April 11, 2006
By my reckoning the world is now officially in chaos.
For as long as memory serves governments in Latin America have been ruled by mobs. When the populace wants a change they take to the streets and demonstrate. If the demonstrations don’t work they riot and the government caves or there is a revolution.
Yesterday French president Chirac surrendered to the rioters in his country and eviscerated a recent change in employment law that many economist felt was a major step in preventing the further decline of France’s economic fortunes. The mob rules.
Yesterday thousands and thousands of Hispanics took to the streets of American towns and cities to protest the “rights†of immigrants. Something of an oxymoron in that immigrants already have rights. The true meaning of the protest appears to have been to protest for the “rights†of illegal immigrants. Another oxymoron in that people who commit illegal acts are, by nature, criminals. American criminals have rights under the American constitution, but non-citizens are not actually covered by that document.
The American constitution is not, after all, a world inclusive document. If it was it would probably be known as the World Constitution, or the Earth Constitution, or some other catchy title rather than the American constitution. (more…)