A human is a person but not always vice versa

The “wet spot” behind the house is practically dry. Meanwhile, the Sunrise River pools a few miles to the west are bankfull and a little more. I have no idea what’s going on since somewhere, I believe, there’s a linkage between ground and surface water.

when the “wet spot” is wet

Photo by J. Harrington

In a wet spring, the wet spot can look like the picture above. At the moment, there’s no visible water. Climate scientists have informed us that we should expect more variable and volatile precipitation patterns. Last summer we were somewhere between abnormally dry and moderate drought. Now we’re droughtless(?). In fact, northern Minnesota is suffering historical flooding.

Meanwhile, as if we didn’t have enough points of friction (did you watch last night’s January 6 riot hearing?), today’s Star Tribune brings us news of Lake Minnetonka wakesurfing stirs controversy and debate over proposed restrictions. Clearly, with local gas prices reaching $5 per gallon, such water controversies become a first world, rich people’s problem. But they are also framed as competition among various groups of users each of whom believes they have the right to use water as they wish. What about the rights of water?

There are growing numbers of places that have established legal rights for rivers as a means to protect them. Those actions are part of a broader movement known as environmental personhood. As an NPR article notes, rights need to be enforceable to make a difference. We’re currently embroiled in a number of disputes about whose rights, and which rights, should prevail in democratic elections. Unfortunately, we seem to be lacking institutions sufficient to the kind of reasoned discussion needed to begin the balancing, juggling act required. Our click and profit-driven “news” media isn’t much help with its “both sidesisms.” Courts have become politicized to the point they’re becoming as ineffective at problem solving as our political institutions. Plus, as we noted the other day, entirely too many of US are focused on rights and not enough on responsibilities. Perhaps, instead of referring to our current age as the Anthropocene, we should call it the Hubrisocene. Most of US seem to have forgotten the old saying about excess pride goeth before a fall.

Becoming Human

By Simon J. Ortiz

We are given permission
by the responsibility we accept
and carry out. Nothing more,
nothing less.
                        People are not born.
They are made when they become
human beings within ritual,
tradition, purpose, responsibility.


Therefore, as humans, this we do:
Sun Father begins red
in the east.
Stand and be humble.
Red through trees,
moments changing each instant
into the next change,
each change tied to the next.
To be human is to have
a sense of being within self.


Sun. Red. Trees.
Our hearts’ eyes seeing
inward and outward, accepting:
Stand and be humble.
  The more names you have the more of a person you become. That’s what I’ve heard. I was telling Tom yesterday afternoon. Values, education, social change, cultural corruption, what is and what isn’t. I have to dispute him at moments. I tell him, The knowledge we derive from the education we get is our own. Knowledge is determined by our cultural, spiritual, linguistic, political environment. The knowledge from the community and context here cannot be anything but the people’s own. This is not Chicago, St. Louis, Dallas, or Rapid City. This is Rosebud, the Lakota homeland.

Our names are both Indian and American. We have so many names now we don’t know them all. In a sense, we have become more of a people than ever before.

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