Are we heading for 1984?

The post-war world order

For as long as most of us have been alive, the geopolitical world order has remained consistent with the results that were determined by World War II. Over the ensuing decades, new nations have been born and many wars have been fought, while economic empires have come and gone ... but the basic geopolitical alliances have remained stable since the late 1940’s.

Today however, to many of us it seems as if the world is turning upside down. For the first time in 70 years, the chaos that personified the 1930’s appears to be gradually reappearing. In particular, the 30’s were marked by a global epidemic of xenophobic nationalism, economic protectionism and blatant racism, which collectively led to the Second World War.

After that unbelievably horrible conflict, despite the onset of the cold war, a long period of economic growth and hope ensued for much of the world. Close ties were forged between Europe and North America, as NATO and the European Union emerged to reinforce the original Western democracies, as well as to embrace new ones.

We’ve witnessed these organizations gradually gain importance over time, as they eventually grew to include even some members of the former Warsaw Pact. For a while, the concepts of democracy seemed to be reaching into all corners of the world, including the global advent of emerging democracies from Malaysia to Chile, as well as the Arab spring in the Middle East.

Various forms of free market enterprise also emerged, ranging from the social democracies of Northern Europe and Canada, to the curious co-existence of capitalism and authoritarianism of China.  Yet today, autocracies have taken over from the fledgling democracies of Hungary and Poland, while the once-promising Arab Spring has led to several failed states and the bloody Syrian civil war.

From Utopia to Distopia

 A generation ago, several dystopian novels were mandatory reading for many high school English classes that involved speculative literature.  For example, modern classics like “Animal Farm”, “Brave New World” and “1984” come to mind. Nevertheless, at that time the science fiction genre was dominated by more optimistic visions, such as those of the immensely popular Star Trek and Star Wars franchises.

For the past few years, however, views of the future presented in books for young adults have veered sharply towards the dystopian. Virtually all of the popular movies that grew out of this genre have bleak views of the future, such as the ones presented by “The Hunger Games”, "Divergent" and "Maze Runner".

Meanwhile, even bulwarks of democracy – like Germany, Great Britain, France and the United States – have been threatened by the wave of populism that has already engulfed much of Eastern Europe. Now many nations are increasingly looking inward and rejecting the rise in globalism that had marked the past few decades.

Suddenly, Orwell’s dystopian vision of a world divided into three blocks – Asia, Europe and North America – no longer seems as far-fetched as it once did. The term “double-speak”, which he invented to describe the continuous distortion of the truth for political purposes, aptly describes many of the everyday comments that we now hear from the leaders of Western democracies.

Where might all this lead?

Naturally I don’t know the future, but in my business it’s necessary to be adept at speculating upon the possible outcomes that may result from current circumstances. Thus the relatively new science of Analytics deals with three possible approaches to analysis of the available data.

The first is called “descriptive”, which basically means to provide an intuitive set of graphics that describe what is actually happening. The second approach is called “predictive” and it involves providing a confidence interval (i.e. the statistical likelihood) that a given scenario will occur. Finally, “the prescriptive” approach uses mathematical forecasting to describe what can be done to influence the results and help produce a desirable outcome.   

Perhaps the best known practical example of this science is to examine the historical approach to global warming. Initially, when it was first made public, the phenomenon was described in detail. Then predictions were made to warn people what might happen.

Finally, prescriptions were offered for mitigating its effects. And yet, while many people now take this threat very seriously, a lot of others still don’t acknowledge it. As a result, the prescriptive remedies are only being partially implemented.     

Facing the consequences of inaction

Thus our descendants will pay the price for our relative inaction, since the effects of global warning would take decades to reverse, even if we were already all committed to dealing with it.  Hence it might be argued that democracy and freedom face a threat which is analogous to that posed to the planet by climate change.

Over time, countless people have given their lives to protect our right to live free, which we enjoy today in countries with democratic institutions. Among other things, this involves freedom of the press, regular fair elections and a civil discourse between people who hold opposing views.

 It may include either more or less government intervention, depending on the general population’s appetite for social democracy. Thus in Canada, northwestern Europe and the Commonwealth, a vast social network ensures access to education, healthcare and the basic necessities of life for all. These generous social programs are generally funded by successful economies that have thrived under the free market system.

