Dear HTW:
Congratulations to a well thought out article. I totally agree and enjoyed seeing this honest look at the truth in regards to the free markets. The article, “Trying to rationalize the origins of corruption” by Lorenzo Dee Belveal was good on that aspect, but I think it truly failed to point out the root of the cause of corruption.His analysis of how it starts and spreads, or how it operates in the Honduran political fields is accurate, but I felt it’s missing something. If we looked at the United States government, we would have to honestly say there is some amount of corruption going on there as well. The one thing I believe we have, to a large measure, is moral accountability.
But, to say that we need to be morally accountable is to say that there is a moral standard. So, perhaps it all starts by the fact that each Honduran needs to be taught that no matter if your rich or poor, alone or in any state, what is right is right, and what is wrong is wrong. Mainly, stealing is wrong.
Like Belveal said, “It is a crime, like theft...” So, the steps:First, it has to start at the individual level. Every citizen has to be accountable to God and his fellow citizens. This means, moral values have to be promoted, and criminals have to be found and punished. Secondly, concerned citizens force the different organizations, businesses and government agencies accountability to those whom they serve. There is much to be said about the free press and access of information in these regards.
The Honduran government gets away with so much, mostly I think, because for the most part the people don’t know what’s true and what’s not.The common people know little and care little of what is happening in their government. Unfortunately, perhaps they are simple minded, or perhaps the powers that be would want them kept that way. I’m not sure. The problems in Honduras are much to complex to analyze in one email.
So, I would say that further education in the workings of the free market and the free press is needed in Honduras. The people need more motivation and enthusiasm to pursue these values, and demand more from those they elect. They also need to be empowered to do so. How, I’m not really sure, but we can start by working to help and promote whatever would help each citizen be held to higher moral standard, holding ourselves accountable to God, our families, and our communities. Only then, will true reform begin to happen.
Again, thank you for a insightful article, and let’s keep looking for and sharing those ideas that will have consequences in the minds of those who would read.
Josue Sierra
The following is a letter to the editor of Honduras This Week, the weekly English Honduran newspaper. I thought you all might find it interesting. The relevance is in that we will not completly solve our imigration problem until more people take an interest in solving the corrpution and economic problems of third world countries. I am not talking about setting up a world welfare system, but lending a hand to hard working people that care, and holding foreign governments accountable for the good of its own people. Read on. Adopt a third world country. Dedicate time and energy. Read their publications. It will make a world of a difference in how you understand the challenges and problems of illegal imigration, and related imigrant issues in the US.
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