Syria – don’t add fuel to the fire!

It is a very dangerous course of action to try a pick a winner in a war zone. Particularly in a civil war and even more dangerous when to opposing sides are divided by religious beliefs.

I am not a Syrian, I have never knowingly met a Syrian – nor am I a Muslim. I strongly believe that no person, group or country that is neither Muslim nor Syrian should interfere in Syria. Bashar al-Assad may not be a very nice person – but look at who his father was and look at what his father did to the Syrian people many years ago. He killed thousands. So his son, the current Syrian president, has not had a particularly good role model to emulate.

The Syrians started this “war” two years ago (Amended Feb 22, 2018:- actually started March 15, 2011, so now seven years ago) and while I am appalled at the violence and the escalation into neighbouring countries I strongly disagree with any attempt to “support” any of the warring parties by supplying them with weapons. The Russians are wrong; the EU is wrong and the Americans are wrong in offering support to either side – in other words trying to pick a winner. (Added Feb 22, 2018:- Also  don't forget the religious side of this war Shia - the Alawite ruling minority and Shia majority in Iran vs the Sunni majority opposition allied to the Turks and others in the region).

Picking winners in a civil conflict never works. The Russians and the Western Coalition tried it in Afghanistan; the French and the Americans (and allies) tried it in Vietnam; the Americans and their allies tried it in Iraq and there are many other examples to draw on (Palestine?) – history is littered with such attempts - all failed or are failing. The Americans themselves should know better than to interfere in someone else’s civil war – each side resisted interference from the French and/or British in their various "home grown" conflicts hundreds of years ago.

Now the Russians are ramping up their supply of weapons to Syria. This will inevitably be matched by the “West” and by Israel. To what end? Such actions will just add fuel to the fire. This Syrian civil conflict – as in all such conflicts - has its origins in injustice (Palestine?). And injustice can never resolved by violence. Violence just creates more injustice, as we have already witnessed, this in turn will promote more violence to “redress” the additional injustices and so a vortex of violence and injustice will ensue. No one benefits – except arms dealers and weapons manufacturers and suppliers.

By all means provide humanitarian aid to the millions of Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and to support these countries in their efforts to assist the refugees  - this is  fair and just. But not to supply weapons.

Violence is the last resort of the morally bankrupt.   

Now we have to pay to vote!!

The “Lucky Country” – Australia – has lost its political marbles and its politicians are quite frankly acting in a grotesque and extraordinarily self-serving manner. They have now approved a payment, by the Australian Government, to their respective political parties, of $1.00 for everyone who votes for them.

Furthermore, and this sticks in the craw, democratic Australia (note that carefully) has a compulsory voting system wherein people are fined for NOT voting. So not only are we compelled to vote, we now have spectacle of seeing our taxation money (money we have no option but to pay to the Government) being paid to the very people we are forced (under threat of penalties) to vote for! So in effect they are being paid twice.

As it stands now, in this democratic Australia, I am forced to vote; I  am forced to pay my taxes (this is just and fair); my taxes pay politicians (also, I suppose, just and fair); without my agreement my taxes will now pay political parties because I am forced to cast my vote (not just and not fair); if by any chance I don’t vote, because I am uninterested in their policies or because I neither like nor trust them, I am penalised and fined (also not just and not fair)! Is this democratic?

If the politicians got off their fat butts, took their snouts out of the money trough and actually WORKED for their votes; actually door knocked and stumped their electorates; actually found out personally what their constituents needed, they might, just might, have a higher rating in the public esteem rates than they do.

As it is they totally rely on opinion polls with a sample base of around one thousand people.

A pox on the politicians I am forced to vote for (and pay for – twice).

Addendum: One major political party in Australia (the Liberal Party) has now bowed to public pressure and reluctantly decided to withdraw support for this payment and the respective legislation - even though they had previously indicated, in writing, that they would support it. Oh well! 

Ethics, People and Reputation – or money?

The callousness displayed and the venal attitude of the international apparel companies that use the Bangladeshi sweat-shops to produce their goods is almost beyond belief. I say “almost” because when money is involved most people, most companies and most organisations, will do almost anything to keep the profits rolling in; companies will do almost anything to maintain the value of their shares. Now, only now, after hundreds have died are they worried about their business ethics and their reputations! I say, “What ethics and what reputations?”

Loblaw, Benetton, Primark and many other clothing companies are now apparently prepared to compensate victims of the South Asian country's worst industrial accident. Is this supposed to earn them “brownie points” and be a salve for their conscience?

It is to be hoped that the many other companies that sell low cost clothing manufactured in Bangladesh will revise their manuals on ethical business practice and only buy their products from companies that not only pay reasonable wages but also ensure the workers employed have a safe environment.

As has been stressed in these posts time and time again – apparently to deaf ears – commerce and industry is, without exception, in business to SERVE people, that is people such as you and I. It is people who buy or use the products no matter what the product is – coal, chip-board, iron ore, satellites, paint brushes, robots, clothing or whatever – the end users are always and only people. And people are involved in the process of manufacture – always and only people. And it is the labour of people which creates money and wealth – always and only people.

It is NOT the “economy” that is paramount – it is people who are paramount - always and only people. Without people there would be no money, no business and no “economy”. It should therefore be obvious to any thinking person that if any company wants people to buy their products they need to provide a SERVICE that satisfies people, their customers. It is only customers, only people, who will buy (with money) what they are selling – always and only people. Reputations depend on people – always and only people.

It is unfortunate that this has to be repeated again and again - provide a good service and people will return and spread the word about the SERVICE. Money and wealth always follow SERVICE, never the other way around – service will never follow money. And a SERVICE can only be provided by people to people – always and only people. A good reputation will develop only as a result of service to people – always and only people.

It is therefore obvious that people, all people, should be cared for – because it is people, you and I, who are labourers, workers and customers. This is the ethical way. By being ethical, in all dealings, such unfortunate events as occurred in Bangladesh would possibly have been avoided or at least ameliorated.

Never forget that the “law” of cause and effect will always apply. This “law” is unwritten and not codified but applies in every situation – it cannot be avoided and is forgotten or ignored only at great cost. This law incorporates the profoundly realistic doctrines of “Hubris” and “Nemesis”. Whenever there is any kind of over-weening and excess; whenever people or societies go too far either in dominating others or exploiting them, or exploiting nature, for their own advantage this unseemly exhibition of pride has to be paid for. Hubris seems to invite Nemesis and the “Goddess” Nemesis is implacable in the pursuit of her cause, to track every wrong back to its doer. The old saying applies to all – “pride comes before a fall” and no one can foretell what the effects of this “fall” will be.

I repeat what has been said countless time over the centuries – “always treat others the way you would like to be treated”.  There is no other viable option.

What is so difficult to understand about this?