Earth Week: Day 6

Often, change comes very, very slowly. Today feels like the first, real Spring day in this Spring season in our North Country. No jacket for the mid-day dog walk, sunshine, no real breeze. Local drive-in restaurant is now open for take out. Life may slowly edge toward what may seem like a new normal. Soon even the legislature should adjourn sine die on Monday, May 18. One question hanging in the air is how soon and for what will one or more special sessions then be called.

no signs, yet, of dandelions  soon?

Photo by J. Harrington

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are refusing to pass any new environmental appropriations unless they include money for rural wastewater treatment upgrades, projects usually funded with bonding. MinnPost published a Community Voices article in 2018 with helpful background to the contentious issues. The legislative moves and countermoves on these issues remind me of the old Abbot and Costello routine of "Who's on First." Would that legislators had to get their work pre-vetted by the courts to ensure a lack of ambiguity. Would that all legislative candidates were required to take training in "Win-Win" negotiations and that their oath of office required them to use such training in their legislative activity. It's no wonder, in my opinion, that Partisan identity exceeds racism, religion as key element dividing Americans, panelists say. Is this how we make democracy work?

I wish I understood why more Democrats and Republicans haven't come together and agreed on the major points (identified by The Economist) made in Peter Senge's book The Necessary Revolution, which is now more than a decade old. It seems to me there's more than enough to go around so everyone could claim more than one win by accepting and acting on these Take Aways:

The world is in peril because of severe environmental degradation. 

The sustainability crisis represents the interconnected symptoms of an enormous problem: a global system that is dangerously out of whack. 

The Industrial Age, which brought immeasurable benefits, is now creating immeasurably dire problems. 

Humankind cannot continue to ignore these concerns. 

Global warming is today’s major environmental issue. 

The world is quickly reaching a point of no return regarding warming. If people don’t act quickly, it may be impossible to halt. 

Organizations and nations are swiftly working to bring about positive change. 

For example, Australia may ban its entire citrus industry to conserve water. Sweden hopes to eliminate any dependence on fossil fuels by 2020. 

Quick fixes and short-term solutions will only exacerbate serious sustainability problems worldwide. 

Socially and environmentally responsible practices make good business sense

This all brings me to another thought regarding politicians. Could we improve the quality of our representation if the filing papers for office included a notarized acknowledgement that the office seeking candidate does not know everything needed to do the job and is willing to maintain the kind  of  open mind needed for learning? Or might that make candidates too fearful?

"Because of the fear monster infecting this country, I have been asked for this poem, this song. Feel free to use it, record it, and share. Please give credit. This poem came when I absolutely needed it. I was young and nearly destroyed by fear. I almost didn’t make it to twenty-three. This poem was given to me to share."

Joy Harjo

Fear Poem, or I Give You Back

I release you, my beautiful and terrible
fear. I release you. You were my beloved
and hated twin, but now, I don’t know you
as myself. I release you with all the
pain I would know at the death of
my children.
You are not my blood anymore.
I give you back to the soldiers
who burned down my home, beheaded my children,
raped and sodomized my brothers and sisters.
I give you back to those who stole the
food from our plates when we were starving.
I release you, fear, because you hold
these scenes in front of me and I was born
with eyes that can never close.
I release you
I release you
I release you
I release you
I am not afraid to be angry.
I am not afraid to rejoice.
I am not afraid to be black.
I am not afraid to be white.
I am not afraid to be hungry.
I am not afraid to be full.
I am not afraid to be hated.
I am not afraid to be loved.
to be loved, to be loved, fear.
Oh, you have choked me, but I gave you the leash.
You have gutted me but I gave you the knife.
You have devoured me, but I laid myself across the fire.
I take myself back, fear.
You are not my shadow any longer.
I won’t hold you in my hands.
You can’t live in my eyes, my ears, my voice
my belly, or in my heart my heart
my heart my heart
But come here, fear
I am alive and you are so afraid
of dying.

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