Travel promotes freedom and understanding -- but human beings being what they are, all too often politics and conflict can get in the way. What do you think about the relationship between politics and travel, and how to reconcile them?
Cover photo: The Interfaith Observer.
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New blog post on the effects of conflict on tourism, and the rights and wrongs of encouraging tourists to come to conflict-affected areas: http://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/rubbernecking-or-learning
ETOA (European Tour Operators Association) adds that most of those potential visitors are from China and India.
This had to be stopped, of course, but I'm concerned this kind of story will be used by a certain political party to bash welfare and justify further cuts. Of course we have to curb the abuse, but isn't there a real need to protect the neediest in our society?
I don't generally believe in boycotts, I think they're pretty much counterproductive. Look at Cuba, we've been at it for 50+ and no change in sight. But this Arizona thing is so wrong, so mean-spirited, that i for one don't plan to set foot in that state till they rejoin 21st century civilization.
Happy duffing.
So I'm telling her NOT to go back, and I personlly don't intend to go either. There's much better places to go spend my money. Why should a good, kind, wonderful person like Jessica expose herself to being picked up by some inbred sunbleached yahoo who thinks he has more right to be in AZ than the people his ancestors stole it from??
Sorry if I sound a little bitter, but this latest Republican-inspired idiocy hits a little too close to home.