However, all of this is now at risk, due to the rise of autocratic governments and the strife being fomented by populist movements in Western democracies. From Brexit, to America’s rejection of its European allies, to the threatened repeal of NAFTA, the global free-market economy that was being ushered in at the start of this century is now in danger of being replaced by a loose web of petty, insular and navel-gazing isolationist states.   

How we can protect our freedom

Freedom of speech and the right to vote in fair elections are the bastions of democracy.   It follows that what we all need to do, regardless of our particular political orientation, is to keep the civil dialogue open, in a responsible manner, while taking whatever measures are needed to protect our democratic institutions.

Stand up for your rights, vote whenever you can and support your elected officials.  Do not debase yourself by engaging in the abuse of your opponents or of people who may disagree with you.  Just do your part to ensure that the wheels of democracy continue to move freely and then - regardless of what ideology you may support - the rest will take care of itself.         

Comparing the way that the genders think

Being the father of two grown boys and two grown girls, I find myself acutely aware of the expectations and preconceptions that society imposes on people, based purely upon their gender. To counteract the effect of those stereotypes, I often say that I’ve taught my boys to be “sensitive” and my girls to be “tough”. That’s a huge oversimplification, but you get the idea.  

Suppose that we want to go beyond that, though. Then where do we start? Perhaps we need to understand which of our gender-based behavior patterns are taught and which are instinctive. Of course, this brings us back to the age-old issue of “nurture vs nature”. 

As someone who meditates, I’ve learned that there is a big gap between the actual  reality and what we think is real, what we’ve been told is real or what we assume is real. This is what meditators may refer to as “clarity” and, while it can typically be painful to accept, it also provides a solid foundation upon which to build our emotional well-being. 

Similarly, I believe that the other cornerstones of meditation are “detachment” and “mindfulness”. While the former allows us to experience life without getting too “caught up in the drama”, the latter reminds us to always appreciate what we have.  Another popular interpretation of mindfulness is to live in the present moment, rather than to dwell upon the past or the future.

In fact, to me the key to meditation is to not dwell on anything at all and thus to be free of what’s commonly referred to as the “monkey mind”. But that’ll be the topic for another conversation. For now, the reason that these ideas are relevant involves how we perceive ourselves and the world around us.     

From the day that we’re born we’re bombarded with images, sounds and sensations that are intended to be specific to our gender. Throughout their lives, boys and girls are dressed differently, handled differently and spoken to differently.

Thus most societies generally expect girls to be made “pretty”, via the way that we dress or adorn them, how we arrange their hair and so on. They’re generally expected to “nice”, an ambiguous term which tends to mean that they should demur, not be aggressive or violent, stay clean, not make trouble, etc.       

On the other hand, the expression “boys will be boys” suggests that they can get away with a lot that the girls would be punished for. Boys can generally fight, swear, get dirty, be loud and play tricks on people, without risk of serious repercussions.

Conversely, pain and suffering are acceptable conditions for boys, but not for girls. “It’s good for him”, people will say. “It’ll teach him to be a man”. Until the age of five or so a boy can at least cry, but after that he must be stoic and bear the discomfort without flinching. 

Meanwhile, we’re supposed to shield the girls from anything unpleasant. They’re encouraged to be squeamish and avoid anything messy, dirty, sticky, bloody or painful.  It gets worse as the girls grow up, when we shield them even more, lest they become “hysterical”.

Really?  So they’re telling us that to rave and rant like a lunatic is to behave in a way that’s associated with the female reproductive organs. After all, that’s where terms like “hysterectomy” originate.  Um no, I don’t think so. Ask any kid who’s been calmed down in a crisis by their ever-loving mom.

Likewise, if we’re in a testosterone-laden environment then everybody must be at each other’s throats, right? Well, that’s equally absurd. After all, being male doesn’t mean one will be violent any more than being female is a sure sign of hysteria.   

Sure, I get it … on average, males are more likely to get physical and females are more likely to be emotional. Duh.  But that doesn’t mean that all of us behave that way, any more than we’re all the same height or weight.

We can all strive to be better, or at least different from what we’re expected to be. For example, I marvel at how women talk so freely about how they feel. Guys role their eyes and pretend to be asleep when asked to describe their emotions, but women thrive on it.

Yet isn’t it obvious that men would be more emotionally healthy if they just talked about their feelings more, instead of repressing them?

Another example is how women are conditioned to constantly be aware of how they look.  Men are amazed at the amount of time, effort and money that women put into their appearance. “Yes”, the women will say, “but then the guys go nuts over the prettiest woman they see. That justifies the effort!”

