So Long Saudi Arabia!
It is time for me to say – So Long Saudi Arabia!
I have always had a problem with people of great wealth – especially when they did not do much to earn it. I am biased towards the government of Saudi Arabia because of this. Over my lifetime, I have heard of stories of how they flaunted their opulent wealth and how people that go there to work are treated like slaves – not people with some respect, their human rights abuse, their ‘judicial system’, the treatment of women (by western standards), etc.
It is my personal belief, that Saudi Arabia is much more instrumental in the funding of international terrorism that is obvious. They have bought alliances because they spend their money on BIG infrastructure contracts, invest in a variety of businesses and a major purchaser of military hardware. The military-industrial complex is a formidable lobbyist in each country where they operate. The regular politician hardly stands a chance against the onslaught of BIG money, powerful corporations, and slick lobbyist.
Our Canadian government has basically turned a blind eye to the human rights abuse that this regime has wrought on their own people, the foreign workers, and the world in general.
Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia really doesn’t make anything to boycott. Their wealth and exports are totally based on petroleum retraction.
I have sent a personal letter to the Government of Canada to support the call to cancel any and all arms sales or ‘military equipment’ to the Saudis. As well, I have signed a letter via the ceasefire.ca website (http://www.ceasefire.ca/
The Saudis have bought themselves allies throughout the world with their petrodollars and investments. I do not wish to support this regime in any way and will become more outspoken against them and ensure that any of my money, or money from the store, does not go to them (though being a somewhat of a minimalist does not make me a very powerful instrument to bring about the change I would like to see happen) but I have to do what I can do in my life to eliminate ANY support them.
It is time for Canadians to stand up to this regime and say – I/we no longer want to do business with you. I/we no longer want to even talk with you and we will remove our diplomatic mission there (mind you, we are probably still kicked out of their country).
The wealthy need to ask themselves – does spending wealth on fixing the problems that the creation of their wealth caused make everything okay? They need to go the front end of their wealth and find out what their wealth is costing society and the environment and fix that. Yes, I am naive.
I will do whatever I can to ensure that the path that this regime is on shifts to one I find more acceptable. Yes – I have really no influence over this regime but if I don’t say that I do not like whatt hey are doing then I am, in essence, saying that it is okay. IT IS NOT OKAY!
So long Saudi Arabia!
PS – this is in no way a reflection on the average person in Saudi Arabia. I am addressing the House of Saud. The rulers of this country and all those that have supported this regime and seized wealth for their own personal fortune and did naught to enrich the lives of citizens or the planet.
This opinion is the personal one of Michael Kalmanovitch, owner and founder of Earth’s General Store and not the opinion of our staff.