Just Because

It's labor day and Steyn has a Topical Take on it that seems to be an argument I often get into with people. So it cracked me up.

Why do we, with all our gadgets and cars and such want for the poor people to live without them! The last time this happened was with a women who was working in a gift shop in the mtns. She said she was an Indian Shaman from a tribe back east. She'd come out here because her tribe had gotten into the gambling casinos and she couldn't take it. Even though she later talked about tribal loyalty and doing what you can for your communities. She then proceded to wax philosophical about the days of yore when Navajos spun their own wool for their blankets and now, ptooh, they are buying yarn from Walmart. We were looking for a leather cowboy hat, but she only carried the Australian hats because the American hats use imported leather. You know the story, it just went on.
No discussion about the uplifting of the 3rd world economies as they import their leather. No discussion about the ability to sell more Navajo blankets and increase personal wealth when you don't have to spend a year spinning the yarn by hand. So Steyn was funny to me today, though written in 2002. Enjoy the day!