Rural-Urban Divide: Cap and Trade Policies

I went back to our family farm in North Dakota for a solo retreat this past weekend. It was a great opportunity to re-connect with longtime friends and experience much of what rural America has to offer. One of those things is perspective. A reminder that we are not all affected by the same things in the same ways.

My friends, Chuck & Laurie and Becky & Dave, for example, are farmers who have incurred massive debt and work exhausting hours to produce food for the rest of us, while also working other jobs and raising some of the finest children in the country. These are not the kind of farming giants that urbanites like to curse and criticize. North Dakota is one of precious few states that have anti-corporate farming laws to keep land and profits in the community, rather than seeing everything controlled by the few. My friends farm because they can't imagine a better job in the world. They farm because they care about the land. They farm because they believe in growing good food.

It was through them that I learned about how the various proposed cap and trade policies would affect America's small farmers. Many advocates of the policies make it sound simple. Less carbon emissions = slowing climate change, so everyone should be on board. Oh, were the world so black and white. And I do wish it were. Alas, the technology of the industry is not on their side. Farmers would be disproportionately affected by such blanket policies until technology catches up with the need for reduced gas emissions. Agricultural offsets from food production are markedly different than those of Hummers or even SUVs in the city. And as long as Americans expect to have the cheapest food prices in the world, we'd best take into consideration the burdens we place on domestic farmers.

I've had it!

Is it just me, or are our major news outlets riddled with updates about adulterous elected officials lately? Is our top priority really to shame people about their personal sex lives and relationships? Are extramarital affairs really a matter of utmost concern?

I don't know about you, but I just don't care. There is a good argument to be made about those who say one thing and do another (read: those who rail against infidelity and tout family values, then have various illicit affairs), but even then I don't know if I care. We've all had days of self righteousness that we'd regret if someone reminded us of them. If the subjective standard of "values" were applied across the board, I don't know who would be left in office. Not just in elected office, but in any office.

What I expect from myself and other people is a genuine effort to better the world. To me that means getting educated about real issues that affect real people. It means taking action after becoming educated. It means respect for other people. It means a willingness to collaborate with people who have different views and backgrounds. It means interest in the lives of children and the elderly. What it does not mean to me is living lives of judgment day in and day out, rather hoping for another person to fail to justify our own weaknesses and insecurities.

Let's pony up some common sense and move on to real business.

Ignorance is Bliss. Until It's Self-Defeating.

I was at bar last night and overheard a conversation that struck me as noteworthy. A man was describing the hoops he had to jump through to travel to China for work. He explained that they require a letter of invitation, multiple-entry visa, and the like. Upon hearing, his audience commiserated with a tsk-tsk, perhaps unaware that the requirements to enter the United States are far more laborious and rigorous for most people from countries around the globe, including our neighbors to the south.

It's not the first time I've encountered people who exude a certain sense of entitlement as Americans. What I heard was not a moment of clarity about the travails of travel, but of disapproval and judgment. Is it possible that we think that it's our inherent privilege as Americans to travel and work wherever we like without even reasonable impediments? Are we so out of touch with the rest of the world?

Even for as large a country as this is, we are remarkably protectionist about everything from education to jobs. Why, for example, do most universities require of foreign college and graduate students a bank statement that reflects their ability to pay for their education? And then, to boot, have state and federal laws that prohibit them from working during their studies? Save for some of the spoiled children of kingdoms and corrupt bureaucrats, aren't the people that can manage to save for their entire education the very people we want working in all of our sectors and paying taxes?

I'm befuddled. We're a nation built on the vibrant energy and talents of immigrants, yet we have lost touch with those roots and duped ourselves into thinking that the world is really at our behest. What are we losing in all of our glorious ignorance?

Roxana Saberi Finds Freedom

It's been quite a spring. Floods and fires and arbitrary detentions, oh my. Today is a good day though. It's grilling weather and we have something to celebrate. Roxana has finally been released from prison in Iran. People around the world are so genuinely relieved for her and her family. 

I'm not a very close friend of Roxana's, but I have had the pleasure of knowing her in college, being in touch with her the past few years, and meeting her amazing parents in March. Over the past few months, many of us have been at the edge of our seats wondering what we can do to help and how it will all shake out. What a relief that our worst fears have not been realized. What a relief that Roxana will again be able to share her talents with the world and not languish in prison.

This day also serves as a reminder that our work is not completely done. Not only do others, like Silva Harotonian, still sit in Iran's Evin prison awaiting justice, but we need to reflect on our own egregious actions. In this case, I am speaking of the United States' imperfect track record of detention. Indeed, many have been held for long periods of time without official charges or any hope for a transparent process. People who don't have the resources, governmental support, or influential connections to advocate on their behalf. This is an opportunity for us to familiarize ourselves with these cases and clean up our own act. Roxana's case captured the hearts of many, but unfortunately she is not the only to suffer this kind of injustice. I find it best to celebrate Roxana's release grounded in that reality.

Open Letter from Roxana Saberi's Parents

An open letter
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Hazrat Ayatollah Ozma Sayyed Ali Khamenei

As of today our daughter, Roxana Saberi, has been in prison in Tehran for the past forty-seven days. She is under great psychological pressure and her condition seems to be dangerous now. We are very worried about her health and fear that something tragic may happen to her.
Roxana is a world-renowned journalist. She was born and raised in the United States. However, because of her interest in her fatherland she has been living in Iran for the past six years. During this time, in addition to some reporting, she has been studying the history,literature and culture of Iran. She has always been balanced in her reports and has shown great respect to the principles of Islam and Iran.

Recently, Mr. Hassan Haddad, deputy prosecutor of Tehran for security matters, said in an interview with Isna that investigations on Roxana Saberi have been completed and that she will be set free in a few days. Today, fourteen days after that announcement, our daughter, depressed, despaired and grieving, is still waiting for her freedom in a corner of the Evin Prison.
Therefore, we the parents of Roxana, are asking you respectfully that you order our daughter to be freed, on bail or otherwise, so that if she is summoned to the court at a later date she shall be present there.

Respectfully,
Reza and Akiko Saberi
March18, 2009
Esfand 28, 1387

Uncle: The Recession is Over

My uncle says the recession must be over. His rationale? He was recently buying gear for a cat, and it wasn't even for his own cat. I'd say that's as good of an indication of an economic upswing as anything else I've heard.

Roxana Saberi Detained in Iran

You may have heard that a young journalist from North Dakota, Roxana Saberi, has been detained in Iran for the past few weeks, though it was only recently brought to the press. Roxana and I went to undergraduate school together, and I, along with her parents and many others, are concerned for her well-being. There is significant coverage about the situation; just Google her name and you'll find it.

If you'd like to help, please take a moment to ask the Iranian Permanent Mission to the United Nations to work for her release. They can be reached by phone at 212-687-2020 or by e-mail at iran@un.int. It would also be helpful if you could contact your state's Senators. You can find their online contact forms at http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.

Canadian citizens can find the e-mail and mailing addresses and phone numbers for their member of parliament at
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

You can also thank the Swiss Representation in Iran for working to secure her release, as the US Interests Section of the Embassy of Switzerland acts as protecting power for the interest of the USA in Iran. Their e-mail address is tie.vertretung@eda.admin.ch

Please also sign the petition that the Committee to Protect Journalists has posted at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/petitions/99?m=2011278e&recruiter_id=16717410

Thanks for your time.