Well, yes, there’s clearly some truth in the observation that men will gravitate to the most attractive women around … but does that really mean she has to be pretty in the classic sense? I’ve observed  many women who don’t necessarily have pretty features, but who are nonetheless beautiful, because of the way they carry themselves or behave.

Put another way, femininity does not necessarily emanate from clothing, makeup or jewelry. Rather, it comes from the person wearing them. Someone who is attracted to females may be sub-consciously stimulated by their pheromones, the shape of their bodies, their facial features, the way that they move and so on.

Likewise, masculinity is not just a function of the clothes that a man wears … it comes from characteristics such as the way he carries himself, his self-confidence and how he behaves. Other factors – such as humor, intelligence, kindness, integrity, loyalty and reliability - can be attractive in any gender.  

Obviously the bodies under the clothing are also essential to the way that people perceive a given gender. In general, men are expected to be muscular and women curvy, but of course people come in all shapes and sizes. In fairness, it should be said that these days everyone is expected to be fit, regardless of their gender.

So, to summarize, this discussion has raised a lot more questions than it’s answered. In brief, the basic dilemma can be stated like this, “How do we break the stereotype, without losing those qualities that (we believe) define how attractive we are?”

Well, that’s certainly a good question!

However, the answer is complex, due to the nature of the problem. Let’s assume that at least some men yearn to cast off their macho image and some women wish that they could stop dressing up like dolls.       

How can they do that and still get the attention of the people they want to attract? To answer that question properly, we need to explore the very nature of what makes us who we are.   

By the way, this discussion applies to everyone, regardless of how they define themselves.  We live in a word where genders change and there are many states that exist between being male or female. My roots are French and I have to return to an expression that doesn’t translate quite right into English.

Ultimately, what we all seek is to be comfortable in our own skins. Next time, let’s talk more about what that entails … and how we can all support each other in that noble quest.   

Perpetuating the American dream

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything on this blog (over 5 years, in fact). Since then my own life’s journey has been very interesting and I’m quite content … but the world has changed a lot.

After periodic stints working in the USA, I’ve been back at home in Canada lately, which gives me an opportunity to observe America from the outside. For Canadians, witnessing what’s happening south of the border is akin to watching the once-stable home life of your beloved cousins gradually slide into chaos.   

As you can imagine, that can be pretty tough. So, let me try to explain why we care so much.

A friend who was visiting from Chicago recently said to me that Canada seems to follow the Western European model, which I thought was rather perceptive. In some ways, these days we do indeed have more in common with nations like Germany, France and Great Britain than we do with America.

Nevertheless, because of our shared language and history, as well as our close geographic proximity, our exposure to American culture is unparalleled anywhere else.

Although American entertainment is distributed worldwide, we grow up here with ubiquitous access to American TV, music, films and so on.  As a result, unlike much of the world, Canadians tend to have a natural affinity for the United States. We shop there, vacation there, work there and sometimes emigrate there.

However, there is something that Americans do not quite understand about those people from other Western countries who live and work in the States. It’s that we choose to live there, not because we have to, but because we want to. We’re not refugees and we can go home anytime that we want to … yet we often choose to remain in America, simply because we like it.

When people from elsewhere come to Canada or the U.S., they tend to bring with them skills that are in demand.  From migrant workers, to doctors and nurses, to high-tech professionals, the immigrants fill real voids that need to be addressed. Thus, for example, companies in Silicon Valley that can’t bring in software engineers from India will be at a disadvantage to their competitors in countries that welcome those immigrants. 

Likewise, a foreign company that is discouraged from selling its goods in American will just find another market. Meanwhile, consumers abroad who face barriers to buying American goods will just buy those goods from someone else. Thus, to paraphrase a popular saying, this is not your grandfather’s global economy.

Nobody depends on any one source for anything anymore and very few countries are limited in who else they trade with.

So, if we can’t compete, then we lose out to the competition … period, end of story. Because that’s how the world works now, despite the fervent desire of some people to turn back the clock. Canada gets that. Western Europe gets it. So do Australia, New Zealand and most of Asia.

Sure, there are “populist” movements popping up all over the place, but they’re just stalling for time, in the face of the inevitable. After all, globalization is, by definition … well, “global”.

This means that markets can find their own natural course, just like water flowing down a mountainside after a rainfall. This is free-market economics at its finest and it encompasses almost everyone, no matter what their political system. That’s why China and America are the world’s top two economies, despite the vast differences in their political systems.

