A hopeful struggle

In the forgetting that we, too, are animals, a part of nature, as dependent on its health and balance as any other mammal, we foolishly permit the unrestrained industrial erosion and poisoning of our Earth habitat that promises to leave mankind as desolate and bereft of hope as a turtle stripped live from its shell.

Peter Matthiessen, from “End of the Earth”

I had just read this passage from Matthiessen’s book on the Antarctic when I heard on the radio Kevin Rudd, the federal leader of the Labor Party, make a promise to the pro-logging forestry industry, that if elected Prime Minister of Australia at the upcoming election, he would not protect any more of Tasmania’s old growth rain forests.

I couldn’t believe my ears. After so much has been written about the importance of preserving what is left in the world of wild habitat, here was the leader of a major political party completely refuting the gathered scientific, economic, social and cultural evidence and caving into the bully tactics of a very small, yet powerful union of greedy retards (I use “retard” here in the sense of someone stupidly holding back growth towards a compassionate awareness). Just this past weekend there was an article about Tasmania in the national newspaper, The Australian, where the title, in big, bold letters proclaimed: Logging itself into oblivion. One sentence from the article conveys its essence: “The short-sighted trashing of what makes Tasmania attractive is economic and environmental vandalism.”

Rudd’s trip down to Tasmania yesterday to cement his cosy relationship with the corrupted state political leader, Paul Lennon, and his myrmidons in the logging union, has left those of us who care about this world scared that Rudd will be no different than Howard if he becomes Prime Minister of Australia. Such a shame. I hate to think that all the good work people everywhere have been doing to unseat John Howard (George Bush’s friend in creating even more world terror) will only be to put at the top of the trash pile just another charlatan with only the barest of credentials above the weasel Howard.

It’s terribly sad to be going to the polls to be voting for just “the lesser of two evils”. In a twisted demonic way, I almost wish Howard will win so that there might be, at least, a squiggle of hope that Labor’s next leader will truly understand the importance of the environment in protecting the wealth and health of this nation. With Rudd at the helm, the possibility of choice will be greatly diminished.

Still recovering from the pain of my recent hernia operation, I gaze out the window and am doubly pained by the sight of an empty bench that, although seemingly in the shadows, is floodlit with a radiant light. It speaks to me of the folly of humans and the possible slow demise of the human species because of this folly. All the world’s focus is, certainly, now upon us; we are at stage centre. Yet, in this global council of all beings, human beings seem forever willing to forfeit their right and obligation to be present at this council. We do this at our peril.

I want my torn body to heal and I want the torn relationship between humans and the rest of the living world to heal as well.

Like Peter Matthiessen:

Therefore I seek to understand phenomena that might help our self-destroying species to appreciate the shimmering web of bio-diversity in the Earth process, the common miracles, fleeting as ocean birds, which present themselves endlessly to all our senses, to be tasted, experienced, and fiercely defended for our innocent inheritors against the rape and dreadful wasting of this beautiful and fragile biosphere and its resources.

With the type of politicians and corporate CEOs that currently make up the power structure of the world, this is a daunting task. Still, even though I respect that suffering is a condition of being human, misery is a choice. A choice I choose not to make. Remaining faithful to goodness is a better option. Out of this continuous struggle, hope is earned. The turtle may yet retain its shell.