Letter to the editor: Shoe on other foot
To the editor:
Part of Trump’s recently announced trade-war truce is an agreement by China to limit the flow of Fentanyl from Chinese manufacturers into the U.S. Does anyone catch the whiff of irony? It takes a little remembering, but between 1800 and 1880 exports of opium into China, mostly by European and American traders who controlled decadent Chinese Mandarins, increased more than 3,200 percent. Many Chinese became addicted, leading to efforts by responsible elements of Chinese society to end the opium trade. In the First Opium War (1842) the British used military force to extract reparations for opium destroyed by a virtuous Chinese official attempting to protect his people. At the point of a bayonet Britain, France and the United States entered into what became known as the Unequal Treaties protecting “free trade.” The problem persisted into the 1950s. By the way, there’s an interesting connection between the 19th century China trade, the Abolition movement and Free State Lawrence. Boston Brahmins who helped fund the New England Immigrant Aid Society were heavily involved in the China trade and made enormous profits from the sale of opium in China that were used, in turn, to capitalize industry in New England.
Now, the shoe is on the other foot, and lacking a sufficient political will of our own to protect Americans from drug addiction we’re asking China to help save us from ourselves. A good moment for looking back to find ourselves.
William Skepnek,
Lawrence
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