ARCHIVE - HELL AND OTHER DESTINATIONS: A 21st-Century Memoir by Madeleine K. Albright - DISCUSSION THREAD - (June, July, August) (No Spoilers, please)

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

More:



As Secretary of State, Madeline Albright was known for diplomatic pronouncements and fashion statements. As Katie Couric reports, her hats and pins have stories behind them

Link: https://youtu.be/-lPN6EtPVYY

Source: Youtube, CBS

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

More:



"Read My Pins: The Madeleine Albright Collection" features more than 200 pins, many of which former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wore to communicate messages during her diplomatic tenure. The exhibit examines the collection for its historic significance and the expressive power of jewelry and its ability to communicate through a style and language of its own.

Link: https://youtu.be/6z4kSZoxueg

Source: Youtube, Smithsonian

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Additional Discussion Questions:

1. Did any of the pins reflect a story or an international situation or event that you were not aware of in terms of the back story? Which one and what was the significance?

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

"First Secretary of State - Last to join Twitter"

[Kathy]

I never paid any attention to Madeleine Albright’s pins until reading this chapter but she sure put them to good use since everyone else was paying attention. Good for her that she used their prejudices to signal what she wanted. And she was representing the most powerful country in the room so it was very creative of her. And it’s clear from her discussion that they never were that important to her until she found out everyone else was trying to take meaning from it. It does show how discriminatory it still is for women. That what they are wearing and how their hair is done is more important than what is coming out of their mouth, even when they wield a lot of power. Poor Hilary Clinton was not a fashionista by temperament but she took tons of abuse about her appearance to the point of having to hire a designer to help her. On a much smaller scale I lived the same issue. I always cared little about what I wore and whether I was perfectly coiffed. I was more interested in getting the job done right. But I learned early in my career that I was going to have to pay attention if I was going to get anywhere. So I dressed to an “acceptable” level that would not garner negative comments and I could pay as little attention to my hair and clothes as possible! And it worked...Kathy

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Yes, I agree Kathy - it still shows some discrimination yet Albright used the interest as an ice breaker and to her advantage.

Men do not have the same pitfalls to worry about - not having to worry about nails, pedicures, hair style, pins, clothes, etc. Just get a Brooks Brothers suit and everything is OK.

[Kathy]

Bentley, unfortunately this discrimination is still alive and well today. Just listen to the commentators on women politicians and the wives of men politicians. And if you are paying attention you will notice it. We are just so used to hearing it, we think that it is the correct order of things. Weill, the same thing happens in business just not as many people scrutinizing businesswomen publicly. But it still impacts careers. I mentored younger women and had other high level executives make me speak to women about their clothes. They were too chicken to do it themselves! And it was not that long ago. I haven’t been out of the game that long. Kathy

[Kathy]

Bentley, by the way you are showing your age. Brooks Brothers went out of style a long time ago and just filed for bankruptcy 2 or 3 weeks ago. Kathy

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

No, it will make it. The Madison, Park Avenue and Wall Street types still like the old standby. Better quality than many of the others.

Yes, they did and so did Lord and Taylor and I believe that many others will have to file due to Covid 19. All of Wall Street is telecommuting and zooming etc. No need to wear suits when you are lounging around at home with your casual shirt top and pajamas bottom with your fleece slippers.

[Kathy]

Most businesses(almost 100%) are business casual and the brand went out with the younger guys. Even on Wall Street. Only if they have an extra special meeting to go to do most wear suits. Like all fashions this could change. Kathy

[Kathy]

Bentley by the way up until 6 years ago I was a consultant for Wall Street investment banks, hedge funds and private equity funds. So I worked with all the big money guys as an advisor in NYC. Kathy

[Kathy]

And I meant the comment as a joke. Sorr if it didn’t come off that way. Kathy

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Kathy wrote: "Most businesses(almost 100%) are business casual and the brand went out with the younger guys. Even on Wall Street. Only if they have an extra special meeting to go to do most wear suits. Like all ..."

I don't know - the folks I know are still doing suits and formal dress for meetings and for business - however these same folks being at home is what is hurting Brooks, Lord and Taylor, and every other retailer. Folks are not just dressing up - they are not while being at home even dressing in nice business casual either.

