CCWA Blog

Thank you for visiting our blog.  We introduced this feature several years ago in the hopes of sparking community dialogue. This format serves many purposes:

• It is a means for CCWA members and Central Ohio citizens to weigh in on timely news topics, or to add their insights and opinions following CCWA-sponsored events.  We have found that the structure of our symposia -- which typically includes a 45 minute speaker presentation followed by a short 15 minute Q&A -- is not conducive to extensive community dialogue because of time constraints. We wish to provide a forum that will allow for the expression of views that diverge from or support those of our keynote speakers, or that tap into the expertise of our well-informed affiliates.

• We use it as a pedagogical tool.  A rotating group of CCWA Web Content Interns are asked to create original blog posts (online editorials which are based on their informed opinions), write-ups of events, discussion prompts, and more. These entries are authored by student interns, who are NOT professionals.  Our staff uses editorial oversight, points students to resources, and helps them identify a line of reasoning they might pursue in organizing the structure of their entries. We may allow students to post things that we feel could use work, in the hopes that by hearing comments from readers, students will be able to subsequently refine their process going forward.  The views expressed by interns and/or those who opt to comment are not endorsed by the Columbus Council on World Affairs. CCWA is not a think tank. It is also a non-partisan educational entity. This blog is just one forum for allowing for the open exchange of ideas.

• We haved use this blog as a space to "host" live online discussions between high schools students, guest experts, and/or peers abroad.

Please note the following when opting to participate in this online community:

1. If you don't wish to remain anonymous in your posting, but also don't want to create/maintain a new Livejournal account, take the easy path to overcome this barrier: reply anonymously but include your name in the comments portion.

2. As a general rule, we urge users of this forum to: Be Nice. Concede points when appropriate. Point out flaws in logic when appropriate. Cite facts. But, please remember that anonymity is no excuse for bad behavior.

Thank you for sharing your perspective!

By Lilly Shepherd
Web Content Intern

The United States’ ability to thrive in the global community does not come without effort and long-term planning. It also does not rely solely on negotiations between Heads of State. Rather, our success is dependent on the ability of business leaders, military personnel, and US citizens to execute a vision of cooperation in everyday life.

 

Hu Jintao’s recent visit to the United States laid out the realities of our interdependence with China. It magnified the deficiencies in our society that put us at risk of losing our place as a global leader – and not just with China. President Obama’s State of the Union Address then proposed a strategy for addressing this: global education.  It might not be quick, easy, or cheap, but it matters.  Here are just a few examples in point:

 

Speaking the language of cultural values and norms is a building-block

On the final day of his visit, Hu told an audience of business leaders in Chicago that Beijing is seeking “closer ties and greater trust” with the US on a variety of fronts, CNN reported.  The topics of discussion included human rights, North Korea, and our trade relationship.  On the issue of human rights, Hu cited “cultural differences” as the reason for our lack of common ground, especially when Taiwan and Tibet were brought up for debate.  Such “soft” skills as building trust and navigating cultural differences are not often emphasized in our educational system, especially at a time when “competition” is the international buzzword.  However, these are vital skills if our citizens are to be competitive in the global economy.  The lack of fluency and appreciation of different cultural values can lead to misinterpretation on key issues. 

 

Speaking the actual language is another building block

The open dialogue between Hu and American politicians inspired hope and optimism in many.  However, this dialogue was slightly hindered by one thing: the conversation was conducted in two languages.  Hu took 20 minutes to answer one of House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) questions.  While skeptics speculate that this was an attempt on Hu’s part to “filibuster,” House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) suggested that more interpreters and better knowledge of the Chinese language would have facilitated easier dialogue during the meeting. 

 

The distance between miscommunication and volatility is short

China is proving to be an essential partner in the struggle to contain North Korean nuclear advancements and military threat.  Hu told US representatives that he has been working through “quiet negotiations” to “calm things there”, Fox News reported.  The United States needs to produce leaders who know how to quietly negotiate and can do so in a language other than English. This will ensure that misunderstandings don’t lead to violence, warfare, and/or de-stabilization in the world.

 

Beyond basic stability, the ability for a nation to thrive is at stake

China is an enormous economic power and trade partner with the US.  This relationship is only growing stronger, especially with Beijing’s recent approval of $45 billion in new contracts with US companies to export goods to China, which support an estimated 235,000 American jobs.  General Motors (GM) sold more cars in China than in the US in 2010, without exporting any cars from China into the US market.  The leaders in this global market are business executives, not ambassadors and heads of state. 

