As another summer season passes quietly on the water… No Southern Resident Orcas died, and thus none were mourned worldwide on TV. A good thing… The pod hangs on one more summer…, a success to some. I simply look at it as “dodging a bullet” yet again. For now, the problem is out of sight, out of mind. Instead, the plight of the orca should be front and center in the world news. The survival of such an apex species is frankly of the utmost importance to our species. I know, I know, this sounds very dramatic, but it is true.
No matter how slow the impending disaster often appears after each small victory, the “wall of lava” is still creeping down the volcano… just ask Hawaiians facing this reality.
As Americans are involved in all our “first world” angst, fear, and blame passing, we really are getting a lesson in reaction as opposed to pro-action. Didn’t America know the moral and ethical fiber of the present president when they elected him? For the record, I judge my candidates by their environmental policies… so don’t blame me.
With the amount of media blitz we are exposed to each minute of each day we need to step back and focus on what is really important. Don’t listen to the “trend-setters”… get your noses out of your smart phones, and meet people. You’d be surprised how much even the most internet haters on both sides end up finding something in common if allowed to actually meet. Get together on a common love… the survival of us all! We all wants what’s best for us, but “us” sometimes takes our eye off the ball especially in today’s media world. None of this “first world” diversion matters on a dead planet. I’m just saying…
Maybe it is because of my experience with travelling to some very poor areas of the world and observing real problems first hand, that I am presently so frustrated with the environmental movement in general, and “us” in particular. So as the EPA is gutted, The Makah are trying to kill another grey whale in Neah Bay, people here debate while the Southern Resident Orcas go extinct. I can go on and on… “Let’s have a meeting?”
Today with impeachment we are programmed by the media to sit all day feeling helpless that our politicians might be dishonest… Duh!!!!!!!
Now for something that really matters:
It is not time to retreat, and give up. The media does nothing to protect what is really important to us anyway. Give them up, it won’t matter, and you’ll be happier for it. We have been led to believe that the huge eco-corporations were taking care of our interests… NOT! They proved no better than governments they protested against.
The wilderness, be it oceans or mountains, has been proven healthy to mankind. It lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and hell it feels great… way better than any smart phone or TV can offer. It belongs to all of us and the “spirit of the wild” cannot be duplicated by TV, video games, or anything. The wild belongs to all of us. We as individuals need to own it, and protect it like it is imperative for our survival. It is!
I am here, working with www.gaianetwork.net in Friday Harbor, Washington trying to make a difference. Human habitation in the islands goes way back with natives sharing the ample harvest of salmon. The whales on the other hand probably go back further. Their “rights” to be here must at least equal our “rights” to occupy the same space. Are they important to us? Hell yes they are. I will not lecture on the laws of nature here, but interdependence, and biodiversity are important to the biological health of the planet, and therefore our health. The whales are important to both.
I feel it important that we all try to look beyond the present monetary gains to be made by exploiting these residents of the San Juan Islands. We would not allow our land neighbors to be exploited as such. If buses flew around the island “observing” local characters with kids selling maps to “resident homes” on every street corner; this would freak us all out. Movie stars put up with this lack of privacy in Hollywood, and it is not fun. I can at least imagine the whales feel the same.
Might I suggest that it would be best for the whales if we now put aside our petty “first world” differences and all agree to leave them alone. Perhaps make interaction with these beautiful creatures special and not guaranteed for the price of a ticket. In Africa to view mountain gorillas you might spend thousands of dollars to search through the bush for a week and go home with only a postcard. Because the film “Free Willie” shows actors exploiting whales (to save them, of course!), the public feels they deserve to do the same. Unfortunately for the public there are laws that deny them this privilege. They cannot harass whales for the same reason I can’t land a 747 on Hollywood Blvd… Movies are not reality, get over it.
I support no go areas for boats and strict enforcement of present federal regulations. We can all make law enforcement pay attention, and I would hope we make it a badge of courage for local land residents to protect their ocean neighbors, not to exploit them. Visit: www.gaianetwork.net if you want to donate to our cause; services or money. If not, do what you think best… just do something! Be pro-active. Remember, after extinction there is no going back. Then… the finger pointing will expose the dirty truths future generations will shun.
Do not be afraid to stand up for what is right: Armies fighting on many fronts under different tactics and strategies toward the same goal are hard to defeat. We need to only agree on one thing: these whales deserve our immediate concern. Now, do it! Convince your neighbors, and keep up the public outcry to stop any and all harassment of the Southern Resident Orcas.
GAIANetwork.net 