Good for you. My brother is still there and he is still sporting suits but he is the CEO so what can I say. Covid 19 is what is killing the stores - while Amazon is booming. Covid 19 is also ruining the restaurants - mom and pop businesses, etc. - bars must be going out of business too. People do not want to go into stores period. And shopping and browsing and just looking at what is out there has stopped.

I agree that clothes requirements are a mixed bag now but I think it will cycle back - I think when people dress better - they also act more professional too. Appearance seems to model behavior but then again - everybody is zooming now and teleworking so who cares if you are dressed up.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

And so we begin:

Chapter Nineteen
Muscles in Brussels

"IN JANUARY 2009, nine days into the Obama era, I accepted the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Theodore Roosevelt Award.

This was not an honor I expected; when the organization called, I said they must have the wrong person. The list of prior winners is dominated by Olympic champions, sports executives, and figures otherwise associated with physical prowess.

In college, I swam, rowed, and played field hockey with maniacal fierceness but was never a star. When I told my daughter Anne about receiving an award from the NCAA, she said, “Mom, I am a lawyer, and you are a fraud.”

During that month and the next, I invested my energy in fund-raising events for numerous organizations, including Denver University’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies, named for my father. I attended Secretary of State Clinton’s swearing-in ceremony and gave speeches in Florida to a library association and an insurance insurance convention. I also submitted to my publisher the final draft of Read My Pins and helped attract attention to the task force reports I had worked on. I met with Walter Isaacson to discuss what the Aspen Institute’s agenda might look like under the Obama administration and to thank him for supporting the Aspen Ministers Forum, aka “Madeleine and Her Exes.”

The 34th Street Group continued to convene regularly, and Andy Kohut of the Pew Research Center came by to see if I had thoughts on a poll he was preparing to gauge global reaction to the first flowerings of the Obama presidency. I then flew seven thousand miles to Qatar, where Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service had established a presence and, while there, attended business meetings.

In free moments, I engaged in talks with unofficial representatives from Israel and the Palestinian Authority aimed at improving the climate for Middle East peace.

Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (pp. 182-183). Harper. Kindle Edition.

More:

by Madeleine K. Albright

Discussion Topics and Questions:

1. What are your thoughts about the event schedule that Albright kept up?

2. Were you surprised that Hillary Clinton called on her old friend to help out with revising NATO's strategic concept?

3. What are your thoughts regarding NATO and recent events where Trump appears to want to undermine this great organization which had been launched in 1949? What do you glean from Albright's commentary are her thoughts regarding NATO and its importance to the European nations as well as the United States?

4. What are Albright's thoughts on the NATO countries meeting their threshold to finance this organization?

5. Albright writes: "The experts’ recommendations provided the foundation for NATO’s revised strategic concept, approved later that year.

In the time since, however, those worried that Russia cannot be trusted have had their fears validated.

Alarmed by the Kremlin’s opportunistic policies in Ukraine and Syria, its complicity in cyberattacks, and its failure to comply fully with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the alliance has deployed troops to Poland, conducted military maneuvers in the Baltics, and stockpiled equipment in both.

The renewed growling of the Russian bear has put a lot of people’s teeth on edge (and, more important, destroyed thousands of human lives) but has thus far provided few tangible benefits for Russia.

After two decades in power, Putin leads a country that is economically stagnant and militarily still weak. Rather than view the West as a partner whose friendship could yield enormous returns, he insists on treating it as a rival. He acts as if he were still a member of the KGB.

His clear intent is to divide Europe internally and to loosen the ties that bind the transatlantic community. His hope, ultimately, is that NATO will lose its sense of common purpose.

To accelerate the process, he aims through propaganda and the sabotage of elections in other countries to blunt the moral edge that democratic nations claimed when the Berlin Wall crumbled.

Though Putin’s hand is not strong, he generally plays it well. This is due both to his cleverness in public relations and to a lack of effective teamwork on the part of U.S. and European leaders. MY INVOLVEMENT WITH the experts group reinforced my long-held belief in the need for solidarity among free nations, while also heightening my concerns about Western complacency. If NATO is taken for granted, or if its members drift further apart, the alliance will surely go in precisely the direction that Putin hopes.

I was reminded of this risk when, in the fall of 2019, I delivered the Green Foundation Lecture at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri. Seventy-three years earlier, the lecture had been given by Winston Churchill who warned about the descent of an “iron curtain” across the continent of Europe. In the face of grave danger, he called for “a new unity . . . from which no nation should be permanently outcast.”

