture, thank you. I've heard the parable of North and South Village before - an excellent teaching story, making everything clear and simple.
I appreciate your introduction of "Neither-ism" (which sounds like Vonnegut!) as carefully distinguished from "both-sides-ism." Thank you - I have a term for my current position.
And this ultimately: "to align practical actions with a deeper understanding" is the solution - the only way in, through, beyond this mess.
YES, Charles! If people can make a living staying in their villages, they won't risk their lives and the lives of their children to come here. Example: In the early 2000's the wholesale price of coffee beans collapsed, partly due to the US having encouraged coffee production in Vietnam. Coffee farmers in Chiapas, Mexico couldn't afford to feed their children and had to take their children out of school to work and help the family. Many families had to migrate to sweatshop factories on the Mexican side of the US border. Some of these folks probably came illegally into the US, too. Then they organized a coffee cooperative, including the coffee bean farmers, roasters in Agua Prieta, Mexico, and began shipping their coffee to the US. Since the cooperative owns the whole supply chain and fairly divides the profits, everyone is able to make a living. Families were able to return to the villages where their ancestors had grown coffee for generations. No one wants to leave home unless there is no way to stay there. For more on this cooperative, and to buy their delicious organic coffee, see: justcoffe.org
You have woven the threads in a powerful way to illustrate a bigger picture, thank you. I've heard the parable of North and South Village before - an excellent teaching story, making everything clear and simple.
I appreciate your introduction of "Neither-ism" (which sounds like Vonnegut!) as carefully distinguished from "both-sides-ism." Thank you - I have a term for my current position.
And this ultimately: "to align practical actions with a deeper understanding" is the solution - the only way in, through, beyond this mess.
Thank you, again, for this Bigger Picture.
YES, Charles! If people can make a living staying in their villages, they won't risk their lives and the lives of their children to come here. Example: In the early 2000's the wholesale price of coffee beans collapsed, partly due to the US having encouraged coffee production in Vietnam. Coffee farmers in Chiapas, Mexico couldn't afford to feed their children and had to take their children out of school to work and help the family. Many families had to migrate to sweatshop factories on the Mexican side of the US border. Some of these folks probably came illegally into the US, too. Then they organized a coffee cooperative, including the coffee bean farmers, roasters in Agua Prieta, Mexico, and began shipping their coffee to the US. Since the cooperative owns the whole supply chain and fairly divides the profits, everyone is able to make a living. Families were able to return to the villages where their ancestors had grown coffee for generations. No one wants to leave home unless there is no way to stay there. For more on this cooperative, and to buy their delicious organic coffee, see: justcoffe.org