傑奇艾倫‧朱利安諾 博士
抗爭是值得的─有關環境保護的成功記事
圍牆隙縫中的花朵啊,
我將你從裂縫中採下,
在手中我捧著你,由根部到全株,
小巧的花朵啊,
但願我能了解你是什麼樣的生命,整個地並徹頭徹尾的,
那麼,我就能明瞭什麼是造物主與人。
──愛爾佛列得,田尼生王
每一天,無數人起而捍衛他們所堅信的:為了保護地球物種與生命存續系統而努力的吃力任務。不公義充斥著我們的世界,但是有比你想像中更多的人願意擔起這長期的、艱鉅的、且通常是令人洩氣沮喪的戰鬥,保衛我們的世界。
資金充裕的保守派反對者,想盡辦法讓反對他們的人覺得他們錯了、並且違背美國。企業掌控的主流媒體,也全力以孤僻及環境適應不良的形象,來素寫這些行動者。但這些由個人及世界各年齡層組成的團體所發起的艱苦戰役,的確帶來衝擊。它們正在改變我們文化的面貌。
就在數年前,有機食物被認為只是流行一時。然而多虧食品運動者揭露殺蟲劑毒害的危險,撥除疑慮而證實了即使在清洗後,殺蟲劑仍會殘留在大部分的產品上。這使得有機食物產業每年有美金60億的商機。
哈帕拉是有機種子培育者以及奧瑞岡州耕作研究與教育局長,他把採收的俄國紅甘藍倒入分離種子與殘留物的設備中(布來恩普瑞屈托 攝;美國農業局)。
當美國農業局(USDA)試圖擴大有機食物標準、以涵蓋採用污泥施肥、甚至使用殺蟲劑的基因食品,全國各地的人們發聲反對,這些提案顯然受到非有機企業支持。美國農業局收到20萬份以上的評論,表示反對准許有機食品以這些方法栽種。
最近,農業局通過有機食品新標準,讓各地有機食品買者更能信賴。這項新規定禁止應用生物科技與輻射。有機肉品的生產者不能對家畜使用抗生素,而且有機乳品的牛隻一定要放牧。
如今全美有超過1萬個農場,採用這種完全符合新規定的有機培育法。食品運動者成功地爭取:全國食品加工協會要求農業局在有機產品上標示,說明這些食物實際上和其他產品一樣。
假如人們仍保持沉默,這些保護措施決不會發生。
無數人深切地關懷主流文化是如何對待那些可憐的動物。儘管媒體、政客及企業領袖、試圖將行動者描述成假惺惺的自由主義者或激進份子,多年來他們還是不斷的反對那些殘忍的虐待行為。然而為數甚眾的人道團體成員認為,有相當比例的人們把同情置於利益之前。
黑猩猩被關在極小的牢籠中長達數十年 (美國人道協會 圖)
黑猩猩是被愛心人士所積極保衛的動物之一。可能再沒有其他任何動物被我們的文化虐待得更淒慘的了。黑猩猩還是我們現存最接近的遠親呢!牠們擁有人類98%的基因碼。這些聰明的群居動物有牠們自己獨特的語言及文化。研究報告顯示牠們計劃未來、教育幼小、運用器械並懂道德取捨。被俘的黑猩猩曾被教以美國手語,甚至傳授學得的語言給牠們的後代。
有超過1100隻黑猩猩飼養在聯邦贊助的實驗室。這些黑猩猩幾乎每隻都供作研究之用,其中半數在荒野中被殺。研究用的黑猩猩通常在牠們還是嬰兒時,父母被殺後、遭到獵狗追趕逼到樹上,最後被人類從非洲森林裡抓走。在悲慘的實驗環境下經過數年的實驗品生涯,結果常常是牠們得在極小的牢籠中度過殘生,而黑猩猩的壽命可長達60年。
柯林頓總統(編案:這篇文章是在柯林頓總統任職期間所寫),最近簽署的法案指示國家健康學會和人道團體合作,為除役後、殘存的黑猩猩建造庇護所,他並且提撥基金給這項議案。如果,沒有這許多悲憫的人們、契而不捨地運作,也沒有數千個關懷的老百姓足以捍衛公益的勇氣,這些法令將永遠無法透過國會完成。
2000年12月9日,一個經常被孤立的猶他州改革主義團體,從鹽湖城猶他州議會大廈遊行到美國聯邦大廈,以抗議美國選舉團及不民主的選舉程序(強尼吉明 攝)
維護悲憫與真理通常是困難的。環繞我們的是,由企業掌控的媒體所展示的價值觀。這其中暗示,其實只有少數軟弱的人們在意其他人以及其他生物。我們不斷的被告知,除了擁有最多的錢財外、維持獨立及免於負責應是我們最終的目的。
害怕被嘲笑及被視為特異的心態,使我們多數人保持沉默。許多人擔心被貼上激進、特立獨行甚至異教徒的標籤。要抵擋這些朋友、同事、甚至家人給予的標籤,實在需要一種特別的勇氣。
每個人都有潛力成為公平正義與悲憫的擁護者。你不需要去知道某個議題的每個細節,你也不必大膽無懼。你只需要實際和你的心時時聯繫,並且信賴自己對於是非對錯的直覺反應即可。
這個新年記錄著我們這一回合挑戰的開始。美國新任的保守派總統體系已開始阻擋時程,因為每個行政部門的領導者都是精挑細選來通過貪婪本位的保守派議案。我們一定要找到我們的聲音、我們的心,並且保護尚存在這世界的事物。我們應該向那些置利益與貪婪於生命之前的人表明,這樣可憎的優先順序將不被容許。
我們每天選擇去做的事,都對我們的世界有難以置信的影響。選擇和你的心及你的靈魂站在一起吧。別害怕,還有超乎我們想像的更多同伴一起努力呢!
It Does Pay to Fight -
Environmental Success Stories
Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower - but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is.
-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Every day, millions of people stand up for what they believe in, demanding protection for the Earth's species and life support systems. Injustice abounds in our world, but more people than you think are willing to take on the long, often arduous, frustrating and demoralizing battles to protect our world.
The well funded conservative opposition does its best to make opponents feel like they are wrong and going against the American way. The corporate controlled mainstream media does its best to represent these activists as loners and misfits. But these hard fought efforts by individuals and groups of all ages around the world do have an impact. They are changing the face of our culture.
Just a few years ago, organic food was considered a fad. But thanks to the efforts of food activists who have exposed the dangers of pesticide poisoning, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that pesticide residues remain on most produce, even after it is washed, the organic food industry is now a $6 billion a year business.
