Lewis believes in what governments could do, but he makes it clear that patience isn't a virtue when it comes to foreign aid.
In the circumstance of AIDS, there is no time for cerebral self-indulgence. The rich countries just won't deliver, and the poor countries can't deliver, and the dying increases exponentially.
Lewis advocates grassroots and corporate endeavours as more rapid responses to the AIDS pandemic. These include employer-sponsored programs to protect the health of the community of workers. He urges support for communities, including the unsung grandmothers who often face the burden of caring for dying children and orphaned grandchildren.
He advocates increased action by the UN when countries fail to live up to the agreements they have signed, such as those protecting the rights of children and women. Though he is unsure how an enforcement mechanism might work, he sees it as absolutely necessary: "Governments get away with it because no one cares enough to prevent governments from getting away with it."
Ultimately, Lewis seems to believe that it will be a monumental task to make the Millennium Development Goals when starting from here. The potential for failure, however, is seen as a reason to redouble the effort, rather than one to abandon hope. Lewis is an optimist who finds himself facing some of the worst circumstances, the worst human traits, and who continues to believe that it doesn't have to be this way. Lewis recognizes that every victory, no matter how small, will make the biggest victories seem feasible.
Success will demonstrate to the world that between daily misery on the one hand, and well-being on the other, there stands only the decision by the rich nations to share a tiny fraction of their wealth.
Lewis for all his fury has not abandoned hope. He nourishes it. In spreading his anger, he creates a red-hot glow of hope that will not be a extinguished.
(This review originally appeared on Fourth-Rate Reader.)
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
tremendous, powerful, articulate, passionate review Bonnie - thanks so much!
2 - gypsyman
Bonnie,
I think you have managed to capture the essence of what makes Mr. Lewis such an inspiration. The fact that unlike the rest of us he lets his anger and frustration fuel not sap his energy.
I was sickened by our so called national news magazine in Canada, you know the one, for their hatchet job on Mr. Lewis (along with David Suzuki and Bono) How people can be in such denial that the world is heading down the toilet is beyond me.
Stephen has gone from being the moral conscience of Ontario as leader of the N.D.P. in the seventies to be the moral conscience of the world.
You've give one of the more accurate pictures I've read of him and his passion yet... well done.
(p.s I know what you mean about repeating yourself, I was reviewing my blogs today and realised I had basicly written the same piece twice about Stephen Lewis, two months apart. One was on the foundation, and one was just mentioning him as one of the true heroes in the world. Sometimes though if you keep pounding away people may start to listen...at least that's my hope..
gypsyman
3 - Jochen Jesinghaus
According to the MDG Dashboard, Swaziland is overall a good performer, for African standards: Pretty high scores for Goal 1 (hunger), 2 (education), and 5 (maternal health). However, they fail completely in fighting HIV/AIDS. In contrast, neighbour Botswana has similar problems with the disease but has started vigorous efforts to handle the problem. Swaziland's gender equality performance is average, while child and infant mortality are indeed worse than the African standard. It might be worth asking why the country has such a specific problem with HIV/AIDS - and to recall that neighbour South Africa denied for a long time the existence of the problem.
Re ODA & Canada: 0.27% of GNI is indeed not particularly impressive. But then, ODA is only part of the story. Most African countries are oil importers. Right now, some of them have to use all of their modest export revenue to pay the oil bill. Nothing left for education, hospitals, technology, ... and guess why the oil price is so high nowadays? If North America had always applied European level fuel taxes, the World oil price would still be 20 US$/barrel. ODA is peanuts compared to the impact of "cheap oil is good for the economy" policies.
4 - bd
nice book
5 - bjosephine
You brought out the high points of Lewis' book. Thank you for shedding light on these issues. There is perseverance and much work to be done. It is so inspiring to read the words of Lewis. Great review!