Churchill’s core message was that democratic societies must stand together to shield themselves from two “gaunt marauders”: tyranny and war.

The NATO of my dreams has canny leaders, a clear chain of command, the muscle to deter potential conflicts, and missions that are well understood and supported on both sides of the Atlantic. At its best, the alliance forged in Washington in 1949 has met this high standard. Its overall record is a strong one.

a) What are your thoughts, reflections on any of the above?

Source: Albright, Madeleine. Hell and Other Destinations (p.191 - 192). Harper. Kindle Edition.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Madeleine Albright Wins ‘Teddy,’ the Highest Honor Bestowed by NCAA


Madeleine K. Albright and Wellesley College President H. Kim Bottomly - accept the 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Award (NCAA Photos)

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Madeleine K. Albright, a member of the Wellesley College class of 1959 and former U.S. secretary of state, has been named recipient of the 2009 Theodore Roosevelt Award, the highest honor the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) bestows.

Albright is a best-selling author and principal of The Albright Group LLC and chair and principal of Albright Capital Management LLC.

The award, known as the “Teddy,” will be presented January 15 at the NCAA Honors and Delegates Reception during the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C. The Teddy is presented annually to a former NCAA student-athlete for whom competitive athletics in college and attention to physical well-being after graduation have been important factors in a distinguished career of national significance and achievement.

The award is named after President Theodore Roosevelt, whose concern for the conduct of intercollegiate athletics led to the formation of the NCAA in 1906. Past recipients of the Teddy have included a variety of public- and private-sector leaders including Byron R. White (1969); Omar Bradley (1973); Althea Gibson (1991); Bill Richardson (1999); William S. Cohen (2001); Eunice Kennedy Shriver (2002); Sally K. Ride (2005); Paul Tagliabue (2007) and former presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower (1967), Gerald R. Ford (1975), George H.W. Bush (1986) and Ronald Reagan (1990). Last year’s award recipient was John H. Glenn Jr., former U.S. senator and NASA astronaut.

Albright earned a bachelor’s degree with honors from Wellesley College, and master’s and doctorate degrees from Columbia University’s Department of Public Law and Government, as well as a certificate from its Russian Institute.

While at Wellesley, Albright, then Madeleine Korbel, participated in numerous sports and recreational activities, which were not yet varsity sports, including swimming, rowing and field hockey. She was a news editor for The Wellesley News, the student newspaper, and was a member of the College Democrats. She actively campaigned for Adlai Stevenson in his 1956 presidential bid.

Albright served as the 64th secretary of state of the United States. She was the first woman secretary of state and the highest-ranking woman in the history of U.S. government. As secretary of state, Albright reinforced America’s alliances, advocated democracy and human rights and promoted American trade and business, labor and environmental standards abroad. Serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet and National Security Council for eight years, she was the United States permanent representative to the United Nations from 1993 to 1997.

Albright is a principal and founder of The Albright Group LLC, a global consulting firm. She is the first Michael and Virginia Mortara Endowed Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She chairs both the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and the Pew Global Attitudes Project and serves as president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation. She co-chairs the UNDP’s Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, serves on the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations, the board of trustees for the Aspen Institute and the board of directors of the Center for a New American Security.

Albright is the author of three New York Times best sellers. Her autobiography, Madam Secretary, was published in 2003. In 2006, Albright published The Mighty and the Almighty: Reflections on America, God, and World Affairs. Her latest book, Memo to the President: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership, was published in 2008.

The Teddy honoree is selected by the NCAA Honors Committee. Members of the committee are Gene Corrigan, former Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner; Timothy W. Gleason (chair), commissioner, Ohio Athletic Conference; Calvin Hill, consultant, Alexander & Associates, Inc.; Jackie Joyner-Kersee, former UCLA track and field student-athlete and Olympian; Gibbs Knotts, faculty athletics representative, Western Carolina; Robert Lawless, president emeritus, Tulsa; Roxanne Levenson, associate director of athletics, Pepperdine; Barbara Walker, senior associate director of athletics/senior woman administrator, Wake Forest; and Willie Washington, director of athletics, Benedict.

Since 1875, Wellesley College has been a leader in providing an excellent liberal arts education for women who will make a difference in the world. Its 500-acre campus near Boston is home to 2,300 undergraduate students from all 50 states and 68 countries.