It hasn’t always been this way, though. I can remember a time when Italy was perpetually flailing in instability, because it seemed like the country could never elect a stable government. Other Western democracies had their post-war growing pains too, but eventually they all flourished and even the Italian system stabilized.

Italy’s Red Brigade came and went, just like the Badder-Meinhof gang in Germany.  Free market economics gradually spread, first all over Western Europe and then to the whole world, until even unlikely places like Vietnam embraced it.          

     

So, the current wave of populism will eventually pass, but the global economy is here to stay. Any country that ignores that and isolates itself will simply be left behind.  Please don’t be left behind, America.

We love you and we want you to prosper. Remember your roots. Remember what made America great in the first place. It wasn’t any one political party or set of beliefs. It was the freedom of expression, the diversity of a land built on the sweat of immigrants and a common belief in the all-inclusive American dream.

Don’t worry, you may have lost your way, but we’ll wait for you. Use your GPS and get back on track. There’ll be a cold beer and some snacks waiting for you when you arrive.      

Part 3: Just checking in

Hi again, Atlanta.

In case you were wondering, I just wanted you to know that I’ve been here almost two months now and I still like it … a lot. Not sure what “grits” are yet, but that’s okay - I’ll figure it out eventually.

Hotlanta

So … I hear that it gets really hot here in the summer - but as far as I’m concerned, so far so good. However, like our famous ice sculptures, we Canadians tend to melt when it gets too hot.

That means that you may not see me very much over the next few weeks … unless you happen to catch me bolting from my air-conditioned home to my air-conditioned car to my air-conditioned office. Or so they tell me here. 

The mysterious case of the missing lake

Anyway, last month I want to a party at the house of a good friend and colleague at a place called Berkely Lake. Wonderful people. Amazing houses. Great party.

But there was no lake.

Of course, I didn’t really have the heart to tell these nice people there that their lake was gone. They seemed so content to stare wistfully out at the empty basin and imagine it full of water again. But I’m fairly certain that they actually realized the lake was dry.

One of them told me that it’s been like that for a couple of years and that this happened because the dam cracked and the authorities didn’t want to risk a catastrophic accident, which is of course no joke.

Still … I wanted to invite them to borrow some water from one of the zillions of lakes in Canada. After all, we have plenty to spare.  

But I digress.

Captains of industry

 Do y’all remember how I was telling you last time that Atlanta can lead the way for America’s recovery?  Yes, yes I know - we’re not really in a recession anymore, but that’s not what I meant.

I’m talking about taking back your place as world leaders of business. Captains of industry. Quarterbacks of manufacturing.  Point guards of … okay, I think that you get the idea.

You see, Atlanta, there’s a bunch of people from competing countries who are taking over your traditional markets. And a lot of them really don’t like you.

No, not Atlanta - I mean America. Pay attention, okay?

Remember how Atlanta was the boom town of the south a few years ago - but then a lot of those head offices moved elsewhere in America? It’s a bit like that with these foreign competitors, but now the stakes are higher.

Checks and balances

The fundamental problem is that some of these competing countries have no system of checks and balances to ensure that their economic policies are ethical. While that’s not a problem for democracies, it certainly is for totalitarian regimes.

For example, if a French, German, Italian, Australian, British or Canadian company runs a mine in Africa, then they are compelled to follow strict guidelines set by their home governments. Sometimes it takes a while, but sooner or later they are obliged to follow the rules.

Usually that applies to Brazil, India and many other merging economic powers, too ... although sometimes maybe not. However, for China or any other country that is not governed by a democratic government, this premise is simply not so.

It’s not that these competitors are “evil”, as some would have you believe - it’s just that they sometimes have no incentive to ensure that their policies are ethical.

Levelling the playing field

They answer to no one except the ruling regime, which never has to justify its actions to the people. Ergo, nobody protects those African miners (or any other group affected by their investments) from abuse.        

So what can we all do about it, you ask? How can you compete with regimes that don’t follow the rules and thus don’t compete on a level playing field?

It can be done, but it takes a combination of cleverness and integrity – you need to know the rules of the game and use them to your advantage, but without violating your own code of ethics in the process. After all, it kind of defeats the purpose if we behave unethically ourselves for the purpose of circumventing unethical behaviour.

