A FEW KIND WORDS FOR THE DESPOTS

Once upon a time the United States and the European Powers supported despots. We found tin pot dictators, autocrats and, military strong men around the world who were willing to serve out interests. We are much too civilized now to back such thugs. In fact we engage ourselves in adventures in Democracy, freeing the world's populations from the iron hands that held them down.

A great example of how we respect our fellow man in the free exercise of all his talents can be seen in Somalia. Gone are the days when we bankrolled a thug like Said Barre to suppress these unfortunate people. Now they are free to express themselves in culturally authentic enterprises. For example, the 12 or so merchant ships and hundreds of captives now sequestered in Somali ports constitute a source of pride and satisfaction to the local Somalis. The booty resulting from such piracy turned dusty hamlets into boom towns in no time at all.

Formerly the West took the benighted view that some form of government capable of enforcing our western norms had to be imposed on the creative expression of indigenous people. But now we allow for creative differences and reason together rather than judge.

I've just read that our great nation has accepted some 12 thousand Somali refugees. They will undoubtedly lend a much needed hand in filling our desperate shortage of cab drivers and kosher meat packers. I admire their spirit and have now double padlocked my row boat.