NBC’s successful (if criticized) Dateline series, To Catch a Predator, has helped officials in many states catch pedophiles. A volunteer poses as a child, pre-teen, or teenager online and then makes arrangements in chat rooms to meet with pedophiles, who are greeted at the door by NBC’s cameras. Many are prosecuted, as they should be. But a recent taping in Texas did not go as planned. An assistant prosecutor arrived with the intention of having sex with (raping, actually) a 13-year-old boy. After being exposed, he ran to his car and shot himself in the head before he could be arrested. Because of this, Texas law officials are refusing to prosecute any of the other men who showed up at the house. They’re even blaming NBC for the death of a wealthy, well-connected good ole boy.

In response to the incident, a Murphy, Texas, resident had this to say: "[NBC] can chase predators all they want, but they shouldn’t do it in a populated area with children…" Excuse me, ma’am, but isn’t that exactly where they should do it?

It gets better. The sister of the dead pedophile is suing NBC for the death of her brother. She wants $100 millon dollars, and her lawyer says, "NBC is responsible for his death."

Personally, if I found out my brother was a pedophile who cowardly shot himself rather than face the consequences (you know, the kind of consequences pedophiles face in prison), I’d have him tossed in unconsecrated ground and change my name. But then again, I’m not from Texas.

Jennifer Leblanc

"In August 1996, Sutton’s bulldozers, backed by military police firing weapons, rolled across the goldfield, smashing down worker housing, crushing their mining equipment….About 50 miners were still in their mine shafts, buried alive."

—BBC Correspondent Greg Palast, Bush Family Fortunes

On the fourth anniversary of the president’s visit to Africa we thought it would be appropriate to take another look at that moment in time at the Bulyanhulu Gold Mine and compare it to the present in order to examine what, if anything has changed since then with regard to the developed world’s approach to globalization and the welfare of Africa’s "mineral poor."

Mining has been a major source of income and development for much of Africa. At the same time mining projects are increasingly linked to serious environmental and social concerns. There is tremendous potential to harness Africa’s mineral resources as a means of developing the continent’s economy, yet there are notable differences in the efficacy of particular mining projects and regional development plans.

When President Bush made a one-week tour of the African continent in early July 2003 the U.S. public heard a lot about human suffering and conflict there. The tragic AIDS epidemic and the toll of bloody wars are critical issues that should be examined in depth. Yet, one key component seemed to be missing from the coverage: multinational corporate interests and their effects on people in African nations.

On this edition of "Making Contact," we take a look at some examples: In Tanzania a Canadian-based corporation is accused of burying alive artisan miners in order to acquire control of a gold mine; and, the drive for oil has sparked political and social upheavals in Sudan and Angola.

Featuring::

Nyang Chol, a senior official with RAS, the humanitarian wing of the rebel SPDF faction in Sudan; Leslie Lefkow, a human rights specialist with Doctors Without Borders; Sam Ibok, director of political Affairs with the African Union; Phillipe Gaspar, a 13-year-old Angolan refugee; Chantal Uwimana, Africa programme officer for Transparency International; Gregor Binkert, resident country representative for the World Bank in Chad; Ongar Lassie Yorongar, a leading political figure in Chad; Tundu Lissu, a Tanzanian human rights attorney; and investigative journalist Greg Palast, author of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy.

For more information::

Transparency International

+49 30 343820 0

http://www.transparency.org/

Lawyers’ Environmental Action Team

+255-22-2780859

 http://www.leat.or.tz/

Greg Palast, BBC reporter and author of Armed Madhouse and The Best Democracy Money Can Buy; http://www.gregpalast.com/

Sutton, acquisition of Barrick Gold Corporation, Canada

Harlan Douglas Weikle

If you’ve never heard of the UNFPA, or were unaware that the president had cut off the annual 34 million dollars in funding to their organization, let me give you the run-down: this branch of the UN didn’t like China’s forced abortion policy, so they went to the Chinese government and said, "We have an idea — contraception." So they began in eight provinces, then 10, and so on, and it was a complete success — no more pregnancies or forced abortions, and everyone was happy.

Then a handful of lunatics from Virginia, calling themselves PRI (Population Research Institute), got wind of this. As Christians against birth control, they believe that population control is not a problem for the planet, and that all six billion of us can be sustained on the resources from an area the size of Texas. So that means they’re smart. Anywho, they sent a paralegal to China to investigate. She went out to provinces that were not yet part of the UNFPA program and listened to illiterate peasant women talk about ongoing forced abortion. Then she visited a government health office, saw an empty desk that a worker said belonged to the UNFPA, and somehow in her little Christian-fanatic mind, came the conclusion that the UNFPA program was encouraging abortions, forced or not. She took her delusions home to her partners (the company has never had more than six employees), who turned to Rep. Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey), who was equally outraged. He turned to the president.

Our government sent dozens of investigators to China. Other countries sent hundreds of investigators, altogether, to China. Not one found any evidence that the UNFPA had anything to do with abortions, only family planning and contraception. But with this administration and the right-wing Christians, who needs evidence or facts? Those pesky things are just obstacles to certain people stamping their feet and getting what they want — which is usually more women dead for having sex. So yadda yadda, the Bush cut off funding. Other countries laughed at us, shook their heads, searched their minds for how on Earth the leader of the free world could take the unhinged word of a very few over the professional opinion of many legitimates. Also, the childish few got their way, and women and children all over the world suffered and died unneccessarily. This was back in 2002, and it was certainly a sign of times to come in all things international.

This denial of funding backfired. Other countries stepped up with more aid to the UNFPA. Two American women decided to start the 34 Million Friends Campaign to convince 34 million people to give a dollar and make the world a better place. They raised twice that amount in the first year alone.

Now it’s time for Bush to right a wrong and resume funding. Americans for UNFPA has started a petition calling for such an action. So, go, don’t just sit there — sign it! via Feministing.

For more about the USA’s unfortunate involvement with PRI, read Cristina Page’s How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America.

Jennifer Leblanc