NP an alternative: breaking bread

[Doug Millison]

This has been circulated on the PSYART list. Given Pynchon's use of
bread-making in M&D, you might even argue that it's tangential and not
completely off topic.  (Sorry, I forgot, only Terrance is allowed to stray
from the Holy Text!)

I'm passing this along to P-listers for your information only; if you have
issues with the ideas contained herein, I won't be answering them.  Thanks
to all of you who have written to me offlist to encourage me to keep
passing along essays, articles, urls, etc., I know that many of you are, in
turn, passing these things on to others, thus keeping these ideas in
circulation.

-Doug


From:
       Jim Nibblett <nibblett at juno.com>

2:11 PM


The message below is right on target.  It could be argued that military
responses have at their roots the 'cha-ching' for the military-industrial
complex that Eisenhower warned us about.  If this is what we want, fine.
If what we want is lasting peace, however, we need to use our combined
understanding of human nature and act to achieve that kind of goal.  This
is where I've been coming from with my ideas about what to do in West
Pakistan and Afghanistan.  For those who may have missed it, I outline
again the basic themes:

        Refugees are greeted with a heavy, chewy (and preferably still
hot) loaf of bread, some butter, a few yards of plain cloth, a little
sewing kit, a pear or two and most important a few gentle words of
comfort in their own language.  As soon as possible (after a night's
rest) all those who can (and wish to) are put to work.  This work is paid
for with a specially minted silver coin (my first guess on this would be
a half troy ounce) for each day's work.  First job is building ovens for
baking bread.  Once they are built, the second job is keeping them
running.  Next job (this is where serious numbers of workers are
employed) is building or rebuilding roads.

        It is the nature of road building that the worksite changes
location from day to day.  This, in turn, means that the workers need
temporary shelter along the way.  This is another job (striking camp and
setting up new ones, to include building new ovens) that is an ongoing
source of employment.  As locations are passed that have buildings which
have been ravaged by war, more people are put to work rebuilding them.
In all cases, the permission of the local leaders precedes the work being
done.

        In addition to this silver coin, there are others; copper ones
which are additional payment for those who have distinguished themselves
either as foremen or due to their having skills such as stonemasonry and
two gold ones.  The gold coins (half ounce and one ounce) are paid for
every fire arm turned in.  Automatic weapons get the larger coin.  Where
the workers are associated with their names, the gold for weapons payment
has no names associated with it.  These coins are freely exchangeable (so
many silver ones for a gold one and vice versa) based on the relative
market price for the underlying metal.

        In all cases, local people are promoted into positions of
authority as soon as they distinguish themselves.  Workers are not
exposed to Western Culture.  Instead, religious leaders who are known to
be the best available speakers and who promote empowered, peaceful
messages are hired to give talks on a nightly basis.  The language used
follows what the local people use in their daily lives.  Speakers are
paid somewhat more than the workers.

        I forgot to mention that the greeters that the refugees meet are
primarily Public Relations people and are chosen for their 'people
skills.'  I invite psyart-ers to ponder what can reasonably be expected
as this project gets under way.  Oh, I heard that Hollywood wants to get
into the act here.  Variety is supposed to have had an article on this.
Anyone know about contact people (especially email addresses)?

Jim



Doug Millison - Writer/Editor/Web Editorial Consultant
millison at online-journalist.com
www.Online-Journalist.com