Whatever happened to Canada, the land of compassion, the land so decent it verged on plain boring, the land that selflessly led the world, providing troops for peacekeeping missions abroad and repeatedly flinging open its doors to desperate refugees fleeing less fortunate nations?
The question of the responsibilities borne by the citizens of the more fortunate nations of the world towards those from other countries is at the heart of Narindar's story, but it is told in the most intimate of ways, as an issue that is not theorised but deeply felt.
As many eloquent observers of far-flung places — from Graham Greene to V. S. Naipaul to James Fenton to Pico Iyer — have shown, scenes of misery that would appall the eye in more fortunate nations can captivate the literary imagination in the third world.
The United States should be an unabashed promoter of freedom and democracy in the world, ready to work with others to help ease the burdens of less fortunate nations.
Since that time, there have been many reminders that there are indeed things worth fighting for: that, in this most fortunate of nations, re-learning, and believing in, the virtues of coöperation across borders, and ideologies, is among them.
Some will say these houses are an insult to less fortunate peoples and nations (for example, "Before Manila's Garbage Hill Collapsed: Living Off Scavenging," news article, July 18).
The nation is fortunate that the standoff has now galvanized a less dollar-driven lobbying force — the families of the victims in last year's tragedy.
But I do think our nation is fortunate to have the leadership of President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary Powell at this perilous time.
It's fortunate, then, that the nation's first line of defense against rising joblessness -- unemployment insurance -- was reinforced in the stimulus law that passed last month.
"The nation is fortunate that this experienced, tested, tough-minded 'old hand' joins the strong Bush corral for national security," said Senator John W. Warner, a Virginia Republican who heads the Armed Services Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings on Mr. Rumsfeld.
