The Global Issues Institute (GII) is a project of the International Association of Educators for World Peace and the Association of World Citizens. These are recognized NGOs with ties to the United Nations. The mission of the GII is to facilitate discussions on topics promoting universal human rights and world peace and prosperity.
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Global Issues Institute
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
In the academic sphere of society the year 2007 must have a very good start. One of the greatest scholars of our time, Terrence E. Paupp, came with the publication of a timely and inspiring book, which should be a vade mecum, the book companion of every dedicated educator and concerned human being. It took quite a few years to bring this book to conclusion, which is objective and well-documented.
Fall of America’s Empire
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
In the academic sphere of society the year 2007 must have a very good start. One of the greatest scholars of our time, Terrence E. Paupp, came with the publication of a timely and inspiring book, which should be a vade mecum, the book companion of every dedicated educator and concerned human being. It took quite a few years to bring this book to conclusion, which is objective and well-documented.
Fall of America’s Empire
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
We are all familiar with the traditional saying: Actions speak louder than words. In virtually every language we have similar expressions, even though conveyed differently. In Maltese, for example, which is a language that has been in operation for well over 2,500 years there is a proverb that says: Il-hmar imlibbes to sultan hmar jibqa – an ass dressed as a king still remains an ass. In other words, we have to assess a person not by what we hear about him but by what such a person says and eventually does at the same time.
Accurate Analysis of Bush and Castro
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
We are all familiar with the traditional saying: Actions speak louder than words. In virtually every language we have similar expressions, even though conveyed differently. In Maltese, for example, which is a language that has been in operation for well over 2,500 years there is a proverb that says: Il-hmar imlibbes to sultan hmar jibqa – an ass dressed as a king still remains an ass. In other words, we have to assess a person not by what we hear about him but by what such a person says and eventually does at the same time.
Accurate Analysis of Bush and Castro
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The general elections which took place in the latter part of 2006 in the United States were quite providential. The American people made it clear that the time for the Bush war agenda to go down the drain has arrived. The Republican foreign belligerent policies have caused the destruction of the infrastructure of several cities and the brutal massacre of tens of thousands of innocent people in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Creation of the Triune God of Evil
Besides, the Bush war mentality gave the weapons industry the opportunity to manufacture a tremendous amount of deadly weapons that were furnished to numerous countries. This way the waging of continuous struggles and wars would become the new characteristic of the 21st century. Instead of using the human and natural resources for a positive and constructive intent, George W. Bush used them primarily for negative and destructive purposes.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The general elections which took place in the latter part of 2006 in the United States were quite providential. The American people made it clear that the time for the Bush war agenda to go down the drain has arrived. The Republican foreign belligerent policies have caused the destruction of the infrastructure of several cities and the brutal massacre of tens of thousands of innocent people in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Creation of the Triune God of Evil
Besides, the Bush war mentality gave the weapons industry the opportunity to manufacture a tremendous amount of deadly weapons that were furnished to numerous countries. This way the waging of continuous struggles and wars would become the new characteristic of the 21st century. Instead of using the human and natural resources for a positive and constructive intent, George W. Bush used them primarily for negative and destructive purposes.
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since the sad event of September 11, 2001, which demolished the twin towers in New York and a portion of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, President George W. Bush felt the responsibility to give a lesson to the whole world. This could be summarized as follows: You cannot attack America and get away with it. So, he immediately resorted to machismo instead of diplomacy. He quickly set his mind on capturing Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan who was deemed to be the major architect behind the mentioned tragic event.
Solving Political Problems Militarily
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since the sad event of September 11, 2001, which demolished the twin towers in New York and a portion of the Pentagon in Washington, DC, President George W. Bush felt the responsibility to give a lesson to the whole world. This could be summarized as follows: You cannot attack America and get away with it. So, he immediately resorted to machismo instead of diplomacy. He quickly set his mind on capturing Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan who was deemed to be the major architect behind the mentioned tragic event.
Solving Political Problems Militarily
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes culture as education, improvement by mental or physical training, the way of life of a people. The same dictionary describes war as hostility, a contest between nations or within the same nation, a state of violent opposition. And peace is described as tranquility, freedom from war, cessation to hostilities. Whereas peace is characterized by love and respect, war is characterized by hatred and revenge. Whereas peace leads to healing and life, war leads to human suffering and death.
History Dominated by War
President, International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
The New Webster Dictionary of the English Language describes culture as education, improvement by mental or physical training, the way of life of a people. The same dictionary describes war as hostility, a contest between nations or within the same nation, a state of violent opposition. And peace is described as tranquility, freedom from war, cessation to hostilities. Whereas peace is characterized by love and respect, war is characterized by hatred and revenge. Whereas peace leads to healing and life, war leads to human suffering and death.