Source: Wellesley College Office of Public Affairs

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

President Truman and Vice President Alben Barkley look on as Secretary of State Dean Acheson signs the North Atlantic Treaty - 4 April 1949

More:
Acheson Announces Atlantic Pact" - 1949
Link: https://youtu.be/OHidUrmfmS8

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Signing of the NATO treaty in Washington D.C., United States


Photograph of President Truman signing the document implementing the North Atlantic Treaty at his desk in the Oval Office, as a number of dignitaries look on: (left to right) Sir Derick Boyer Millar, Chargé d'affaires, United Kingdom; Ambassador Henrik de Kauffmann of Denmark; W. D. Matthews, Charge d'Affaires, Canada; Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson; Ambassador Wilhelm Munthe de Morgenstierne of Norway; Ambassador Henri Bonnet of France; Ambassador Pedro Teotónio Pereira of Portugal; Secretary of State Dean Acheson; Jonkheer O. Reuchlin, Chargé d'affaires, the Netherlands; and Mario Lucielli, Chargé d'affaires, Italy.

Summary of video:
President Harry S. Truman introduced to foreign ministers of NATO member countries by Secretary of State Dean Acheson in Washington D.C., United States.

President delivers a speech on the occasion of signing of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) treaty. He hopes that members will cooperate in solving common problems and in their efforts of development. Location: Washington DC. Date: April 4, 1949.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/TLi__FVL8w0

Source: Youtube

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Discussion Topics and Questions:



1. Do you agree or disagree about Albright's comments about some of the dangers of strongmen being elected to democratic countries which are not fostering democratic ideals?

Why the world should be worried about the rise of strongman politics

Link to article: https://theconversation.com/why-the-w...

Source: The Conversation

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

This week's progress - the moderator has completed adding all discussion topics and questions, images, links, videos, etc. for all of Week NIne's reading assignments - please respond to the above discussion questions and topics or anything else you would like to discuss up through the end of Chapter 19 without the use of spoilers.

Week Nine: - August 3rd - August 9th

18 The Serpent's Tale 274 - completed

19 Muscles in Brussels 288 - completed

[Kathy]

Madeleine Albright’s discussion of NATO and defending the alliance was clearly written with Trump’s attack in mind. There is almost no one in the foreign policy arena of all political persuasions that agree with Trump. It has been of enormous benefit to the US both politically and economically for the 70 years it’s been around. Why he can’t see that is a mystery to me.

[Kathy]

I’m less sold on the expansion that was done at the end of the Cold War, although Madeleine Albright clearly thinks it was a good thing. And defends it well in this chapter.

[Kathy]

It was hubris on our part not to realize that it would raise Russian hackles when all the Eastern European countries were admitted.

[Kathy]

It’s not dissimilar to China’s view of the West. We hit their countries when they are weak and we may forget that we did it, they don’t forget it. And raises doubts about our intentions forevermore.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Kathy wrote: "Madeleine Albright’s discussion of NATO and defending the alliance was clearly written with Trump’s attack in mind. There is almost no one in the foreign policy arena of all political persuasions t..."

It is a mystery on all levels. NATO's demise would only benefit Putin.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Kathy wrote: "I’m less sold on the expansion that was done at the end of the Cold War, although Madeleine Albright clearly thinks it was a good thing. And defends it well in this chapter."

There were 8 countries I believe at the beginning. I am not so certain about the expansion either. Turkey for one - everyone was so pleased with Turkey's embrace of a non sectarianism global outlook and its open mindedness -also with their adoption of democratic ideals. Now Erdogan has allowed power to take over - and purchasing Russian weaponry is not a good sign and he was rebuked for it. I think Turkey's inclusion is now not a good thing for NATO but do you make things worse by throwing them out. They did it with the G7 (the original name). I guess they could do it with NATO. Erdogan is playing with fire. Fortunately - I visited the beautiful Hagia Sofia before he reneged on that too. The Byzantine Mosaics were magnificent (what was still preserved).

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Kathy wrote: "It was hubris on our part not to realize that it would raise Russian hackles when all the Eastern European countries were admitted."

Too bad about Russian hackles. What does Russia care when it meddles in elections, poisons UK citizens on their soil, invades the Ukraine, helps Assad with chemical warfare, etc. Putin is Russia now. And the poor Kurds - abandoned by the US due to Trump.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Thank you Kathy for your comments.