J.J. Haapala, an organic seed grower and director of research and education for Oregon Tilth, pours harvested Red Russian kale into a device that separates the seed from debris. (Photo by Brian Prechtel courtesy USDA)
the organic food standards to include genetically engineered foods, the use of sewage sludge as fertilizer, and even some pesticide use, people from around the nation voiced their opposition to these proposals, which were clearly supported by the powerful non-organic industry. The USDA received more than 200,000 comments against allowing organic foods to be produced using these methods.
Recently, the USDA released new organic food standards that will increase the confidence of organic food buyers everywhere. The new regulations ban the use of biotechnology and irradiation. Meat producers claiming to be organic cannot feed antibiotics to the cattle and organic dairy cows must have access to pasture.
There are currently more than 10,000 farms across the United States that use organic methods that must now comply with the new regulations. Activists successfully fought the efforts of the National Food Processors Association which wanted the USDA to label organic produce with a statement that such food is no better than other products.
None of these protections would have come about if people had remained silent.
Millions of people care deeply about how poorly animals are treated by mainstream culture. Activists have been fighting inhumane treatment for years, in spite of attempts by the media, politicians, and industry leaders to represent them as a few bleeding heart liberals or extremists. But the large number of people who are members of humane organizations demonstrates that a significant portion of the population puts compassion before profit.
Chimps are confined for decades in tiny cages. (Photo courtesy U.S. Humane Society)
An example of an animal who has been championed by many caring people is the chimpanzee. There may be no animal more abused by our culture. Chimpanzees are humans' closest living cousins. They have more than 98 percent of our genetic code. These intelligent, social beings have a distinct language amongst themselves as well as distinct cultures. Research has shown that they plan for the future, teach their young, use tools, and make moral choices. Chimpanzees in captivity have been taught American Sign Language, and they even pass their acquired language skills on to their children.
There are over 1,100 chimps in federally sponsored laboratories. For nearly every chimp that is used in research, five to 10 have been killed in the wild. Chimps for research are often caught as babies in African forests, chased up trees by dogs after their parents are murdered. After years of being research subjects under often deplorable conditions in laboratories, they are frequently doomed to live out the remainder of their lives in tiny cages. Chimps can live up 60 years.
