Thursday, August 16, 2007

This week, the head of a Chinese plant that manufactures toys tainted with harmful chemicals hanged himself. He committed suicide rather than live in shame. The problems started with consumer complaints in the United States and the recall of millions of toys. Before that there was the recall of canned (tinned) food and toothpaste prepared in China.

Reading this, I recalled while we lived in the Gulf region, how most toys, childrens toys not adults', were imported from China- not only in Kuwait, but all across the Middle East. I have been looking through Arab media, especially in the Persian Gulf region- they cover the recall story briefly, but as something that does not concern them directly. Perhaps it is our famous fatalism. I have not seen anything in the Arab media about recalling toys or canned foods from the local markets. Nobody wants to hang himself, figuratively of course- not the potentates who always insist on presiding over what pass for consumer protection authorities, nor the merchants who import and distribute the products.

Falling on one's sword, so to speak, has not been part of the European repertoire in defeat and ignominy either, not since the days of the Roman Republic. But then, the Romans were not really 'Europeans' by today's definition: they were a Mediterranean people, like their early foes the Carthaginians. They also claimed descent from ancient Troy, which was Asian. Napoleon never tried falling on his sword even after two major defeats, preferring exile and perhaps living to fight another day, which he did once. Only a small German/Austrian guy with a silly little moustache did it 62 years ago- but then he was not a balanced man, and besides, he did not want to end up in a Slavic/Bolshevik cage in Moscow, the only alternative available to him. And he took his woman with him....just in case.
Can you imagine Rep. Dennis Hastert falling on his 'gavel' after the 2006 elections? Or Bill Clinton falling on his proverbial and abused 'cigar' after having to confess in public? That sounds painful.

Cheers
Mohammed

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