A CIVILIZED LOOK AT NORTH VS. SOUTH

A word now in defense of the Third World.

Down south, gracias a Dios, religion is important in people's lives
and children love their mothers.

Yes, First World countries have more mature institutions that enforce
the rule of law and justice.

But the southern neighbor, despite horrendous crime, has some great
food, music, cute customs and traditions and great tourist
destinations.

Canada may have a lot on the United States but . . . oh, wait a sec.
You probably thought we were talking about the United States and Mexico.

OK, my tongue is firmly in cheek. But you might be forgiven if recent
news and Canada's long-standing views on such matters as health care
and crime and punishment lead you to wonder which country really is
more advanced, particularly if you count progressiveness as an indication.

Mexico, of course, has a worse image problem. If Canada is
consistently portrayed as the often-pesky kid brother who tags along
but can't seem to get anything right, Mexico can't seem to shake the
crack-house neighbor image.

And we, of course, are the father-knows-best type.

Or are we?

Consider. In Canada, after a series of court decisions, the government
takes the civilized view that legalizing gay marriages is a worthy
next step.

In this country, after a landmark Supreme Court ruling invalidating a
Texas law that prohibited gay sodomy, our leaders, notably Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist, talk of a Constitutional amendment banning
such unions.

Pat Robertson urges the faithful to pray for more conservative Supreme
Court justices. The U.S. right wing is, in fact, going bonkers over
the possibility that we might recognize the reality that a lot of
Americans are gay, have sex and that a whole lot of them would like to
have recognized, legal relationships with all the benefits and
protections flowing from that.

In other words, a shot at equality. U.S. gays are really tired of this
you're-equal-but-are-less-than-worthy hooey.

We should all be puzzled by the fact that there exist fine, upstanding
conservatives who simultaneously argue for minimalist government (and
even less regulation) and for Big Brother in the bedroom.

Does the U.S. Supreme Court ruling open the door for gay marriage?
Let's hope so.

Canada appears poised also to decriminalize possession of small
amounts of marijuana, arguing that drug use generally is a medical
rather than a criminal problem.

We, of course, instantly go apoplectic, warning that we may have to
step up border security to stop the evil weed from coming through and,
not coincidentally, slow the flow of commerce generally.

Canada legalized medical marijuana for the terminally or chronically
ill two years ago. We recently convicted in federal court a guy who
grew medical marijuana legally under a California law passed by voters
there.

Canada has no death penalty. We have a president from the state that
kills more prisoners than any other. Internationally, we stand
virtually alone on this issue.

After pooh-poohing efforts to provide Americans some form of universal
health care at the beginning of the Clinton administration,
Republicans are now falling all over themselves taking teeny-tiny baby
steps to help seniors with prescription drugs. Hmm. Election year coming up?

OK. Consider some tenets of the Canadian health system. Its health
insurance must be publicly administered on a non-profit basis. All
hospital and medical services are covered and all Canadians are
entitled. This insurance must be respected everywhere in Canada, and
the income of the user can't be an impediment to getting services.

In comparison, we insist on corporate profit first and accessibility
foremost for those who can most afford it.

Please spare me the so-move-to-Canada e-mails and calls. I love my
country, but love isn't really blind.

There is a tendency to consider our international pre-eminence to be a
function of the primacy of our ideals.

And we've got great ones. The problem: Some countries seem to live up
to them better than we do.