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On Morality:
Morality is essentially a measure of pain-free existence. If you cause pain to yourself or others in some form this is eventually described as 'immoral' behavior by the society around you. Morality and pain are directly related phenomenon. Most of the moral problems in the world today stem primarily from the failings of human nature (causing pain to self or other), and they have existed in some form since the beginning of time.
I have some advice as an American ... don't do what we do! Take from us what is valuable and leave the rest. Much of the business, political and military activity of the US is harmful to people, the environment and is avoidable. In your own community and nation follow your own wisdom and do the best you can for yourselves. America has lead by example in a few cases, but in many cases behaves like a blundering monster. Use your own wisdom and culture to do the best you can for yourself.
The second largest moral problem that human history has faced, one of the most fundamental problems, is the very problem of taking a rock out of the ground. This habit is mostly the characteristic of the people of Middle East, Europe and Asia. In addition to the benefits of mining and manufacturing, pulling rock out of the ground has been shown to offend people, hurt the soil, and pollute the water and air. The process of taking the rock out of the ground (as America has shown) results in theft or near theft of land that doesn't belong to America. The process of taking the rock out of the ground is often done under slavery conditions, and wars are fought over taking the rock out of the ground (Vietnam, the Gulf War). When we turn the rock into a property that is useful for manufacturing we very often pollute the air, water and soil. And the conditions for the manufacture of the rock are often under near slavery conditions. When the rock is manufactured, it is processed through a design that may or may not be useful, and sold at a rate that may or may not reflect its value. And when the value of the manufactured rock is complete it is often thrown away, poisoning the soil, air and water again (instead of being recycled). And this whole process of manufacture takes young people away from the farms where folks had grown up, and culture and tradition is lost. People kill, steal and lie to obtain manufactured rock. All of this for a lousy rock. So the point is, there is much more to life than the European approach. Your life may be much, much richer than you think without the rock (or with less rock and a better life) in harmony with your local traditions from antiquity. I am not suggesting that Europe is entirely wrong; but that there is a very important lesson to learn from it, both good and bad. Your own conscience will naturally tell you what is really good for you and your family/culture.
If you would like to get a perspective from another culture, the Hopi(native Americans) here in America have said quite a bit about these moral problems in Hotevilla by Thomas Mails and Dan Evehema (Hotevilla and Hopi Survival Kit are books that helped to inspire me to draft this website). The Hopi are one of the world's most spiritually advanced cultures and they are very wise. Hotevilla will give you a religious and political perspective on problems encountered with the European economic structure. I strongly suggest ordering the book for your local library or the local university library.
By the way, the historical natives of 'America' (native Americans) actually call America 'Turtle Island'. So when you meet the people that are really, really from here, Turtle Island is what you call America.
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