Comments on: With Death of Dictator, Gabon’s Parks at Risk http://jonbowermaster.com/blog/2009/06/with-death-of-dictator-gabons-parks-at-risk/ Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:58:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Alan Mairson http://jonbowermaster.com/blog/2009/06/with-death-of-dictator-gabons-parks-at-risk/#comment-18388 Alan Mairson Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:16:46 +0000 http://jonbowermaster.com/blog/?p=1565#comment-18388 Hi Jon, Fascinating post. And a bracing portrait of the former President-for-Life. ... I'm wondering, though, what you think about establishing environmental partnerships with dictators like Bongo. I wrote about the problem here -- http://tr.im/sd7E -- but would especially be interested in your reactions to the Mike Fay quote, esp the part highlighted in red. ... Why should our Society give the Omar Bongos of the world a free pass just because they care about the planet? Put another way: Why is a deeply anti-democratic conservation program a wondrous accomplishment when launched in Africa—while ignoring the will of the people would be considered a tragedy if a political leader tried something similar here at home? Any & all thoughts welcome. best, Alan Hi Jon,

Fascinating post. And a bracing portrait of the former President-for-Life. … I’m wondering, though, what you think about establishing environmental partnerships with dictators like Bongo. I wrote about the problem here — http://tr.im/sd7E — but would especially be interested in your reactions to the Mike Fay quote, esp the part highlighted in red. … Why should our Society give the Omar Bongos of the world a free pass just because they care about the planet?

Put another way: Why is a deeply anti-democratic conservation program a wondrous accomplishment when launched in Africa—while ignoring the will of the people would be considered a tragedy if a political leader tried something similar here at home?
Any & all thoughts welcome.
best,
Alan

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