A heaping helping of Maponi worms

Some life events are so destined to be life-changing that they must be providential. They force a new world view on you. That happened to me nearly a decade ago. It's the kind of experience I wish everyone could have. Right now, I just wish President Bush could have shared it.

I reconsidered my epiphany this week as I watched news accounts from South Africa. Media reports flashed off and on from the international environmental summit held in my adopted country Aug. 26 through Sept. 4. Our president didn't make the trip. He was too busy. That's too bad.

The world's spotlights focused on Johannesburg for 10 days as some 50,000 social activists and some 100 world leaders gathered in Johannesburg to discuss how the ''haves'' and the ''have-nots'' can co-exist in this world of plenty.

The summit was designed to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to refocus the world's attention on the plight of the poor and the destruction of the environment. It's too bad our president wasn't there.

While many Americans literally sit ''fat and happy'' in this land of plenty, lots of other people have needs so great we can hardly imagine them. Consider that one billion of the six billion of us on this rock called earth subsist on just $1 a day. What could you do with a dollar a day? That's hardly enough to buy a loaf of day-old bread.

That was the last thing on my mind in 1993 as I boarded a plane with a dozen or so other newspaper editors for my first trip to Africa. While I had studied the continent generally and South Africa specifically for much of my life, I really didn't know what to expect.

The New York-to-Johannesburg flight took 14 hours. After our arrival, we unpacked at our four-star hotel. Then we were off to a seven-course feast at Grammadeous Restaurant, one of the continent's finest. Aside from wild game, steaks and South African vintages, the menu included a delicacy: Maponi worms, steeped and stewed in red wine. They looked ugly but I liked them. After all, that's what the rich folks eat, don't they?

The next morning we boarded The Blue Train, said by connoisseurs to be the second-finest train passage in the world, trailing only the Orient Express. We received first-rate service on the 24-hour luxury ride to Cape Town. There was a steward for every four passengers. We had to dress for our meals, served on fine china and crystal in a separate car.

When we hit the Cape Town terminal, we were rushed into mini-buses. We were dressed in suits and business casual. We weren't prepared for our next stop, the Crossroads squatter camp. We had traveled halfway around the world from our lives of last-minute deadlines, two-car garages, swimming pools, 100-store malls and plenty. We arrived in a maze of squalor.

Everywhere we looked was dust, garbage and poverty. The place smelled of a dried-out prison. Despite the destitution we witnessed, all the children wore smiles. And not a one of them extended a beggar's hand.

That was the backdrop for the world summit. It's hardly possible to see what I saw and not be moved. Sure, we have poor people in this country. And there are poor people in other countries. But this was something special.

One of the many things I learned from some of the Crossroads residents who befriended me: Maponi worms are a good source of protein for the poor. But you have to know just where to dig them up.

I know my president cares about the have-nots of the world. So why didn't he show up in Johannesburg? He could have learned a few things.

As the conference closed on Wednesday, the delegates came up with a final few lines for the working papers designed to have the participating countries and their leaders recommit to helping the world's ''haves:''

"We declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to future generations," it said.

Ben's last article was posted:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/741541/posts

In it he said: "Likewise, in the global sense. ''Have'' countries have a moral obligation to assist ''have-not'' countries. But the ultimate responsibility rests with each country, its leaders and its people"

Seems he missed this part. I see him calling for our Tax dollars to fix the problem. Took him less than a week to change his views.

"We declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to future generations," it said.

That last sentence highlights quite aptly the problems with this summit "the greater community of life" not mankind. The jackasses want equil rights for the Maponi worms.

What does the fact some nations have something relate to the fact others do not. Most of the nations who do not have much never have had anything so it's hard to believe those who have something took it from those who haven't anything. What this mess boils down to is that some people see something and want it regardless of their culture or commitment to responsibility. Looking at the suffering that culture brings upon itself doesn't change that.

You can get a loaf of fresh baked sandwich bread (large loaf) for 64 cents everyday at the Walmart bakery.

What has happened to the BILLIONS the US has spend on these 3rd world countries? Now, they want BILLIONS more. Unbelievable!

What has happened to the BILLIONS the US has spend on these 3rd world countries?

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If you ship them money and food, they just breed faster, increasing the problem. What they are going to need to be told is that they need rational self-discipline and will need to recapitulate the process that built industrialized nations. It takes too long. It conflicts with their cultures. They are unwilling to do it. Meanwile we are asked to flagellate ourselves over the miser that has always existed as if we caused it or could cure it.

Socialist swill, vintage 2002. The "have" nations need to redistribute their wealth to the poor nations. Like a neurosurgeon should keep the same amount of money that s dishwasher makes and give the rest away? Somehow he should be reminded that it isn't the fault of the rich countries that the poor ones are poor. It is the fault of the leaders of those piss ant nations that are to blame, but they blame us instead to take the spotlight off of their own shortcomings. Maybe he can start donating his own paychecks in solidarity with the world's poor. Yeah, right.

The older I get, the more and more I find the "old" sayings on the mark:

God helps those that help themselves.

I remember as a kid putting money in the collection plate for missionaries in Africa. Not only were they preaching they were teaching some tribe how to build brick homes. Later I read that when they moved into the brick homes they plastered the wall of the house with cow manure like they did in their mud huts.

'nuff said!

Dear Mr. Johnson,
every person can make a difference. If you move to more modest quarters, in a more modest neighborhood, you will have a little more money to send to those less fortunate than you. If you satisfy your hunger with more red beans and rice you will have more money to share. If you sell your car and ride a bicycle you'll find there's more to go around. Get another job and dedicate the proceeds to a family overseas who are doing without. I know your experiences have made a new person of you, anxious to make a difference, and I'm sure you can come up with even more ideas to create wealth for the poor. Your new life will surely give you alot to write about and your columns will become a well of inspiration for all of us.

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