Wearing a shirt with “New York” written across the top reminding me of the recent 2nd year anniversary of 9/11, my neighbour’s younger son Patrick sought refuge in my studio recently asking that I instruct him on how to carve a spiral. As I watched him from the corner of my eye while working on my own carving, his determination to learn as well as his quiet patience touched me.
“Here is the future”, I said to myself. “May this young boy grow up with the wisdom and courage and skills to live a full life in a peaceful world.”
Today, I received an email discussing the arrival at Windgrove in January of 12 students and two facilitators from the Rhode Island School of Design on the east coast of America. For five days they will camp out, explore, create art and learn.
Learn what?
Yes, what is really taught at Windgrove? What discourses happen around the Peace Fire? What learning takes place walking around the Peace Garden? What accumulation of knowledge occurs when a person or people gather on this land?
This is for certain: students can at least gather here. Across the world democratic countries are becoming increasingly fascist in their attempts to control terrorism, and increasingly facile with their use of spin to indoctrinate the public. Tasmania, relatively speaking, is still a safe place to speak one’s version of the truth and to learn from others their truth. (Unless, of course, you’re talking forestry.)
Although a bit tarnished and tainted by the American governments continuous suppression of democratic rights in Guantanamo Bay, one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy is the Statue of Liberty situated in New York harbour. Standing 151 feet tall or 46 meters, designed by the sculptor Frederic Bartholde and commemorated in 1886 as a gift from the French, it has welcomed onto the shores of America thousands upon thousands of immigrants and refugees seeking a life free of tyranny; a chance at grasping freedom and turning it into prosperity and happiness.
I’m never sure if size makes any difference or not, but on Roaring Beach this week the Windgrove shadow of “Liberty Enlightening the World” (the statue’s original name), cast itself tall and potently along the sand.
“Give me liberty or give me death”, cried a much older Patrick than my neighbour’s son.
This was the American Revolutionary War patriot, Patrick Henry who, in a speech delivered in 1775 sought to convince his peers that the political bureaucrats of the day (the British) were incapable of honouring the will of the citizenry and, therefore, a recourse to arms was the only way to protect the land/ the country. “In vain”, he said, “may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope.”
Although I, myself, am willing to die for the country’s trees, I would prefer instead to use non-violent acts of civil disobedience to democratically express any anger over the Tasmanian governments policy of clear felling our world class rain forests.
In her newest book, ‘Earth Alive’, scientist Mary White writes:
“The continued logging of the Gondwanan forests in Tasmania is environmental vandalism. They are the largest remaining temperate Gondwanan forests in the world. The fact that they have been here for up to 60 million years and are little changed, with priceless biodiversity, should be enough to ensure their survival, unchanged, in spite of human greed.”
What awaits any young people coming into a world of diminishing ecosystems?
Will Patrick have a happy future?
Between his youth and old age, will the spirit of the Peace Fire at Windgrove stay alive?
Or, will there be a time when the people are forced to take up arms to protect their country from the rapacious appetites of corrupt politicians?
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