 

Speculation that Americans need to work harder to develop foreign language skills is not new.  The debate over Spanish in America has been present for years due to our shared border with Mexico and high levels of Mexican immigrants in many communities.  Furthermore, a recent article in the New York Times focused on how the United States Army strongly lacked Arabic translators in Iraq and how attempts in New York City to encourage Arabic language education were met with strong criticisms, especially by supporters of Israel, who compared such programs to “terrorist training camp(s).” 

 

The number of American students studying critical languages has increased significantly in the recent years.  Since 9/11, the number of students studying Arabic has doubled.  Chinese has seen a similar rise, even in our own backyard.  In the Gahanna-Jefferson School District of Columbus, Ohio, the number of students taking Chinese language courses has increased from 40 to 350 (5).  Hank Langhals, the coordinator for pupil services in the district, told CNN that this rise is likely due to China’s growth in economics and changes to the world balance of power, saying that they offer the language because “we owe it to our students so they can be successful part of the world, and China is a major player there.”  The Chinese Ministry of Education approved the district’s Chinese language program and gifted it $30,000 in funding.  Similar partnerships are springing up all over the country, with at least 20 schools in the US taking advantage of such opportunities.  Langhals points out that the differences in US-China politics should not prevent our students from learning about their culture and language. 

 

As Robert Kennedy once said, “the future is not a gift.  It is an achievement.” During President Obama’s most recent State of the Union Address, he placed a great deal of emphasis on education and its ability to help Americans compete in the global economy.  “Sustaining the American dream… has required each generation to sacrifice, and struggle, and meet the demands of a new age,” he rightly pointed out.  In order to keep America the best place in the world to do business, we need to keep up with nations like China and India, whose education standards are becoming world-famous.  Placing a strong emphasis on foreign language education will help us be competitive and help foster a stronger relationship with China, as well as other global partners.  It will do wonders to maintain America’s legitimacy and power in the global community.   Our economic and military stabilities both depend strongly on our ability to communicate with and understand those with whom we are working so closely. 

 

While many schools seem to be taking advantage of the unique funding opportunities and increased interest to build a more educated workforce, there is still much room for progress.  Rather than having this new language education be a rare occurrence in some communities, critical language should become a part of the established education curriculum nationwide.  Furthermore, it should not be merely our upper-class students who have access to such opportunities.  With education reforms under the Obama administration in our near future, it would be ideal to include a plan to increase the emphasis on this kind of critical education for children across the nation.  This kind of reform will surely create a new generation of workers who are equipped with the skills necessary to compete with the other rising global powers and help America remain one of the globe’s leaders in excellence in education, business, and progress. 

 

TALK BACK: Should foreign language education be a standard part of the education curriculum in our nation?  And should critical languages, such as Chinese and Arabic, be more widely offered to students? 

By Lilly Shepherd
Web Content Intern

When federal authorities last month uncovered a sex trafficking ring centered in Minnesota and stretching to Ohio and Tennessee, all of the news coverage seemed to stress one element about the gang: The members are all Somali.  Minnesota has the largest foreign community of Somalis and Columbus follows closely behind.

Talk back: Do you think that it was relevant for readers to know that the gang members are Somali and why? When is ethnicity an essential part of a news story and when is it not? 

By Lilly Shepherd
Web Content Intern

Our afterschool youth group Council Fellows is celebrating its role – in coalition with many other groups – in helping to pass legislation (SB235) that will make human trafficking a felony offense in Ohio. Reps from Council Fellows were on hand two weeks ago to see Senators cast their votes, yielding a unanimous outcome. The students’ feelings of success are tempered, however, with the reality that having a law against this criminal activity will not mean that it will cease to occur, nor does it mean that the victims have been “freed” or saved. Every day, more news stories point to the need to do more.

Federal authorities recently uncovered a sex trafficking ring led by gangs from Minnesota, where members forced girls as young as 13 into prostitution in Ohio, Minnesota, and Tennessee, the Columbus Dispatch recently reported. Dozens of other news articles have been published in the past few years further illustrating the fact that not only does slavery still exist, but it is one of fastest growing criminal industries in the world, and it even happens in Columbus, as well as throughout the state.  A piece about a 2008 Hilliard Darby High School graduate alerted the public to the fact that our own suburban teenagers are vulnerable.  This captured the attention of many who were otherwise ignorant about the issue’s prevalence and proximity. This young woman is just one of thousands whose freedom is denied on a daily basis. 

