Many of Louis Proyect's recent contributions have been
exceedingly encouraging and helpful to me, and I go o
armed with many a quote and reference from him to a a
conference on "Building a Secure and Sustainable World"
in Helsinki in 2 days. On one point I would like too
up-date him, and I think quite a few others on pen-l.
Part of a sentence of his reads "when people have jobs,
homes, savings, etc. as they in Western Europe". This
image of Western Europe just doesn't hold anymore, nor
does the notion that over-population is not something
of concern to people here. Germany has approx. 1 million
homeless and between 3.5 and 4 million unemployed. Things
are certainly not better in most other Western European
countries. The subject of over-population is the focus of
many talk shows are well as serious articles. And while
Germany's famous "social net" is probably still one of the
best, it is being trimmed fast and furiously. It is amazing
to me how many benefits that were long taken for granted
here, have disappeared during the 7 years I've been here.
While I won't speak for Liechtenstein and Monaco, even
Switzerland has been cutting back at an increased pace
during the last couple of years.
There are even a number of people you declare in public,
and without shame, that the various wars, as well as aids,
are probably good or at least necessary: "After all we've
got to deal with over-population some how". (On the ote other
hand, they would like to bomb at least the war in Bosnia off
the evening news).
Marianne Brun ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
