"Silent Spring" Turns 50 and I Have a Confession

It wasn't on my radar at all, but somehow, I found out that Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" was published 50 years ago this September. Prior to this revolutionary book, she had published 3 amazing books bout the sea. But this is the book that has sold more than 6 million copies in the US alone. This anniversary has, surprisingly (?), gotten little attention. Or maybe I just am not paying attention to the world right now.

One of the big things this book was credited for doing, was getting the government to ban the use of DDT. But even then there were people in high places using fear tactics to try and fight for the continued us of this deadly pesticide. One of the biggest opponents to the ban was Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug, "If you remove DDT with the hysteria that is present in the USA, the U.S. will be importing food, only there won’t be any place from where to import it.”

Luckily, the fear tactic didn't work that time, but the CDC tried to fight for the use of DDT again to fight malaria in 2006. The manufacturing company Syngenta claims that is is safe when used properly. And let's not forget that DDT started as a military weapon, as have the majority of our "agricultural" chemicals.

Her fight also helped establish things like the Clean Drinking Water and Clean Air acts, as well as the Endangered Species act. All of which are in danger of being watered down for the welfare of Corporations and American over-consumption. Orion Magazine has a great article this month called The Fracking of Rachel Carson if you would like to see a great comparison to the fight she was doing 50 years ago, and what is happening now. Fracking is not very kind to people animals or the environment.

What have we actually learned in 50 years? Politicians and corporations still use the fear of scarcity and disease to make products, or use processes that continue to make us ill kill the land animals people, and I'm pissed! A lot of us are pissed. But we get caught up in the world of trying to make ends meet. Trying to pay the bills student loans eat good food enjoy some leisure time.

Let's also not forget that those who do not want the general public to know this information, not only get respected people to say things like "we won't be able to fee the world with out these wonderful chemicals", but they also do all kinds of things to dis-credit the messenger. Carson died of breast cancer in 1964 after a long fight. And she did the best she could to hid it. There were actually people that claimed she was working so hard at protecting people and the environment because she blamed DDT for her cancer. Never mind that she was a well respect biologist. Never mind all the research and work she did. They questioned her motives. Who questioned their motives of greed?

She also had strong allies like John F Kennedy. The Audubon has a good article, Rachel Carson and JFK that describes their connections. 

A couple weeks ago a customer at the co-op, that i do have a pretty good rapport with, cornered me and just went off on global climate change and that the co-op needed to be more active about putting information out to inform people. The person started throwing out all this information and numbers and getting really worked up. Then I gently disagreed with him. We don't need more staggering statistics, we need the beauty of the works like "Silent Spring". Carson created an apocalyptic type scene, then she created a course of action. She gave us a story. 

And maybe that is what we need, stories that help us find our internal hero/moral compass to direct us through the difficult choices that we need to make...

And now for the confession. Its not really a confession, but more of a coming out of yet another closet... Somewhere around the end of May I kind of gave up drinking alcoholic beverages. My body just kind of lost a taste for it, and so has my compass. Before I go too far, I should say that I did sort of test the taste and craving thing by having a beer with a friend while I was on a trip, and have has a little bit of some mead made by and gifted to me by some friends of mine (really damn good mead I need to add), but mostly I have used them at special occasions or saving them for special occasions to share with good friends. 

But there is more to it than all that. As I have been thinking more and more about the use of resources in this world, as I disagree with all the land being used to grow grain for animals, was it hypocritical for me to drink beverages made from grains that could have been used to feed folks? What about the way alcohol companies use sexism to sell their products? They tell us what it means to be a strong man or desirable woman. How many times has the use of alcohol been all it takes to excuse sexual/physical abuse or rape? On a more personal level, I know I would have had fewer sexual partners (and probably short term relationships) without alcohol.

I had been wanting to give up the booze train for a little while, but to be quit honest, I wasn't sure what it would do to my social life. Would people still want to hang out if i choose bitters and soda instead of whiskey? Would people be willing to go to a cafe instead of a bar? Would people still like me if I wasn't buzzed? Would I still like my friends if I wasn't buzzed?

Then there was the question of do I have a problem with alcohol? What does it mean to have a problem with a substance? I thought I knew the answers to these questions. I've had different relationships with  alcoholics a great deal in my life, as well as people addicted to other substances. I suppose the answer is the one I learned in permaculture, "it depends". Whatever our relationship to anyone or anything, it can change at any time. Everything truly is impermanent. So today, my relationship with alcohol is not compatible with the way I want to live my life.