It is important to note that human trafficking encompasses more than forced prostitution: It is any activity that forces or coerces a person into doing any kind of work against his or her will and for neglible or no pay and little hope of escape. It is any activity that takes away the right to choose, tying victims to their “owners” in debt bondage through threatening them or their loved ones, forcing them to abuse drugs, or (in the case of immigrants) taking away the identifying paperwork that allows them to remain in the United States legally or to obtain services.

Ohio Senate Bill 235 was introduced to begin to address this reality. Once members of last year’s Council Fellows group learned of the legislative piece, they saw it as an opportunity to combat the issue in a substantive way. And when this year’s members read in The Columbus Dispatch that Ohio Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) had planned to severely limit the current Ohio Senate session, possibly in order to reject appointments recently made by outgoing Governor Ted Strickland, they mobilized a response. They worked over the course of three meetings to design outreach efforts that would involve their peers in applying pressure to the Senate leadership.  Fortunately for Ohio, the efforts of these students never needed to come to fruition, because the tone of Senate leadership changed and the legislation passed.  Unfortunately for our Council Fellows, who are of course teenagers with a still-developing appreciation for the concept of “delayed gratification,” it has left them feeling frustrated and uncertain about what they can do next.    

CCWA’s Council Fellows began their advocacy efforts last fall as part of a three-pronged approach to address the issue of Human Trafficking. They worked to influence legislation, provide assistance directly to victims, and design activities to inform the broader public about the issue. 

Human trafficking was chosen as Council Fellows campaign because it is both local and global in scope, and because it represented a chance to protect the freedoms of vulnerable individuals as guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Though participation in related projects has been a valuable learning experience for the student members carrying over from last year, the newly initiated Council Fellows who were accepted to the group this fall are still looking for ways to make a contribution to the process.

The group has been meeting to establish new goals and a fresh focus for their formal commitment to ending modern day slavery. The group has decided to select a different issue to impact over the remainder of the program year. Our Director of Youth Programs invites the public to suggest ideas for Council Fellows' next campaign, by email or on our Facebook page. We are also accepting applications for new members to engage later this year. More information can be found at: http://columbusworldaffairs.org/what-we-do/youth-programs/council-fellows/. 

By Lilly Shepherd
Web Content Intern

President Barack Obama pledged during his campaign to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which forbids openly gay men and women from serving.  This law, put into place over a decade ago under the Clinton administration, has led to the firing of an estimated 13,000 soldiers so far.  Nearly two years into Obama’s presidency, the future of this policy is still uncertain. On October 12, US District Judge Virginia Phillips ruled that the policy is unconstitutional, stating that it violates the First Amendment because it suppresses “speech regarding sexual orientation.” She followed-up by ordering the military to halt the investigation and suspension process for suspected gay service members. All of this came just weeks after a bill to repeal the same policy failed in the Senate, with a unanimous vote against the bill by Senate Republicans.

Those advocating for the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” invoke America’s founding values as their primary argument.  As US Senator Joe Liberman (I-CT) stated, “to exclude one group of Americans from serving in the armed forces is contrary to our fundamental principles as outlined in the Declaration of Independence and weakens our defenses by denying our military the service of a large group of Americans who can help our cause."

Supporters of the status quo, however, assert that it would hinder unit cohesion and readiness to overturn the ban.

But, what does the empirical research show and what can we learn from other countries about this issue?

Over the past 20 years, a number of studies have been done that analyze the effects of legislation allowing openly gay citizens to serve in foreign militaries.  In almost every study done, the findings indicate that the inclusion of homosexuals in the military has done no damage to unit cohesion or military effectiveness.

The Palm Center, a think tank at the University of California, has become one of the leading sources for research on the affects of homosexuals serving openly in militaries worldwide.  Their experts point out that the US military has a long history of looking to foreign militaries as solid examples of how change can be effectively implemented throughout our armed forces.