Legislation recently signed by President Bill Clinton directs the National Institutes of Health to work with humane groups to create sanctuaries for retired and surplus chimps and allocates funding for this purpose. This legislation would never have made it through Congress without the tireless work of many compassionate people and the support of thousands of concerned citizens who were brave enough to stand up for what is right.
On December 9, 2000, an often isolated group of Utah Progressives marched from the Utah state capitol in Salt Lake City to the U.S. Federal building to protest the United States electoral college and "anti-democratic" process. (Photo by Jonny Jemming courtesy Indymedia.org)
It is often difficult to stand up for compassion and truth. All around us are displays of values by the corporate controlled media that suggest only a few weak people care for other people and other life forms. We are constantly told that being independent and free of responsibility should be our ultimate goal, along with owning the most stuff.
Fear of being ridiculed and singled out keeps many of us silent. Many people are intimidated by the threat that they will be labeled a radical, different, or even unchristian. It takes a special kind of courage to withstand these labels from friends, coworkers, and even family.
Everyone has the potential to become a champion for justice and compassion. You don't have to know everything about an issue, and you don't have to be fearless. All you need is practice connecting with your heart and trusting your gut reaction to what is right and what is wrong.
- Keep informed about the happenings in your community and in the world through alternative news sources. Use the newspaper to get ideas, but always do your own research. With the Internet, it is easier than ever.
- Decide that you are going to care and then decide what you care about.
- Choose how far you want to go. Do you want to write letters and email? Do you want to take part in an active protest? There are many different forms of activist expression. All are important.
- Find the groups and organizations that share your views and join them. They can provide you with information and can help magnify your voice. And you won't feel so alone anymore.
- Resist the urge to fit in with what you perceive to be the norm. Take the risk of being who you want to be, someone that a child could look up to and be proud of.
- Decide how you would like to be remembered.
- Work to redefine the concepts of power and strength and security. Maybe we really get our strength from giving all that we have to another and opening up our lives to our neighbors instead of building higher and higher walls.
- ALWAYS concern yourself with the suffering of another, whether human or animal. Move that snail off the sidewalk. Help that lost dog. Buy a sandwich for a homeless person. Don't look away.
This new year marks the beginning of a challenging time for us all. The new conservative presidency in the U.S. has begun to turn back the clock, as every executive branch leader is being hand picked to promote the greed based conservative agenda. We must all find our voices and our hearts and protect what is left of our world. We must show those that would put profit and greed before life that such obscene priorities will not be tolerated.
What we choose to do every day has an incredible effect in our world. Choose with your heart and your soul. Don't be afraid - there's more of us out there than we can possibly imagine.
相關資源
1. 磨光你的行動技巧,異議網行動者手冊:http://protest.net/activists_handbook/
2. 得知行動機會的真相:
http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/index.cfm
3. 運用你的錢、使它變成有力的工具。試試美國牢籠聯合抵制行動新聞:
http://www.coopamerica.org/boycotts/index.html
4. 隨時注意保守派致力於打消進步。由保守黨幹部會議製作的網站:
http://www.conservativeusa.org/
5. 繼續關心有機食品運動:
http://www.purefood.org/index.htm
6. 持續追蹤企業的刻薄行為,監看企業網:
http://www.corpwatch.org/
7. 確定新行政體系沒有削弱環保機構的環境公義計劃:http://es.epa.gov/oeca/main/ej/index.html
8. 過濾你的媒體獲取來源,參考「公正精確的報導」網頁:http://www.fair.org/
9. 改變你的食物攝取以協助拯救地球:
http://www.earthsave.org/
10. 找出誰是你的國會代表並且email給他們。要求他們持續強烈且努力地保護我們的健康,環境及動物基本權利。如果你知道你的郵遞區號,你就可在這網站找到他們:http://www.visi.com/juan/
congress/ziptoit.html ,或者你可按各州搜尋:http//www.webslingerz.com/
jhoffman/congress-email.html,你也可在此找到你的代表:http://congress.nw.dc.us/innovate/
index.html
傑奇艾倫‧朱利安諾 博士是西雅圖的教師兼作家。他正在思考他那即將在新年出生的兒子、以及迎接他的是個什麼樣的世界。請將你的想法、評論與觀察寄到以下的信箱給他:mailto:jackie@healingourworld.com ,或是造訪他的網頁如下:http://www.healingourworld.com
全文與圖片詳見: http://www.ens.lycos.com/ens/jan2001/2001L-01-05g.html