Isn”t it time that our nation invests in our own neighborhood. We invest tons of funds in nations all around the world, yet so little in our own neighborhood. Mexico, South and Central America and Canada are our close neighbors and our government has put little energy into developing a strong relationship with most of our neighbors in the south.
We share such a long term history with so many of them, having been first explored by the European explorers of the past, at around the same time, and over the generations taken from each others” cultures those things that have proven to be valued by all.
I think our nations also relate more to each other in modern times than we actually do with the nations of the Old World and Far East. The benefits from developing stronger ties are so many, but, most of all, we would present a very strong presence in the world community if we were solid in our interests as a continent and able to support all our citizens” standard of living at a comfortable level.
A strong relationship based on mutual interests and cooperation would present a formidable foe to any distant country or countries that would have to cross two vast oceans to threaten such a mighty fortress of allied nations. A good example of close ties would be the willingness of our nation and citizens to go to, without a second thought, to the aid of Canada if it were attacked. We have developed good trade relationships with Canada and, with some effort and changed ways of thinking, we can do the same with all of the southern nations.
What has held us back from doing this in the past is our comfort zone with our northern neighbor, whose founders and nation builders where from the same Anglo-Saxon part of the Old World as ours was. Have we not reached a level of tolerance in this modern era that we cannot lower the wall that has kept us from doing the same with the southern neighbors?
We already have developed working relationships with many of them and it is just our unsound governmental policies, to keep our distance, due to some of the nations having different forms of government, yet, we accept so many Old World nations” different forms of government than ours, with no problem.
Just imagine the sharing and conservation of this continent”s renewable natural resources, our nation”s technology and wealth, and protection, all done with honesty and fairness to all, as the guiding light for such new relationships. This would only work if we pull in the abuses that corporate America has developed with those in power in many of these countries, and bring in the daily interests and well-being of those same countries” total citizens, as if we were one great nation looking out for our own citizens.
I think we have a president who could bring closer ties, and a secretary of state that would be up to the challenge of leading this positive change.
Jim Hall
Clearlake Oaks