Their report, titled “Gays in Foreign Militaries 2010: A Global Primer” by Nathaniel Frank, cites past studies on the effects of policy changes that allowed openly gay citizens to serve in the foreign militaries for the first time.  Studies focused on Britain, Israel, Canada, and Australia and showed that the change rarely undermined morale, caused large resignations among service members, or caused mass “comings out.”  Additionally, there have been few to no instances of increased harassment in most militaries.  Threats by members of the military to quit if the policies changed were rarely seen to come to fruition.  None of the countries studied had separate bunks or showers for gay troops and most countries made the change in a matter of months rather than attempting gradual implementation, as the Pentagon has been insisting would make for the smoothest transition in the US.   And, it also cannot be overlooked that our troops have been working “shoulder-to-shoulder” for years now with countries that incorporate openly gay soldiers into their militaries, without having any negative impact on the effectiveness of the troops. 

“Our research shows again and again that when (gay) bans are lifted, military performance does not decline,” said Aaron Belkin of The Palm Center. For example, Israel’s ban was lifted in 1993, the same year that America established “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  A Palm Center study in 2000 found that even though “many heterosexual soldiers [continued] to object to homosexuality, the military’s emphasis on conduct and equal standards was sufficient for encouraging service members to work together as a team” without damaging unit cohesion. 

Australia has seen similar results since its ban was lifted in 1992.  Many Australian military commanders actually believe that the policy change helped to build greater unit cohesion and working relationships amongst the soldiers.

Finally, the United Kingdom, one of our greatest military allies, can also be seen as one of the greatest examples of successful incorporation of homosexuals into a military.  Before the ban was removed in 2000, public opinion (70% of those polled) favored the inclusion of gays, despite the fact that the majority of those in the military said they found homosexuality “abhorrent”. This is much like the climate in the US today, the BBC pointed out.    In the US, a Gallup poll in 2009 found that 60% of US citizens supported a removal of the ban, while a Military Times poll in 2008 found that 58% of active-duty respondents are opposed to its removal. In contrast, however, 73% of all military personnel have said that they are comfortable with homosexuals British troops have successfully operated in Iraq and have provided a shining example of success for proponents of a similar policy in the US.  “People who oppose lifting the ban almost always make the same arguments, and once the ban is lifted, they almost always change their minds,” Belkin added.

The United States and Turkey are the only members out of NATO’s 28 member countries that still ban people who are openly homosexual from serving in the armed forces.  Other countries that enforce a ban on homosexuals in the military include Cuba, China, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Jamaica, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.  In South Korea, the ban, which calls for up to a year in jail if violated, has been criticized by the National Human Rights Commission of Korea. It recommended to the Minister of Justice that the " Guidance on the Management of Homosexuals inside the Military" that came into force on April 1 2006, be changed to the " Guidance on the Protection of Human Rights of Homosexuals inside the Military" to guarantee the rights of sexual minorities. Those who defend the ban, however, worry that open homosexuality in the military “could get in the way of military efforts to achieve its goal of national defense, and could also undermine military order and morale,” according to The Korea Herald.  

The Government Accountability Office’s 1993 report, Homosexuals in the Military: Policies and Practices of Foreign Countries, discusses the policies of many of these countries.  In Greece, citizens are required to take a mental exam to determine if they have a “psychosexual disorder” such as homosexuality, before they can enlist in the military.  In Turkey, open homosexuals are often fired on charges of “indecency.” 

Former Army Lieutenant Dan Choi has been passionately working to overturn “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” since his dismissal from the Army in 2009, a result of his coming out on the Rachel Maddow Show. A West Point graduate and Iraq war vet, Choi has been on a speaking tour to raise awareness for civil rights. On October 11, at an event at the Ohio State University, Choi discussed his experiences as a closeted member of the US military and responded to criticisms of openly gay service.  While in Iraq, Choi began to feel that it was incredibly hypocritical to fight for freedom in Iraq -- where Shia Muslims used to have to practice their faith in secret to protect themselves from the oppressive Sunni majority led by Saddam Hussein -- while he had to keep his true identity secret.  This caused him shame and feelings of self-hatred (an occurrence perhaps also evidenced by a recent spate of newsworthy suicides committed by young people allegedly bullied to death because of their homosexuality, or perceived homosexuality.) “The conflict is between the American promise and the American reality,” Choi said.  Working closely with openly homosexual British troops only made it more difficult.  He began to wonder why our allies had freedoms that he did not have and why he could not be himself at his job.  “If [civil rights] do not exist for all, they do not exist for any,” stated Choi.