[Kathy]

Yes but Putin has been able to make his arguments successfully to the Russian public because it raised their hackles about being put down at the end of the Cold War. I agree with you that doesn’t justify what Putin and his cronies have done since then. We will never know if he would have been so successful in getting into power if NATO had not been expanded so aggressively. We just have to live with the reality that he is in power and (hopefully) soon have a president that will counter his moves to protect our national interest. Kathy

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Russia pretends to have free elections but we know what has happened to all popular opponents. The same thing is happening in Hong Kong. They are prohibited from running, jailed or about to be. A vote for Putin is a vote for your family to be safe. I doubt he will ever change his stripes

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

I try to stay out of election talk on the threads of a discussion - but I will say this (since Albright is discussing these topics) - Putin is non plussed by Trump or the UK leadership. Poisoning former Russians on UK soil and then denying it when the UK has the goods on the connection to him doesn't give us much hope for any positive relationship - NATO is wise to remain on guard. Let us hope they are doing that.

At least so far in Hong Kong (China is another worry) - the Chinese haven't openly poisoned opponents yet in Hong Kong - just prohibited them from running in the election and now threaten to jail them and throw away the key.

The world right now is very dangerous and I am not talking about the pandemic. In fact, I think the pandemic has lessened the situation because attention was on the virus and containing it.

Yes, let us hope that strong-arm politics are seen for what they really are - the world over - in Russia, China, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba - there is beginning to be a longer list as time goes on.

[Kathy]

Bentley, totally agree. Kathy

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Sad isn't it Kathy that people vote for these folks thinking the power and control and tough guy approach will be used on others and not themselves. They always think that it will happen to other people and not to them or the family that they love. The truth is that if happens to others - it will happen to you.

So foolish and dangerous. Democracy and having a republic is messy but like Churchill said - it is better than all of the rest.

‘Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’

Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Chapter Eighteen brought into focus Madeleine Albright's use of her pins as a way to convey messages and make foreign policy more accessible from the early 1990s when she served as America's UN Ambassador and later Secretary of State. It all began when Saddam Hussein called her an "unparalleled serpent," and she chose to wear a snake pin when meeting with Iraqi officials with the meaning picked up by the press.

My favorite pin is one where the glass ceiling is shattered. Albright discusses that 2020 marks the one hundredth anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote with this pin being one of the more expressive of women's struggle over the years.

Coinciding with the release of her book Read My Pins: Stories From A Diplomat's Jewel Box in 2009, the exhibition of Madeleine Albright's pins were on display at the Denver Art Museum. It was a stunning exhibit in conjunction with a lot of lectures on foreign policy. And of course, I had to buy a copy of her book that I have been perusing today, a beautiful book.

by Madeleine K. Albright

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Bentley and Kathy, I agree with the importance of NATO. It certainly is an alliance that has changed over time. Perhaps one of Albright's most important statements was, as she tells her students "that when diplomats sit at a table, history lingers alongside and has much to say about how countries think." (Harper Collins Kindle edition, page 188)

And I think that Albright's concerns over the current administration's emphasis being solely on berating countries about their financial obligations instead of coordinating with them to protect our shared interests is a valid concern both in this country and in Europe.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Very true.

The countries should pay up and not depend upon America for free handouts long after the end of World War II. It certainly is not fair how they are taking advantage of the United States allegedly and what was once its deep pockets.

Financial obligations are important for sure but there is a vested interest in keeping Russia at bay. Under Putin they have not been a good and solid global citizen - in fact quite the contrary - they are a thorn in the side of every democracy world wide. And I do not blame the Russian people either. They have to deal with him too.

And Putin and his cronies lie about their actions - thumbing their noses at the rest of the world as if saying - "What are you going to do about it?" And the response to their aggression is some mild wrist slaps or sanctions. And I have to agree that these same European countries buying Russian oil is not helping their cause.

[Kathy]

Bentley, if I understand the issue over money, the countries had come to agreement over how to get to the level of funding either in the Bush or Obama administration. And the Europeans were for the most part meeting the targets on a per country basis. Trump just didn’t think it was quick enough. And so started berating them publicly.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

That is not what I understood. Some are not even close "still" - And of course - Trump has the right not to agree with previous administrations and I do not agree with much that Trump says or does so do not misunderstand what I am implying here. It has been going on for years and the countries will only do what they are forced to do. If someone is picking up the check, they are only too glad to allow the United States to do that.

