EDITORIAL BACKWARD PROGRESSIVES RIOTERS IN QUEBEC OPPOSE GROWTH, DEMOCRACY.THE rioting hordes Hordes may refer to:
But the title they choose for themselves is ``progressive.'' It's a strange use of the word. The angry crowds protesting the Summit of the Americas have nothing but contempt for the last 225 years of economic, social, and political progress that have yielded unprecedented peace and prosperity. They came to protest the gathering of 34 leaders from the hemisphere's democracies (every country but Cuba). Specifically, the ``progressive'' mob hoped to derail de·rail intr. & tr.v. de·railed, de·rail·ing, de·rails 1. To run or cause to run off the rails. 2. negotiations for the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, which would knock down trade barriers throughout this side of the globe. They've declared war on free trade, even though it's brought more freedom and a higher standard of living to every corner of the world it's touched. Somehow, keeping nations divided against each other instead of interdependent in·ter·de·pen·dent adj. Mutually dependent: "Today, the mission of one institution can be accomplished only by recognizing that it lives in an interdependent world with conflicts and overlapping interests" , isolationist i·so·la·tion·ism n. A national policy of abstaining from political or economic relations with other countries. i instead of open and poor instead of prosperous is what passes for ``progressive'' these days. The anti-trade protesters are right that revitalizing re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. Third World countries economically can create mostly low-paying jobs - which is better than no jobs at all. Growth can also compromise the environment. Indeed, factories where wages are better likely will increase pollution and so will the cars people drive as they make their way up the ladder. But these are the costs of progress, and they are welcomed by the billions of people who live in poverty without hope as industry and commerce come to their societies through lowering barriers to free trade. The yearning around the globe is to arrive at something like a middle- class life, economically and politically free. Rather than work to mitigate these costs as much as possible, the ``progressives'' in Quebec would rather deprive de·prive v. 1. To take something from someone or something. 2. To keep from possessing or enjoying something. whole nations of the freedom to choose their own destiny and fulfill their potential. |
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