On the other hand, fighting against an opponent who doesn’t play by the rules allows for some leeway. Like they say, you don’t bring a knife to a gunfight. We’ll talk about this more another time.

Part 2: We stand on guard for thee

As a matter of fact, I’ve been around many of your various United States. It’s a very nice country - quaint, really - and I’ve travelled a fair bit elsewhere, too. So, you might say that I know a thing or two about a thing or two.

I'm in Atlanta now and it’s warm here, which is certainly nice for a frozen Canuck like me (you know that’s what we Canadians call ourselves, eh?).

Giving credit where credit is due

By the way, it annoys me to no end when people in other countries constantly put you guys down. After all, who else in the world goes around trying to spread freedom, good will and prosperity?

Most nations have enough trouble with their own problems and don’t want to be bothered helping others (with the exception of Canada, naturally). Of course, it would be nice if y’all didn’t expect everybody else to behave just like you, but that’s a topic of conversation best saved for another day.

To be sure, other western countries have done their part, too … but none as consistently as this one. There is a palpable sense of pride in this strong military tradition and in those who have so valiantly served.

I can relate to that - my dad was a spy for the Allies in the Second World War. So, although I’ve never served myself, I’ve always tried to live up to the inspiring role model that he provided. In a way, that’s what Americans do as a nation.

Compassion

When asked recently, “What is the best religion?” the Dalai Lama responded:

“The best religion is the one that gets you closer to God. It is the one that makes you a better person. Whatever makes you more compassionate, more sensible, more detached, more loving, more humanitarian, more responsible, more ethical. The religion that will do that for you is the best religion.”

We can’t make everyone the same as us, but we can lead by example – we can insist that people everywhere treat each other with respect and kindness. Since establishing itself as a world power, America has sometimes suffered from an exaggerated sense of its own self importance.

Thus it has acquired a reputation for arrogance. This ia an attitude which causes Americans to feel hurt and surprised, since this country has diligently strived to ensure that ethical guidelines are set and respected throughout the world.

Indeed, there is no better example of this than the way in which this country behaved following victory in the last world war.

A national example of how to be magnanimous

When much of the developed world lay in ruins, America could have been pompous and exploited its advantage, which was gained partly due to being geographically remote and thus isolated from the fighting. Instead, this country spawned the Marshall Plan, a very generous financial package that was designed to bring everybody back to a “level playing field”.

Sure, it could be argued that this was necessary to sustain the domestic economy, by ensuring the existence of viable trading partners. The same people will argue that the West liberated Kuwait and Kosovo out of self-interest. Tell that to the people who were freed by these actions, which were initially inspired by America.

Ultimately others have since carried the ball in this game, as witnessed by the way that France and Britain spearheaded the recent efforts to oust Ghaddafi in Libya.  The perceived success or failure of these missions is not really what matters – rather, the true point is the inspiration to do good, to lead the way by example and to walk in the path if God.

Mahatma Ghandi did it. Nelson Mandela did it. Countless others have sacrificed their lives and limbs in the name of freedom. Soldiers from America, Canada and other nations are now gradually returning from Afghanistan, after a bitter ten-year battle against terrorism.

Regardless of what ultimately happens to that nation of perpetual strife, we are compelled to honour the courage, discipline and determination of our armed forces. The world is watching and we must honour the traditions that shaped us as freedom-loving people.

Consider the Canadian national anthem, which includes the following powerful and inspiring line “We stand on guard for thee - God keep our land glorious and free”. It seems like we can all do with a little more of that spirit, eh?

   

Rise up and show the way

Your nation is hurting, Atlanta. In recent history, America has often been down, but never out. Many people in the rest of the world love to see America fall and, each time that it happens, some of them gleefully hope that she will never rise again.

You know better - your country always bounces back.

Yet each time, someone needs to lead the way. Maybe this time you can serve as that inspiration to your nation. Show them what America is made of - faith, tolerance, courage, humility, discipline and determination.

    

Part 1: Welcome to Atlanta - please park your spaceship at the door

I’m a newcomer here and a foreigner in this place. In fact, according to the CBP, the DHS and any other official acronyms concerned with such things, I’m considered an “alien”.

Just so you know - where I come from, that is a term reserved exclusively for folks who hail from another planet. Yet I’ve been so warmly received in Atlanta that I tend to forget about my presumed extra-terrestrial origins.

