21st century roadkill

[Guest guest]

I stopped once when I saw a squirrel lying in the middle of the road,

because I thought he or she might still be alive. It was on a main

road, so I had to wait for some cars to go by, but it's true, moving

the animal to a quieter place was a good thing to do, even if the

animal was not alive.

 

I used to see lots of dead animals by the side of the road when I

rode my bicycle.

[Guest guest]

Hi Fraggle

 

An interesting article, and something we probably have all pondered

on before.

 

The only comment I would make about the similarity between the death

caused by wars and death of an animal on the road is that in wars the

deaths are intentional. The most careful, caring, considerate driver

can still have an accident and feel dreadful about it. The

intentions of the two acts are not always similar.

 

Jo

 

, fraggle <EBbrewpunx wrote:

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> 21st Century Roadkill

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> By none

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> 21st Century Roadkill

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> It's not just the animals anymore

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>

>

> It was a rare crystalizing moment when your thinking becomes razor

sharp and forces you to stop what you are doing. During one of my

frequent stops on the rural road I live on in the foothills of the

Virginia Blue Ridge, while I paused to remove yet another dead animal

from the hot, unforgiving road surface, I was seized by a grim 21st

Century analogy.

>

> Before I go further trying to adequately relate my roadside

epiphany, I want to make a personal declaration for the public

record: I will never again refer to the growing multitude of innocent

animals who perish from our current addiction to automotive

transportation as " roadkill " . The term is vulgar and inhumane in it's

callous insensitivity to the suffering and death of so many sentient

beings.

>

> My experience in performing this difficult road service (ritual)

has helped me to see these kindred spirits of our natural world in a

different way. I've come to understand that these animals that I drag

into the woods (a spiritual deed to offer a shred of dignity, while

also preventing further unnatural death to scavenger species who

inevitably arrive on scene) are only more " collateral damage " in the

ongoing march of techno-industrial " progress " , i.e., western

civilization.

>

> I was struck by the idea that the fate of these poor creatures may

be the same as the hundreds of thousands and millions of humans who

have gotten and continue to get in the way of American and European

expansion, i.e., " national interests " , over the course of five

merciless centuries.

>

> Whether the onslaught has been justified under the mantle of god-

sanctioned " Manifest Destiny " in the post-Columbian 15th century,

paving the way on this continent for 500 years of genocidal

extermination of millions of indigenous native people and species, or

as in the present U.S. and western nation imperial wars and ruthless

corporate occupations ( " Free Trade " ) around the globe, to spread " our

way of life " , ie., capitalism, materialism, consumerism, and

evangelical Christianity. This while always conveniently extracting

much lusted after material and human resources (slaves) - presently

we're after massive quantities of the devil's life-blood in the form

of oil in Iraq - thus we've been taught historically that all the

violence and death along the way has simply been necessary and

unavoidable. It's just unfortunate " collateral damage " .

>

> This is undeniably pathological. It is mass cognitive dissonance in

its worst manifestation. The accepted notion that our global Trail of

Tears left behind by our metastatic expansion (read " destiny " ) has

been a necessary price in creating a better world, is an absolute

sick delusion.

>

> As I was dragging this particularly large female raccoon off into

the forest (I couldn't look directly at this one to determine whether

it was a nursing mother, meaning an entire family of raccoons had

been instantly wiped out by one thoughtless speeding driver), my

thoughts transcended the metaphoric and verged on the prophetic.

>

> Here in the 21st Century, in the grand scheme of the evolution of

life on Earth, can the argument be made that we can no longer draw a

distinction between the death of a red fox or deer killed by a

mindless, lumbering Ford " Explorer " here on U.S. soil to that of an

Iraqi or Afghani civilian killed by an errant American-made " Hummer "

driven by a U.S. soldier in Bagdad?

>

> If there is a valid theoretical distinction to be drawn against

this dreadful metaphor I cannot perceive it. The tragedy of all the

violence marking our time has begun to blur all the lines. In acute

Orwellian fashion, up has become down.

>

> Don't doubt for an instant that I am completely aware of the fact

that this solemn view is apocalyptic. I like to believe that my world

view is balanced and that my feet are planted firmly on the ground in

reality. As difficult as it may be, I prefer to remain living and

breathing in the natural world as much as possible

>

> But now, in my 53rd year of life on Earth, I am experiencing very

real fear. I am becoming increasingly afraid for my children,

possible grandchildren, and all the innocent people and animals of

the world, and for the well being of Earth herself. As a citizen,

peace and social justice activist, and radical environmentalist,

whatever the titles mean anymore against the pervasive flow of

government propaganda and doublespeak that infects the minds of most

Americans, quite likely a " terrorist " , I am compelled to continue

removing these animals from our roadways, dead or alive, and to work

tirelessly against oppression and war.

>

> As I view our world from the holistic, biocentric viewpoint, rather

than the common homocentric (arrogant humanistic) viewpoint, I can

think only of the literal millions of lives being sacrificed in the

Orwellian madness of the Bush wars and upon our cruel, unyielding

roadways at home in terms of being an ecological disaster as well as

a human one. They are being sacrificed for the same reasons;

ignorance and addiction to oil.

>

> I will continue to stand for them all, believing that it's not at

all heretical to proclaim for the sake of life on Earth we must

quickly find the wisdom and courage to bring an end to violence, war,

and material obsession. We must find our way back to our earthly

home, reorient the direction of civilization towards sustainability,

and demand peace and justice for all beings.

>

> We have met the enemy. And please, please, slow down for the

animals.

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> Authors Bio: Glenn Kirk is a social and ecological justice

activist, dedicated anti-hunter, and chronic issue provocateur, ie.,

op-ed writer.

>

> " NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National

Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or

notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative

oversight. You have no recourse nor protection save to call for the

impeachment of the current President. "

>