Discuss: Thoughts in the Presence of Fear

Why have we as a nation learned so little of this in the past ten years? It is bitterly shameful and disappointing to live among corporate persons, to bear domestic hatred where understanding could be, to watch youth—and their parents—prioritize trivial interests over any notions of “highest good.” Witnessing this leaves little hope for a change from the worldview that earned us such violence and fear. Our serf class is contentedly benumbed. And gratified by any reinforcement of the consumption urge.

We are governed by natures cycles.
If we continue to contaminate this cycle we all will go like the dinosaurs. Support environmental green development socially, politically, personally.

I saw thing piece in the Monitor from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in the fall of 2001, dropped my jaw and ended up writing to Berry to ask for permission to post it on a site. Also became a subscriber to Orion. Some of us have learned a lot, but it’s an uphill slog. Mean are meaner and the lines of division are sharper and deeper than ever, so I’m working harder and smarter to enhance the possibility that my grandchildren will have a world to inhabit. They are learning care for nature, gentleness and love, and the feisty spirit that moves us to push back on the assault of the corporate and political factions on the well-being of the Earth as we know it.

I work with undergraduates as a campus minister and will be using this as the text upon which we’ll reflect tonight in our “Faith & Lit” group. I obtained these essays and internalized them upon their publication in 2001. Ten years later I’m less sure that our 18-23 year-old’s have a perspective on 9/11 that helps sort out the wonderful logic which Berry puts forth. They were children, so have little stark “before and after” consciousness. They merely live in the aftermath of our post 9/11 debacle that has erred on the side of security and the global status quo. I hope that this will spark an alternative path of reasoning. We’ll see.

There are so many people taking steps in their lives to address this issue, 350.org, Transition Towns, Permaculture groups, Farmers Markets, Consumer Supported Agriculture, and many many more. In this way citizens are expressing their understanding of the need to reduce oil dependence, increase local and regional resilience.  I am heartened too with the Tar Sands actions. 

Activating our government seems to be another matter totally.  I continue to be disappointed in our elective cowardship. 

Local action for me.