I personally am not against Trump coming on strong but he must be strong with Putin and Erdogan too. He is certainly a weakling with our enemies or ones that we have dubious relationships with and with our allies he is like a bully.

I have included some links below which even go back a few years so it is not simply Trump being Trump. And I am very much for NATO but these countries need to pay at least their 2% commitment which was made under Obama. Trump would like them to increase that.

More:
https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defen...
https://www.forces.net/news/world/nat...
https://www.airforcemag.com/article/w...
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/ampp3d/...
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/03/each-...
https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl20...

[Kathy]

I bow to your greater knowledge.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

(lol) - You are making laugh - we all learn from each other - this is just a pet peeve of mine. However, NATO is a vital organization and represents all of the best ideals that we have strived for as a democracy. Albright did a good job writing about NATO and its importance.

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Chapter Overviews and Summaries

Chapter 20 - A Bigger Sea 307

In this chapter, Albright addresses the plight of women educationally, economically and socially throughout the world and how it is slowly changing. She focuses on the importance of education using her alma mater Wellesley College as an example of how expectations and offerings have changed drastically over the years. Albright discusses further the beliefs of the Albright Institute and how it is changing lives.

Chapter 21 - Puzzles 319

In this chapter, Ms. Albright discusses the importance of business models not only fortifying the economy of a struggling democracy but also having tangible social benefits. She goes into more detail about what the Albright Group was accomplishing in its global initiatives and discusses the later founding of the Albright Stoneridge Group.

[Kathy]

Lorna, there are a lot of studies that are showing that if you get the girls educated, the societies as a whole do better economically and even politically. (Don't ask me to give you cites as these are articles I've read in the newspaper and magazines.). And if you give the money to the women rather than the men in the family that the money is put to better uses. Women tend to use it for education for their children and food for the family. If given to the men, well it ends up used to buy alcohol, tobacco and yes, prostitutes. One thing more recent studies are showing is that the micro-loans are not nearly as effective as original charities thought they were. That the women who got them and the control group that didn't tended to do both the same so now the money is being given more as out right grants.

I'm sponsoring a girl in the Philippines who is 9 years old and the money I give provides an outright grant to her family every month. I'm hoping that it keeps her in school since if she gets married her family won't continue to get the money. They marry them off so young in the Philippines that they tend to have a lot of children at young ages which makes the families even poorer. My mom did the same thing for a girl in Uganda. My mom was very upset when her girl aged out of the program and she didn't hear from her anymore. She got quite attached to her since they corresponded for almost 10 years. I've been writing to my little girl but I haven't heard from her since February when Covid-19 hit so I'm hoping she and her family are ok. They also had an earthquake or cyclone in the Spring. The letters I send all have to be vetted and a lot of the organization worldwide has been on lockdown so I'm not sure what is getting through now.

[Lorna, Assisting Moderator (T) - SCOTUS - Civil Rights]

Kathy, I agree completely about the premise of the studies you are referring to. I have seen many similar studies. There are organizations grounded in that very idea. They have gone throughout the world to impoverished areas, partnered with area artisans, and created workshops for women and then marketed their products giving these women economic freedom which then goes to feed and educate their children.

Good for you sponsoring that little girl in the Philippines. Hopefully, she will continue with her education and that you will be able to hear from her soon. The Philippines has just been ravaged with natural disasters and now COVID-19.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

And so we begin:

Twenty
A Bigger Sea

"LATE IN 1997, I traveled to a refugee camp in Pakistan about twenty-five miles from the Afghan border, not far from the Khyber Pass.

The mountainous landscape was barren, with no trees or even shrubs to provide shade. My destination was a tiny school where a couple of dozen women and girls were waiting, among them a doctor and several teachers.

The women explained to me through interpreters how the Taliban in their native Afghanistan had prevented them from holding jobs, attending class, or even leaving their homes unless accompanied by an adult male.

A girl described the death of her sister, who had leapt from a sixth-floor window to avoid being raped by men who had broken into her family’s apartment.

As we talked, I sensed the refugees’ nervousness. Many still had relatives across the border and feared that their willingness to meet with me could, if revealed, have severe consequences. (194)

Discussion Topics and Questions:

1. After reading and listening to all sorts of disastrous reports about the Taliban - is anybody wondering why the United States is having anything to do with this group or why they would be negotiating with them now? What about all of the human rights issues or worse regarding women and young girls? And why would President Trump even consider inviting them to Camp David of all places?