I may have a sip of some home brewed something made with great care and intention. I might have a glass of free beer that comes at the end of a 100 mile bike ride. I might even try and brew my own something again someday. But at the moment, I am really enjoying the presence and peace of mind that sobriety has brought me. And I am really excited/relieved that I don't have any cravings for it. 

And I have tested this. Within a week or so of letting go of alcohol, 2 of my super fun summer events that I am always well into a good buzz by the time they are over, came up. First was our Summer Street Fair. I am always given a good number of fee beers, stay late and help finish off the kegs and make music videos. Then there was my all time favorite beer fest, The Northwest Organic Beer Fest. Its outside. Its free to get in. Kids are welcome. Its outside. Discount for riding trimet. Special bike parking area.Its outside. Its organic, good veg food is available, and they try to lessen the environmental impact of such a large event. It was on the list for the summer, so I went. And I did have a great time. And I left when the level of intoxication around me started to be something I didn't want to be around. It was a great night with good friends!

It also solidified that I could do this. That I could even take a sip of a good beer, appreciate the craft, and not want to go have a whole one. That I am ready to live these moments present and aware of what is going on, and that I can still be fun, and that I love my friends, my community. They inspire me each and every day! 

Thank you!

A funny thing has now happened this week, I lost my taste for coffee. Lets see how long that lasts. In fact, I am loosing my cravings in general. 

A Little Rant on Solidarity

When I think of Civil Disobedience, I think of Walden Pond

Seems appropriate somehow on labor day to talk about solidarity. I've always been confused about this "holiday" however, because I have always either worked it, or at least worked in a place that would be open. The service sector of our economy rarely gets to reap the benefits of many of the labor rights that had to be fought for... really fought for. The last time I waited tables, I was getting paid $2.13 an hour and the government was trying to take more and more of our tips.  But that is not the rant I want to go on here... just something to think about if you are out enjoying a day off today.

Way back in the '90s, when I was super active in the queer movement, I was able to go to the International Queer Studies Conference. It was held in Iowa City, IA (I know, what a crazy place to hold it). People came from all over the world. The attendance was much greater than anyone expected. The little college town was so amazing and welcoming. Even the cab drivers where helpful. But it was here that I got to hear Gloria Anzaldua, a long time hero of mine, speak about identity. I never could find my socks from that lecture.  I used her example of why it is important to know who you are and what you stand for, every time I got to guest lecture on identity.

Gloria had us imagine ourselves as a tree, and that all of who we are as our roots. The better we know who we are and what we stand for, the stronger those roots are. Then when the wind of the dominant culture rolls in and tries to knock us off our feet, we will remain standing, perhaps even stronger than before as we dig in and work with those around us.... Solidarity! Have you seen the way roots of several trees entangle themselves with one another to remain standing no matter the winds or the looseness of the rain soak soil? Amazing is what it is.

In solidarity is where we need to be standing strong together yet again.... and I'm not just taking about queers, or women, or laborers, farmers, anarchists, even hooligans.... but all of us that do not stand with the dominant culture of over entitled corporations, banks, GMO seed companies, those that try to run our government, hell the world.

I don't know about you, but the more I step outside of the mainstream world, the more I learn about myself, and the more questions I have about how things got to the way they are and concerns for they way things appear to be going. And I think that the reactions, especially the American responses, to the incarceration of the Russian band Pussy Riot, has me excited yet concerned.  It seems all sorts of musicians and organizations,  like Amnesty International, is taking action and fighting for their release.The fact that people all over the world are taking notice is great; however, we have some (a lot) of political prisoners here in the United States as well. And I'm not just talking about the obvious ones like Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Since 9-11, the U.S. government has used the anti-terrorist act and legislation to come after environmental and animal liberation organizations. And now that the Occupy Movement has had some success in getting people together and create a new counter-culture style revolution, they are coming after Anarchist groups. The book and website Green Is The New Red goes into detail about the history of how this happened, but I am concerned about what the FBI and other agencies are doing now. Like raiding local anarchists houses in in the Pacific Northwest. For more about what is happening here check out Committee Against Political Repression. Many prosecutors are now trying to go out of there way to associate individuals or groups of people as anarchists, much the same as was done with communists after WWII.

The government of ours must be afraid of something to be taking such action, but what do we do as a community? Well not buy into their fears is one thing. The fears that they try to feed us about how dangerous certain groups of people are to our individual freedom. How the hell is someone fighting for all to have more freedoms threatening? Ask questions... lots of questions... like why the hell do you want to put fluoride into my perfectly good water? Join a co-op... or at least shop at one.... or look up co-ops and learn about them. Shop at the truly local stores instead of the large corporate stores.... 

STAND UP

STAND TOGETHER

IN SOLIDARITY.