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Most of us were disappointed when Dr. Vandana Shiva had to
cancel her visit to Vietnam last year. We hope she will reschedule in
the near future. In the meantime, she continues to write and speak out
eloquently on issues related to agricultural sustainability, the
environment, and protecting future generations from chemical and other
abuses that are ravaging our life systems around the globe. She is one of the most informed experts on issues related to GMO seeds and crops.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif"><br>
</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">A
major component of the problems we face has to do with "growth" as an
non-debated goal, an assumed priority for all countries including
Vietnam. In fact, <i>growth </i>can be extremely destructive. The way
we are defining that term and using it as a (false) measure of
prosperity and well-being is a factor that prevents governments from
acting in the best interests of ordinary citizens. It's another reason
that government leaders are held hostage to corporate and monied
interests that care only about tomorrow's profits -- not about the
future of our children. The economic terms and measurements are slanted to support the priorities of the few, and the rich.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">Vandana
Shiva is one of the most effective in articulating such issues -- which
will require us to adjust our thinking (and the policies of
governments) to more realistic and sustainable aims. The problem is,
that will reduce the wealth of the top layer of super-rich in all
countries.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">That's the battle we're facing.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif">CHUCK<br>
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<i><font size="1"></font></i></div><i><font size="1">============================<br>CHUCK SEARCY<br>71 Tran Quoc Toan, Hanoi, Vietnam<br>Mobile: +84 (0) 903 420 769<br>Email: <a href="mailto:chuckusvn@gmail.com" target="_blank">chuckusvn@gmail.com</a><br>
Skype: chucksearcy<br>============================</font></i><p></p>
</div><br><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/11/01-2" target="_blank"><b>How Economic Growth Has Become Anti-Life</b></a><br>
<span style="font-size:small"><br>by Vandana Shiva<br>
<em><br>"An obsession with growth has eclipsed our concern for
sustainability, justice and human dignity. But people are not disposable
– the value of life lies outside economic development."</em></span><br><br clear="all"></div><div><div dir="ltr"><i><font size="1"><span style="color:rgb(153,0,0)"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;display:inline">
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