America's biggest barrier to social and political progress is provincial thinking

Flooding in Europe[/caption]

Carol Forsloff ---The provincial nature of America's thinking has produced problems for the country since the inception of its independence from Great Britain as a separate nation.  The fact that colonists from Europe, and  immigrants from other countries over the years, made the choice to emigrate to the New World never meant that the values of the Old World should all be left behind, like the tatters of a less than amicable divorce.  It is time for America to get over its fixation on itself and begin to think globally as a fair partner as opposed to a self-righteous population where only the chosen few might prosper.

Isolationism historically has been inspired by the notion that America is somehow better at everything than everyone else.  Yet the rest of the world has produced great scientists, great literature and inspired thinking.   Those best known for their moral principles, like Mother Theresa and Mahatma Gandhi, also brought to international attention the need for global thinking with individuals making considerable sacrifice to shine a light on universal needs.

Today's news on American television's major network NBC reported only briefly on the flooding in Calgary, France and Switzerland, part of the massive events that have occurred in many places throughout Europe.  Devastating, torrential rains have driven thousands from their homes, while places like India continue to struggle with increasingly treacherous weather conditions.  All of this is happening as Alaskans enjoy warmer temperatures than anyone has experienced in recent decades during the 2013 summer.  This, combined with the scientists predictions over much of the past 20 years, reminds us that climate change is producing food scarcities, economic problems, social and political unrest and a host of other issues that are addressed locally, when the whole world is experiencing common problems.  And it is America's biggest barrier that its isolationism has meant  years of denial and a method of dealing with an international problem by addressing only the impact on areas of the United States most dramatically impacted, like the Eastern seaboard and the Midwest  following the storms of 2012 and 2013.

The mainstream news today,  mentioning only briefly the storms in Europe, Canada and Asia, said  nothing about climate change.   Instead the name North West given to the newest addition to the Kardashian saga, a baby born to Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, provided news networks with much of its major attention.

The Kyoto protocol has been an effort to address climate change on an international scale.  Whereas the United States eventually approved the agreement to reduce carbon omissions, Congress refused to sign that agreement.    The Kyoto Treaty emphasized the reduction of greenhouse gases, coming on the heels of world scientists' admonitions that the continuing explosion of fossil fuels into the atmosphere would have terrible consequences to world climate.  Yet America, who presents itself as a world leader, offers little leadership in addressing the problems created by climate change.  Those who declare the United States' value as a democracy with moral values have yet to declare their allegiance to helping the world's people in the effort to address the world's problems related to climate change.

While President Barack Obama deals with the problems of immigration and gun control, the biggest barrier to America's social and political progress is scarcely mentioned in most of the President's speeches.  That global thinking that scientists have hoped might occur as they, as a community, have addressed the problems as of international concern, remains the necessary step towards America's serious leadership in global affairs.  The country whose arrogance makes its pronouncements as separate and therefore unequal to the rest of the world's problems means its friends will continue to lack trust in America's leadership, as the unified solutions remain beyond the concerns of the major world contributors, such as Russia, China and the United States, in any real or determined way.

Dangerous work conditions, relentless harassment of immigrant women inthe food business

 MONTGOMERY, Ala.,PRN - GHN-- Routinely immigrant women, particularly those who are
undocumented, are the targets of sexual harassment and dangerous work
conditions, the Southern Poverty Law Center finds.

sign at Mexican border

The report – Injustice on Our Plates: Immigrant Women in the U.S. Food Industry –
describes a frightening situation for women who have come to the United
States to avoid abysmal conditions and abject poverty.  Laws to keep
them from being exploited are seriously inadequate, according to SPLC,
an organization routinely examining conditions of the poor and various
ethnic groups.The report can be read at www.splcenter.org/foodreport.    It comes at a time when of the anniversary of Edward R. Murrow's documentary "Harvest of Shame," which chronicled the plight of migrant farmworkers. CBS broadcast the documentary on Thanksgiving in 1960.



"These
women are the backbone of the food industry but are exploited and
abused in ways that most of us can't imagine and that none of us should
tolerate," said SPLC Legal Director Mary Bauer, co-author of the report.


"Fear keeps these women silent, so their suffering is invisible to all
of us who benefit from their labor every time we sit down at the dinner
table."Bauer underlines.

The report is based on extensive interviews with 150 immigrant women from Mexico, Guatemala, and other Latin American countries who have worked in various fast food industries, fields or in factories.

Those interviewed were afraid to give their identities for fear of being deported or their families harassed or intimidated.

"It's because of fear [that] we have to tolerate more," said one 26-year-old Florida
farmworker interviewed for the report. "Sometimes they take advantage
because we don't have papers. They mistreat us, and what can we do?
Where would we go?"

Many
workers are promised wages they don't receive and some have been
subjected to brutal sexual assaults by male co-workers and supervisors.
Some say they have had to work in dangerous conditions with chemicals
and pesticides without adequate safeguards.

"For these women, workplace exploitation is the rule – not the exception," said Monica Ramirez, co-author of the report and director for Esperanza:
The Immigrant Women's Legal Initiative of the SPLC. "Virtually every
American relies on their labor. It is our responsibility to stop their
abuse."

Immigrants have less health care access than native born Americans,Canadians

Carol Forsloff - While there are
protests that immigrants abuse health systems, it turns out that a new
research study of both Canada and the United States, reveal in both
countries immigrants get less health care access than natives.


Both countries take in large numbers of immigrants, but the immigrant population
has been found to have less access to health care professionals and tests that are considered routine to rule out certain diseases and conditions.  The study is presently
in the journal Health Services research.


As an example, fewer immigrants to Canada have Pap tests than
native-born Canadians or immigrants to the United States, but fewer U.S.
immigrants have a regular treating physician and an annual health
checkup in comparison with those Americans born in the country.


These facts are true despite the fact Canada has universal health care
and the United States relies predominantly on insurance.  Even for the
insured, the problem remains the cultural differences.


Researchers tell us this accentuates the importance of having
culturally sensitive approaches to the provision of medical care.