He went on to point out that the often made arguments against allowing homosexuals to serve in the military are just as unfounded as similar arguments that were made in opposition to African American service in the 40’s.  When a law was passed stating that all races and religion have the right to serve, the armed forces adjusted quickly and African Americans were hugely involved in World War II and invaluable to our efforts in Vietnam. A Government Accountability Office report in 1992 backs up Choi’s comparison to integration of African Americans, stating how “dire consequences were predicted for maintaining discipline, building group morale, and achieving military organizational goals.  None of these predictions of doom has come true.”   Choi holds out hope that public opinion will soon convince policy makers to repeal this law.  He said, “In a time of injustice and discrimination, it is crazy to do nothing.”

There are individual cases that indicate strong resistance by military culture to the integration of openly-gay service members. However, the overwhelming story told by the social-scientific data is that a “feel free to tell” policy has not harmed morale in those countries with a policy of inclusiveness.  According to the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, a recent article in Joint Force Quarterly stated that there is “no scientific evidence to support the claim that unit cohesion will be negatively affected if homosexuals serve openly.” 

Some prominent veterans in the United States recommend that a lengthy examination of the effect of a change should be done before we move forward.  Senator John McCain (R-AZ), in the past had expressed his concern that Congress is trying to push through a change “without the input even of the chiefs of our services.”   Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the military's top uniformed officers, have since gone on the record to state that the US ban should be removed but want to move slowly to ensure that military effectiveness doesn't suffer.  Commander General David Petraeus also supports a change to the policy, though he noted that a review should be conducted to assess the potential affects of this change.   

There is even some support for the idea that “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” is actually detrimental to military operations. West Point cadet Alexander Reggio was awarded “Best Thesis” in 2005 for his paper that argued that the ban “widened the gap between civilian and military culture.” A 2008 article in Armed Forces & Society noted that the policy harms the military’s reputation because it is not in accordance with public opinion. 

On October 15, the Palm Center released a statement accusing the Pentagon of ignoring scientific findings and continuing to assert that the sanctioned inclusion of openly gay service members would be “likely to impair unit cohesion, good order, discipline, and military readiness.” Belkin states that the key findings of 25 foreign militaries do no support this claim. 

The U.S. military announced plans to appeal Judge Phillips’ decision and has asked her to allow them to reinstate the ban while they await the appeal, a request that she has formally refused.  On October 17, she declared that while government concerns about military cohesion are important, “these interests are outweighed by the compelling public interest of safeguarding fundamental constitutional rights.”  The Defense Department has so far complied with Phillips’ decision and ordered recruiters to allow openly gay citizens to fill out applications for the first time in history (tempering this order with the stipulation that they warn gay recruits of the court decision’s impermance). Among the first to take advantage of this opportunity was none other than Dan Choi, who announced on his Twitter account that he was filling out an Army application just one day after the announcement was made. 

TALK BACK: Can lessons from the world on this issue be instructive to the United States?

BY Megan Smith
CCWA Web Content Intern

Water is becoming a critical issue due to over-population and drought, and the toll of pollution on the potability of this resource.  As we all know, water is essential for human life, so debate on international water rights is critical.

Pakistan’s Sindh province is accusing India’s Punjab province of stealing water from the Chenab River. The water table below northern China and Russia is dwindling which will prove to be a serious issue in the future considering northern China holds 43% of the Chinese population. Also, Turkey is damming water from the Euphrates River to double irrigated farmland, which could affect Syria’s water supply by nearly 40% and Iraq’s water by 80% in upcoming years.

During his February 10, 2010 speech to the Columbus Council on World Affairs, Dr. Michael Webber addressed a number of issues revolving water, including the topic of ownership.  This is becoming an important discussion for Ohio and the other states in the Great Lakes region as the population continues to shift to the south and the west. 

The Southwest currently has an insufficient supply of water and population increase perpetuates this issue. Ohio and other states in the Midwest have begun to form a compact to ensure that the water in the Great Lakes will continue to be under their control.

I feel it is important for the regions surrounding the Great Lakes to ensure that the fresh water in those lakes remain under their authority. It doesn’t make sense for other states or the federal government to acquire this natural resource without the consent of the entities surrounding the lakes. Ohio is not going to go into Montana, for example, to request a supply of timber to provide shelter for its citizens. Similarly, Montana is not going to encroach on their natural forests to supply Ohio with timber if there is a shortage of this natural resource.       

