Plain Talk Monkey Business COLUMN BY ROB BUKSAR The thought of being individually powerless has been sold to us so aggres- sively, so loudly, and so often that to even imagine being pro- active in our own business, economic and civic states of affairs now requires “myth-busting.” Apathy and inactivity are becoming so ingrained into our culture that most Americans don’t even bother voting in local or presidential elections, attitude being “what’s the use?” We seem to have unlimited energy to complain, criticize, and condemn others who desperately and often single-handedly attempt to make a difference. Trade organizations, busi- ness associations, labor unions, and even religious institutions are choos- ing immediate and practically safe positions over morally right and national best interest. We have all been sold the myth of the new global dynamic economy with such force, repetition and fervor that most folks cannot conceive what it would be like to have our independent nation back. Just as slaves born into slavery cannot visualize freedom, we Americans can’t imagine life without Wal-Marts full of slave labor, Third World produced consumer goods, not to mention strate- gic and industrial goods produced every- where but here. I find it interesting, yet tragic, that we are now spending untold billions on the war on terrorism and homeland security. Yet at the same time laying down another welcome mat for terror- ists with the pending FTAA agreement which will probably pass due to the lack of national resistance. Marxist regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil and Haiti, and communist movements in other Latin American countries are just “licking their chops,” waiting for this “new deal” to pass. This is like the Trojan Horse without the horse. We’re just going to open the gates and yell, “Come on in!” Most people who have made the decision to resist and fight back with the best of their ability have experienced something weird: ridicule. Friends, fam- ily, business associates, vendors and suppliers who are disciples of the “myth” that exporting industry and out- sourcing good paying American jobs is good, have ridiculed those trying to return to the path of freedom. A noted researcher, John Maxwell, tells of a study done on monkeys. A group of monkeys were locked in a room with a pole at the center. Some luscious ripe bananas were placed at the top of the pole. When a monkey would begin to climb the pole, the experi- menters would knock him off with a blast of water from a fire hose. Each time a monkey would climb, off he would go, until all the monkeys had been knocked off repeatedly, thus learn- ing that the climb was hopeless. The experimenters then observed that the other primates would pull down any monkey trying to climb. They replaced a single monkey with one who didn’t know the system. As soon as the new guy tried to climb, the others would pull him down and punish him for try- ing. One by one, each monkey was replaced and the scene repeated until there were no monkeys left in the room that had experienced the fire hose. Still, none of the new guys were allowed to climb. The other monkeys pulled them down. Not one monkey in the room knew why, but none were allowed to get the bananas. We are not monkeys (and I put myself at the top of this list), but some- times we exhibit behavior that seems equally mindless. Far too often we don’t even remember why we do what we do and why we support what we support with our money. Sadly, many of us are becoming like the last set of primates. With rolled eyes we spout the pat lines associated with the “myth,” as if anyone not wanting or thinking the new dynamic economy is good must be unintelligent. Anyone who opposes the new global order and economy must be a simpleton, a fanatic, or even a tragic car crash that people want to avoid but just can’t help looking at. Change is painful. Few people have the courage to seek out change or right wrongs. Most won’t change until the pain of where they are exceeds the pain of change. How much more shrinkage can domestic opportunities stand, look- ing ahead not able to see a positive future or dignified retirement. Watching a net worth that took 30 years to build turn to mush because of domestically imposed trade agreements fueled by multi-national corporate greed. What we’re going through isn’t a dress rehearsal. This is the real thing and time is not on our side. We either become pro-active and actively promote a return to sanity or “get to liking” the idea of ending our days working the drive-up window at a foreign-owned donut joint. The choice is ours. God bless the small American busi- nessman and may God awaken the deluded American public. Rob Buksar is owner of Hoosier Electric Co., Gary, Ind.