Greetings!

I have just seen the TV program by National Geographic called: “World’s Apart.” The gist of the program follows: A rich American family is living with a rural African family.

I feel very strongly against a TV program of this sort, and my view is thatI see this program exploiting the African families, cultures and traditions.

The American family was disrespectful towards the African way of life. Seemingly ‘making fun’ of the traditions which are held sacred by the African culture, such as sacrificing the goat and the hierarchical status of the family members.

Oddly enough, this TV show is sponsored by National Geographic - an organization which is supposed to be known for the preservation of culture!

I feel these types of cultures need to be preserved in their true sense, and I despise the ‘western worlders’ desire to ‘westernize’ every group/race of people on this planet.

Is it necessary to inflict CD players, video games, junk food, the ‘Joe next door syndrome,’ etc.? Not to mention the embarrassment at the fact that most people in this country have never grown or slaughtered their food, our kids don’t have to work after school and our population displays general malaise and laziness. It sickens me to think Americans are entertained by this!

This show is the epitome of the selfishness and superiority complex of the western world. I hope a world voice can be heard against this program.

SpringBreak A trusty wheelbarrow takes a breather against a wall in the alley of a downtown Durango home. /Photo by Todd Newcomer.

Dear Editors,

What follows is an excerpt from an article that documents what I believe are several conflicts of interest in the top levels of our government. This article represents some of the type of information that has been left out from our main stream media and may shed some light on the US foreign policy.

The Carlyle Group over the last 15 years has averaged a 36 percent return earning over 7 billion. Compare that to the Dow Jones Index. This group has approximately 500 employees earning just under $1,000,000 per employee per year. Wow! The Carlyle Group will be meeting in Lisbon in three weeks.

On Friday, April 4, the following appeared in The Portugal News:

“The top of the meeting’s agenda is expected to be the company’s involvement in the rebuilding of Baghdad’s infrastructure after the cessation of current hostilities. Along with several other U.S. companies, the Carlyle Group is expected to be awarded a billion-dollar contract by the U.S. Government to help in the redevelopment of airfields and urban areas destroyed by Coalition aerial bombardments.

The Group is managed by a team of former U.S. Government personnel including its president Frank Carlucci, former deputy director of the CIA before becoming Defense Secretary. His deputy is James Baker II, who was Secretary of State under George Bush senior. Several high profile former politicians are employed to represent the company overseas, among them John Major, former British Prime Minister, along with George Bush senior, one time CIA director before becoming US President.

The financial assets of the Saudi Binladen Corporation (SBC) are also managed by the Carlyle Group. The SBC is headed up by members of Osama bin Laden’s family, who played a principle role in helping George W. Bush win petroleum concessions from Bahrain when he was head of the Texan oil company, Harken Energy Corporation - a deal that was to make the Bush family millions of dollars. Salem, Osama bin Laden’s brother, was represented on Harken’s board of directors by his American agent, James R. Bath.

The connection between the Bush and bin Laden families can also be traced to the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in the 1990s. Members of the Anglo Pakistani bank’s board of directors included Richard Helms and William Casey, business partners of George Bush senior and former CIA agents. During their time at BCCI both Helms and Casey worked alongside fellow director, Adnan Khasshoggi, who also represented the bin Laden family’s interests in the US.

The Portugal News has been told by a reliable source that the Carlyle Group meeting in Lisbon will discuss the relationship between the Saudi Binladen Corporation (SBC) and Osama bin Laden. Many U.S. officials claim that the SBC continues to finance his political activities, and has done so for many years. If true, this would place George Bush senior and his colleagues at the Carlyle Group in an embarrassing position. As managers of SBC’s financial investments they might well be accused of indirectly aiding and abetting the United States’ number one enemy.”

-Robert Warren
via e-mail