History Dominated by War
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.
President
International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since its declaration of independence in 1776, the United States has been involved in many wars. Several books were written in this regard including an elaborate pictorial book, Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can’t Kick Militarism by Dr. Joel Andreas who teaches in John Hopkins University in Baltimore. This pictorial book is also available in Spanish and has been translated into Japanese, Korean, Thai, Danish, and German in addition to other languages. More information from: www.addictedtowar.com or www.akpress.org
Military Held as Top Priority
President
International Association of Educators for World Peace
Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education,
Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament
Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University
Since its declaration of independence in 1776, the United States has been involved in many wars. Several books were written in this regard including an elaborate pictorial book, Addicted to War: Why the U.S. Can’t Kick Militarism by Dr. Joel Andreas who teaches in John Hopkins University in Baltimore. This pictorial book is also available in Spanish and has been translated into Japanese, Korean, Thai, Danish, and German in addition to other languages. More information from: www.addictedtowar.com or www.akpress.org
Military Held as Top Priority
Abstract
Democracy needs to defend itself from the many immediate threats - technology, imperialism,
global economic powers, human passivity and reactionary religion. Reactionary religion has
taken the lead worldwide in rejecting pluralism and democracy, viewing both values as gateways
to secularism and decadence. Both modernism and post-modernism have failed to fully address
the success of the continued political advances of the religious right worldwide.
A new, postmodern politics of meaning is needed to address basic human needs currently served
by the cosmology of traditional religious orthodoxy. Progressive thinkers in philosophy, religion
and in critical theory must work dialectically to retain the good of religion and spirituality, the
need for ultimate meaning, and the challenge of reducing negative, anti-democratic impulses.
These impulses are embodied in theocracy and a fear of life. Until religion is totally reinvented
or evolves to a higher level we will have to defend many democratic values from religious
extremists. A live and let live political philosophy is a good defense of democracy.
- Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad
Euripides (480-406 BC)
Perhaps Euripides had it right. How else to describe the strange apathy over the daily threat posed by nuclear weapons? In a recent article entitled “Apocalypse Now,” former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara states: “We are at a critical moment in history” with the main concern on nuclear weapons and proliferation of states possessing these weapons. And still there is little concern expressed by the general public. This situation is remindful of Hurricane Katrina. The warnings were clear that it was only a matter of time before a killer Hurricane of Katrina’s magnitude would strike New Orleans, and yet the action required to withstand such a storm was not taken.
It’s the same dreadful situation with nuclear weapons. Unless there is a dramatic change in the present course of events, it is only a matter of time until a missile strike carrying nuclear weapons occurs somewhere in the world. Moreover, such a cataclysmic event could soon spiral out of control, leading to a nuclear tsunami that could envelop much of the world.
Euripides (480-406 BC)
Perhaps Euripides had it right. How else to describe the strange apathy over the daily threat posed by nuclear weapons? In a recent article entitled “Apocalypse Now,” former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara states: “We are at a critical moment in history” with the main concern on nuclear weapons and proliferation of states possessing these weapons. And still there is little concern expressed by the general public. This situation is remindful of Hurricane Katrina. The warnings were clear that it was only a matter of time before a killer Hurricane of Katrina’s magnitude would strike New Orleans, and yet the action required to withstand such a storm was not taken.
It’s the same dreadful situation with nuclear weapons. Unless there is a dramatic change in the present course of events, it is only a matter of time until a missile strike carrying nuclear weapons occurs somewhere in the world. Moreover, such a cataclysmic event could soon spiral out of control, leading to a nuclear tsunami that could envelop much of the world.
It’s difficult to comprehend how the political leadership in the United States
of America has degenerated from the brilliant leadership of Franklin
Roosevelt and the inspiration of John Kennedy to the dreadful
leadership of recent years. The U.S. has sadly declined from
the noble democratic ideals so eloquently expressed by President
Roosevelt on the role of government: “The pace of our progress is not
whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much, it is whether
we provide enough to those who have too little.”
This ideal has degraded to a “greed is good” philosophy and the Ronald Reagan drivel that “government is the problem.” Add the many politicians that are bought by corporate America through campaign donations and the result is legislation that is transforming the U.S. from a democracy to a plutocracy where the rich rule.
We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great
wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both
Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Brandeis
This ideal has degraded to a “greed is good” philosophy and the Ronald Reagan drivel that “government is the problem.” Add the many politicians that are bought by corporate America through campaign donations and the result is legislation that is transforming the U.S. from a democracy to a plutocracy where the rich rule.
We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great
wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both
Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Brandeis