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