Natural resources have been a tool utilized to exert power for centuries. A prime example of this today is in the Middle East with their oil reserves. Ohio could use our water from Lake Erie for profit by selling it to the states in the Southwest, though there are consequential factors at stake. It will take a vast amount of energy to transport the water, leading to environmental impacts on wildlife and air pollution. 

States that are in need of fresh water should set forth mandatory conservation laws to prohibit unnecessary usage. For example, Las Vegas does not need to be using the fresh water from the Colorado River for their extraordinary water fountains, water falls, and canals. It’s true that they recycle the water used in these displays, but every time the wind blows it carries the water elsewhere and it is wasted. States in the Southwest need to take a stand against the inappropriate usage of this valuable natural resource that is diminishing. 

Please share your thoughts!

By Erin Richardson
CCWA Web Intern

I recently attended an event hosted by CCWA. The purpose of the gathering was to raise awareness of relief efforts in Haiti following the devastating earthquake in January. Two speakers were on hand to discuss the historically strong will of the Haitian people and their nation. Representatives from the community were also present to help those in attendance get involved with relief efforts. While the experience fueled me to get involved with relief endeavors, it also sparked me to take a closer look at current activities which have been put in motion to "help" Haiti.

American missionaries recently made headlines when they were arrested for allegedly kidnapping thirty Haitian children. As the story has unfolded, the public has been able to gain the perspective of the missionaries, eight of which have now been released; the other two are still awaiting their dismissal. The missionaries claim they were approached by a desperate Haitian man who begged them to help a group of alleged orphans. The children were packed into a bus en route to the Dominican Republic with the ten missionaries when they were stopped. The group of Americans has stood by their reason for acting as they did, they just wanted to help.

But what is help? What does it mean? While generic definitions can be found in dictionaries, there is no universal definition in practical terms. In fact one's idea of help could easily conflict with someone else's. This is where I struggle. I see the images on the news and in the papers, and they fuel me to go down and do whatever I can to assist in the relief efforts. I get caught up in these heroic ideas, and I feel a sense of relief. Then, I take a step back, and look at the big picture. I find myself asking what can one American college student do for Haiti? What can any one group do for Haiti? What can any one nation do for Haiti? And who should help? Heavy reflection on these questions has brought me to the conclusion that as members of the human race we are all responsible for providing relief, not only for Haitians, but for any group of people that suffers.

Those who want to help the Haitians must walk a very fine line. The missionaries had good intentions, but in the end I do not believe they were able to provide much assistance to the children. Yes, their goal was to provide immediate relief for the kids, but in the long run would they have been able to do much more for the children? A confession on the part of the missionaries stating that they had only planned to move the children to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic run by different waves of missionaries leads me to believe that they would quickly exhaust their abilities to adequately help the children. The immediate needs of the children could have been met at the orphanage, but the waves of missionary caretakers would strip any hopes of the children finding stability, an element they will crave as they move past the trauma they have endured.

Basic necessities have been provided for Haitians; however the people and their country cannot make a recovery by solely depending upon the goodwill of other nations. I believe Haiti's revival will be a grassroots effort-rebuilt on a foundation of proactive Haitians who crave a prosperous homeland. This will be an incredibly arduous process, but in the end successful endeavors will produce a thriving nation. Does this mean Americans can turn their backs on helping Haiti? I do not believe so. At this moment Haiti is still in a state of emergency; the country has been destroyed, food sources have been wiped out, and those in need of medical care struggle to find assistance. It is important to provide immediate relief at the moment, because it is still a matter of life and death. However, I hope to see a gradual shift in the type of assistance outsiders bring to Haiti. Once the nation can begin a full-recovery process I hope to see those wanting to help step up in different ways. The talents of the Haitians and the resources Haiti possesses should be, and can be, maximized with the proper types of help.

I also believe this is a two-pronged endeavor. Sure, we can help Haiti, but Haiti can also help us. We, as outsiders, have much to learn from the small island nation. I recently heard a linguistics professor reflect on her time spent in Haiti during a community gathering. She spoke of the richness of the Haitian culture and the demeanor of the people. The fact that the people are so poor yet seem so happy is quite the paradox to members of developed nations. How can a nation that is lacking in material goods produce such a happy population? To answer this question I think it's vital to study the important aspects of the people and their culture; for the Haitians small things are what matter most. Waking up in the middle of the night to streams of people parading through the villages singing and playing music truly creates a carefree sense of vitality. The Haitians lack the material goods that Americans possess, but they approach this absence as a chance to be innovative and creative. Haitian children must invent games to pass their time, whereas American children are showered with gifts for their birthdays and major holidays. The Haitian people must make the most of their resources, whereas Americans tend to take advantage of their resources. I believe if the outside world took the time to learn from the Haitians, it would see the beauty in the small things in life and therefore create a richer and happier existence.