Indeed, there seems to be something very special about Atlanta. Sure, the weather is warm here, as everybody will tell you before you even finish saying hello. Yet it’s the people here who demonstrate a level of warmth that may be unparalleled in my own experience.

So, here’s the thing - although people in America are very diverse, it may just be that Atlanta typifies what makes your country great.

No, seriously.

Yes, I know … now you want to ask, “Why would you say that?”

It’s a valid enough question, given that Atlanta is in the South and thus tends to be associated elsewhere with stereotypes that are typical of this region. Well, guess what - there’s nothing stereotypical about Atlanta. 

Apparently nobody is actually from here

People who live here are quick to tell you that “nobody is actually from Atlanta”. Okay, granted that may come as somewhat of a surprise (especially to those of you who were born here), but you get the idea - it’s a city that is largely populated by people who came from elsewhere.

That, in fact, may be the key to what has transformed this city from a sleepy stereotype into a dynamic and robust archetype.

You see, I grew up in Montreal, the child of immigrants from Europe. Most second generation Montrealers of that era learned to speak both French and English, in addition to the language of their parents. It was a remarkable environment, which bred mutual understanding and tolerance.

Eventually I moved to Toronto for a few years, where I raised my own family. Did you know that it is now the most cosmopolitan city in the world? Like Atlanta, until the seventies it was quite homogenous - but then it was hit by a wave of immigrants that transformed it forever.

People came from everywhere and created cultural pockets, much like the storied boroughs of New York. And yet … while Toronto remained relatively clean and crime free (in that nice, uniquely Canadian way), it never acquired the warmth and charm for which Montreal has become famous.

Since it had been a city with a rather cold demeanour to begin with, it would seem that transforming it into a cosmopolitan Mecca did not succeed in changing this fundamental aspect of its character.

Mixing southern hospitality with an influx of immigrants

Enter Atlanta.

What happens when you mix traditional southern hospitality with an influx of new blood from around the world? Something very special, apparently - and that is the point of this article.

Perhaps more than anything else, Atlanta is a city of worshippers. The sheer number of churches lining the streets is incredible. Methodist, Baptist, Catholic - you name it, they are all represented.

Of course, there are other faiths as well and one gets the impression that everyone is welcome in Atlanta - as long as they respect their neighbours. Actually, Canadians generally live that way, too. We’re polite as hell and fiercely defend everyone’s right to self determination … but just don’t get us annoyed.

Yet it seems clear that Christianity is the backbone of Atlanta. As a foreigner, when you visit a church here you begin to get a sense of what makes America great. You start to understand why Americans have historically sent their youth to fight foreign wars, even if they were sometimes dragged into them reluctantly.

Bearing witness to your faith

So, perhaps the secret to your strength is something that the people of Atlanta do without even thinking about - you bear witness to your faith, in the way that you live your everyday lives (and take your daily bread). While many other Americans certainly do this also, it seems to be a way of life here.

At work, at play, at home, in the church - regardless of whether people succeed or fail, it’s the norm here to at least try to walk in the path of righteousness. Apparently this is not an exception - it’s the rule.  

That doesn’t necessarily mean living like a monk or abstaining from any kind of fun. Neither does it mean frowning upon others who are different. It doesn’t even mean mingling only with your own kind, as some cultures tend to do (including my own native Quebec, which unlike the days of my youth, has become somewhat xenophobic lately).

Humility and tolerance

What it does seem to mean is learning to humbly walk in the path of God, whatever that may entail. Different creeds may have different interpretations of that maxim, but usually it involves living by some version of the Ten Commandments … and that’s a pretty good starting point for anyone, right?

To my surprise, race no longer seems to be the elephant in the room here. I heard it put very nicely in a recent Sunday school class for adults (who else does that, anyway?) - when it comes to their slave-owning ancestors, the people of Atlanta seem to have understood “the error of their ways”. That kind of humility may be a key to uncovering the clues to this remarkable society.

In my own case, for a long time I was married to a lovely Canadian woman of Haitian descent, with coffee coloured skin. We travelled extensively and sometimes encountered racism, but not in Atlanta.

Here it is common to see ethnically mixed couples and nobody even seems to notice. Not so in New York, by the way - the only place in our travels where I actually felt uncomfortable about the antagonism towards us.       

This great city once rose up like a Phoenix from the ashes and grew again to achieve prosperity. Now you can show your brothers and sisters across the nation how this noble country can rise up and once more become a beacon of light, to show the way for the rest of the world.