A Free World 2000.(repaired April 2012)








Here is the full text, probably.
A FREE WORLD?!
One hundred years ago. in the greater part of this planet. travel was by and large unrestricted. Passports were still a thing of the future: of course there wereexceptions, the so-called ‘First’ World Countries were already beginning to place entry requirements upon unwanted Aliens! It did not take the rest of the world that much longer to catch up,as we can see today. Only a short time ago 58 Chinese people were found dead insidc a container at the British port of Dover. apparently cooped up for so long that they suffocated during their journey from Holland' Each of these illegal’ aliens had apparently paid the equivalent of a year's salary. and of course their lives, to try and enter the garden of England.
Horrific stories like this one are becoming more and more common as we enter the 21st century. This phenomenon is unique to our time, but not as most westerners believe unique to the developed world. There are more refugees and displaced peoples at this time in humankinds' history than at any other time.
Everything about our lives and civilisation is undergoing colossal change, but none more so than the shifting of the Earth’s inhabitants from one area to another
Of course there are reasons why these changes are taking place, and we could spend an eternity trying to find out what these are exactly and spend infinite amounts of money in doing so. There are a few blatantly obvious reasons why large amounts of people leave their homeland and try to live their lives in strange, often hostile. even dangerous lands. War and destruction will always do the trick, as will droughts, floods and other natural disasters. but also of course sheer poverty forces people to risk everything.
Not all people uproot from their homes for necessity, there are of course those people who wish to chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, or follow the yellow brick road to the lands of plenty, there are even those from wealthy countries who wish to live their lives in an Alien country because quite simply they feel bored or restless in their own country.
Whatever peoples' reasons are for deciding to spend all or even a period of their lives in a foreign country, the fact is, is that this is a difficult and more often than not. highly restricted thing to do. For those people from developing countries, just a short visit to another country can be an impossible task.
The restrictions imposed upon free movement throughout this world obviously differ, dependant upon the country one wishes to travel to. From simply a matter of nationality’ to the amount of wealth that a person possesses. ‘Take for example entry into France: A German national has no restrictions upon his entry into France except to possess a passport if he is coming from outside of Europe. If that same German enters France from within Europe he does'nt need a passport, money, visa, itinerary, a place to stay in France. or even a reason for entering France.
On the other hand if somebody from China (NB. China can be replaced here by every Asian country except Japan, as well as any African country, any South American country and any East European country. Germany can only be replaced in this example by another 1st world country) was to enter France (or any European country they would need a letter of invitation, an entry visa, sufficient funds, a return ticket to their home country, a thorough itinerary, possibly reference letters and


even an exit visa from their own country as well of course as a passport. The strange thing about this is that the German may be an illiterate, non French speaking bank robbing, murdering. fascist, loony, yet the Chinese person may be a highly educated, renowned, wealthy pacifist Francophile!
Here we are in the 2 l century, literally dying and killing each other for the right to travel freely throughout our world. Why is it that the U.N.charter does not have a clause for the right of people to travel freely without hindrance around the planet?
We are now told to care about our planet and the damage that we are doing to it.
We are told to care about the rainforest in South America. and the encroachment of the desert in North Africa. Why the hell should we? I mean it doesn’t affect me does it? It’s not my country, I can’t travel there, and they can’t travel here. So what. if one country’s people kill the people of another country. So what if a little girl dies of starvation in China, it’s not my problem. It’s not my world.
I live in one corner of it, one part. I am insulated against what other people are doing or suffering elsewhere. Of course if I am affected my government will try to interfere so that it doesn’t disturb MY family or me. They will make sure that we can still get the oil we need to power the electricity to power my computer, my t.v., my washing machine.... I mean why, why should I care, it’s not my planet, I can only call this small area immediately around me mine. Human decency you say, morality, ethics. Christianity, or whatever other religion you are, or maybe I should care for  man, my fellow creatures.
I do. and that is the problem, I want to feel that I am part of an international community, a community that cares for each other and that will try and make sure that nothing happens to its fellow community members.
WE are a world that is getting smaller, we are becoming more like a community but there are paradoxical events which belie the existence of an international community- Genocide, War Poverty, Starvation, all with a huge capital letter at the beginning,  jumping Out and trying to grab your attention and say;
 I AM FUCKING REAL. DO SOMETHiNG!
If we take care of business, as in the fundamental elements of what constitutes basic human necessities. i.e. the right to live, the right to live without violence, the right to the means of providing a home and food for myself and my family. The right to be with my family, my loved ones, and make sure that all people. all human-beings have these rights, then we may actually see the next century


New methods must be used to tackle different problems. China and the U.S must lead the world out of the quagmire it has found itself in. China must be welcomed into the international community with open arms and patience. Europe needs to lead the world morally, by example. Japan must lead the world together with the other G8 powers financially. India must he helped along the path to economic prosperity and itself urged to take a greater part in world affairs. Africa must be dragged into the 2lst century by the rest of the world, even if it is punching and kicking all the way. South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria must be used to accomplish this the most daunting task facing this century.
When the major players in today’s world have reached a consensus on what we require for the lives of our children and our grandchildren and begin the process of putting words into effect. then we can call ourselves one planet. one people.
I do not advocate communism, I do not advocate free spinning capitalism, there is a third way, a way wherein man can have access to education and the means to improve himself and others. A way wherein people have the right to innovate and increase the comfort of everybody’s lives and benefit personally for doing so, or not to innovate and simply exist providing the labour for others and enjoying more simple personal dreams and hopes.
There will always be problems facing us, but we should try to lesson problems with a united front. not selfishly-harming others in doing so’
Once again-If, these conditions were to be realised then we could truly have a world without borders,not a Utopia,but at the very least...
A FREE WORLD?!
CHRIS MERCER-September2000