A record-breaking earthquake has put Haiti on the map. Hundreds-of-thousands of people have perished and millions of others have been displaced. However, I hope to see an emergence of hope and a chance to make the most of a grave situation. I believe with proper mentorship from other nations, and appropriate support from outsiders, Haiti can become a thriving country full of permeable inspiration. The trick for those of us who want to help in the relief efforts is to find a healthy method to provide assistance. Becoming educated on the current needs of the nation and its people is priceless. Organizations launching major relief efforts in Haiti, such as UNICEF and the Red Cross, can give better ideas of what is most-needed at the present time. Otherwise, endeavors to help could prove to do more harm than good. 

By Megan Smith
CCWA Web Content Intern

The world is moving away from gasoline towards more water intensive transportation fuels, like ethanol. The biofuel ethanol produced in the United States is made primarily from corn. American farmers – including many Ohio farmers -- have strong financial incentive to produce corn for this purpose.

But ethanol production consumes a vast amount of water. The 2003 USDA Farm and Ranch survey estimates that the production of ethanol yields, “785 gallons of water for every gallon of ethanol produced.”

At a February 2010 Columbus Council on World Affairs event, keynote speaker  Dr. Michael Webber asserted that  “We are switching from [dependence on]  foreign oil to [ dependence on] domestic water.”

As a point of contrast, Brazil uses sugarcane to produce its ethanol, a more water-efficient method. The U.S. does not produce sugarcane.

TALK BACK:
Do you think that the U.S. should stop producing or cut down it’s production of ethanol to reduce water dependency? Should the U.S. import the less water intensive ethanol from Brazil? What implications could this have on the American economy?

In October 2009, the Columbus Council on World Affairs worked with local community organizations to host the President of Somalia, Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed as part of his targeted US tour.  Our staff arranged for real-time language translation to be projected to event attendees, and in partnership with Ohio University, we co-hosted a live web broadcast of the President's remarks.  You may view the event online.  To access a transcript of the main parts of Mr. Ahmed's speech, and the body of the question and answer session here, you may contact Stephanie Calondis Geiger at CCWA.

Dr. Richard Herrmann is an expert on international security who said at a recent Columbus Council on World Affairs symposium that in the case of Iran, the United States should proceed to "emphasize the need for democracy more and emphasize the nuclear issue less."  By adhering to this basic mantra,  he feels that many U.S objectives for the region will be achieved. The way to accomplish this is by supporting the reformers and regime changers who have emerged in Iran's recent post-election backlash as "groups to watch," according to Herrmann.  These are 1. women and 2. twenty-something men.

The world got a glimpse of the threat posed by the former, as personified by Neda Agha Sultan. This Iranian protester was murdered during a street protest, her death subsequently broadcast online via social media networks, and has since become a martyred "every woman" figure.  The latter is a bit trickier to predict and engage. Their views range the political spectrum and many derive personal benefits from working within the current regime, said Herrmann, so they may be less willing to put their status at risk.

To accomplish the goal articulated by our speaker, the US would need to find a balance of supporting young  Iranian reformers without appearing to be controlling them and without forcing them to take a stand against Iran's nuclear development.

TALK BACK:
Official State actors care about protecting and advancing their nations' respective geostrategic interests, a feat contingent on the stability and happiness of  their allies. Sounds like a simple formula except that of course, so many inherent contradictions  --  i.e. States have many allies and many interests -- necessitate that they prioritize their lists of each.   

Hermann said, "The U.S. does not want a strong, prosperous Iran...it's just how things work." But, he said, it does want a stable and supportive Iran whose relationship is founded on the soft power it holds with the younger generation. 

As a citizen stakeholder, one does not always have opinions that align with the "official position" of the representative government.  How does engagement with Iran rank on your own list of global priorities? What are your views of how the US should proceed vis a vis Iran? On what points do you agree and/or disagree with Dr. Herrmann?  What information, experiences, or developments have influenced your opinion?