2. Does anyone else believe that before we negotiate with a group like the Taliban that there are assurances about the treatment of women? Will there be assurances that women and girls are allowed to go to school, have jobs of their choosing and are shielded from exploitation and abuse?

Albright writes: "I added that no country can become prosperous unless women and girls are allowed to go to school and are shielded from exploitation and abuse." (p. 195)

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

Millennium Development Goals



Link: https://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/bk...

Discussion Topics and Questions:

1. What are your thoughts about the eight millennium development goals and how far the world has come thus far?

[Kathy]

Bentley,nothing surprises me about Trump’s foreign policy anymore. He thinks his base just wants out at any cost and he doesn’t care about the rest of us. His goal is to get re-elected. Nothing else matters.

[Kathy]

Bentley- in terms of Trump’s human rights cares, he has none. Our state Department still talks about it but because our president doesn’t care there is no follow through.

[Bentley, Group Founder, Leader, Chief]

This is a dated debate at the time that the 2015 Millennium Development Goals report was generated:



Link: https://youtu.be/7nbJKeCiVfA

Summary:

The United Nations just released its 2015 Millennium Development Goals report, so we thought it was a good time to share the thoughts of five experts who joined the United Nations’ Tomas Anker Christensen in discussing the MDGs—and measuring development efforts in general—at the recent Skoll World Forum. Launched by world leaders and the UN in 2000, the MDGs gave eight measurable goals to alleviate poverty and improve lives by the end of 2015.

Listen to the conversation, above, moderated by Pamela Hartigan of the Skoll Centre for Social Entrepeneurship. Panelists included Michael Green of the Social Progress Imperative, Bjorn Lomborg of the Copenhagen Consensus Center, Bunker Roy of Barefoot College, Dorothy Stoneman of YouthBuild USA, and Patrick Awuah of Ashesi University.

We know not everyone has time to watch a one-hour session, so here are some highlights from each:

“Metrics makers are not connected to the very poor people who live on less than a dollar a day,” Roy said. “These are the people Mahatma Gandhi called the very last man and woman. With due respect, these goals are a joke, because they don’t relate to the lifestyle and reality of rural communities living around the world who are living a hand-to-mouth survival existence.”

“Focus more money on the best targets and just spend the money there…that’s like quadrupling global aid,” Lomborg said, referring to the number of targets or goals. “If we ask governments to do fewer things that are harder to screw up, they will more likely have done a lot of good in 2030.”

“Ultimately, this is about…holding leaders to account by citizens and making these things part of the political debate….what the MDGs did have was an underlying concept: extreme poverty,” Green said, after his earlier remarks on his Social Progress Index and examples of how it’s worked. “

So whatever you spoke about related to the MDGs, everyone kind of knew what it was…It needs to be an underlying concept for these ‘people’s goals’ communicated in a simple form so that it becomes part of the political debate so a politician can say, ‘Vote for me because GDP went up and we made progress on this’ …and it’s not about 17 goals.”

“When we began to measure, we decided to ask the nonprofits we work with, what should we measure?” Stoneman said. “So they set the objectives and we have measured them for 25 years: How many people apply? How many people come every day? We measure academic gains, academic achievement, industry-recognized credentials, completion of the total program, placement in jobs or post-secondary education or retention of jobs and post-secondary education, and recidivism for those who have had previous problems with the law…we encourage the government to hold people accountable for outcomes but when they do it too rigidly, it creates a negative effect….”

“There is a lot of positive that came out of the MDGs around poverty, infant mortality and maternal care; that gives me hope that if goals are stated properly, we can in fact achieve them,” Awuah said.

More:

The Post-2015 Millennium Development Goals: A Conversation with Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal
Thursday, February 20, 2014 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
https://www.csis.org/events/post-2015...

Sources: Skoll, Youtube, CSIS, Youtube

[Kathy]

Bentley - I’m very worried about the women in Afghanistan. I believe they will end up in the same place before we went in after awhile. The taliban already have said girls going to school is a no go.

[Kathy]

Bentley - Trump has shown over and over he is a misogynist. People who vote for him don’t seem to care about this issue even though it’s a mystery to me.