If you plugged into the news last weekend, you may have seen that there was something of a revolution in Ecuador. The president, Jamil Mahuad, was ousted and the vice president, Gustavo Noaboa Bejarano, was installed in his place by the military. Didn’t seem like much a of big deal in the U.S. news media, just a bit of political heartburn in South America. Two weeks from now, George W. won’t remember the name of either the old or new Ecuadoran president.
But this isn’t CNN, so let’s dig a bit deeper. Most of the stories noted the rebellion began with disgruntled indigenous people. Ecuador is in the midst of an economic crisis and both the fiscal crisis and Mr. Mahuad’s solutions to it were exacting a heavy toll from the native population. The revolution turned serious when the military joined in and the indigenous protestors found themselves quickly pushed aside by the army. The natives are no happier with Mr. Noaboa than they were with Mr. Mahuad, but the guys with the guns were calling the shots.
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Low-Grade Special Effects
Last September, I was sitting on a bench on the University of Vermont’s campus green when the sprinklers suddenly turned on. No, I wasn’t soaked, but I sat and watched what looked like jets of water shooting out of the lawn. I thought of the Bible story of Moses and Aaron bringing forth water from a rock by striking it with a staff. I doubt the result was anything as gaudy as the show provided by the UVM sprinkler system.
Rolling into the 21st century, we’re not as easily impressed by miracles as earlier generations were. Certainly the Old Testament miracles are getting a bit shopworn. Plague of locusts, plague of frogs? Easily explained, more likely caused by humans interfering with nature than God interfering with humans. Parting the Red Sea? Happens several times a day on the Universal Studios tour. A bush that burns without being consumed? Low-grade special effect, probably wind up on the cutting room floor.
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