Nowhere but in Canada has the word equality been more used, more abused, more misunderstood and more taken advantage of.
Nowhere but in our Canadian political arenas has it been used as a “hide behind skirt” to warrant the taking away of the rights of the silent majority in favour of the squawking minorities.
Nowhere but in Canada have truth and common sense been so aborted. Nowhere but in Canada has the reason for wars being fought been forgotten, and yes, too, totally ignored. Nowhere. Nowhere. And I repeat – nowhere.
Nowhere in nature is there equality. Compare the hummingbird to the eagle and see if you find equality. Where is the equality between the sure-footed cougar on the cliffside and the careless kitten that has just tumbled from your lap? Where lies the meaning of equality between the buffalo that once thundered across the open western plains and the jersey calf being fondly stroked while shown by your grandchild at your county fair?
Is there equality between the bat in your attic and the mouse that cowers under your kitchen sink? Equality does not exist. Equality should not exist. It was never ever meant to be.
There is no equality between man and woman. Adam and Eve were not created equal. Thank God for the difference in plumbing supposedly hidden, for whatever fictitious religious dogma, by the fickle placing of a fig leaf. It was so written, by the same collective line of thinkers, that we were created in the image of God, so why then the cover-up, and why are we ashamed of His or Her supposed image?
The Little Lady and I were not created equal. We were as different as night and day. There was no comparison between the grip of my callused hand and the gentle touch of hers on my shoulder. How could there be? Why should there be? It was not, nor ever, meant to be.
What does exist, and should exist, is equal opportunity for all. And when I am speaking “for all” I don’t mean just those of the multi-mixed colour and creeds that make up the amalgamation of the shortsighted, dominating Homo sapiens species.
I’m talking man, beast, bird and all creatures great and small worldwide that God, Mother Nature, whomever, or whatever, has seen fit to place on this earth. All should have the equal opportunity to co-exist in whichever niche that evolution has so placed them. All should have the opportunity to live, enjoy life and let live. Extinction of any should not be an option. The extinction of any one creature, great or small, breaks an intricate link in the balance of the self-sustaining food chain that makes life possible worldwide to all creatures.
The fetish for pesticide use is a perfect example. Sure it momentarily got rid of the insects to which it was so directed, but its non-discriminatory action also killed off the insects that themselves were predators, feeding on and keeping under reasonable control, that which was seemingly becoming a problem. It secondarily killed off, by the multi-millions, the insect eating population of our migratory songbirds, causing a ripple effect that has spread now far beyond an easy control. Many of the species are now courting the fear of extinction.
All migratory species fed ravenously on this high-protein diet, which insects are, in order to raise their young and sustain their energy level on the tremendously long flights both north and south. In addition to that, the indiscriminate fragmentation of our woodlots and the elimination of our farm field hedgerows, totally disregarding connecting links, have robbed them further of their food source and nesting sites. And, too, the filling in of our wetlands has robbed those of aquatic attraction of food, water, resting and nesting places.
The fate of the songbirds can be likened to that of the coal mine canary. But unlike Loretta Lyn, The Coalminer’s Daughter, they have nothing to sing about. But what does it take to awaken that part of the Homo sapiens’ brain to realize that? What sort of man-made pandemic creation will it take to awaken the powers that be that the time for action is now?
Environmental issues can no longer be pushed “out of sight, out of mind.” Wake up people, wake up. Is it not time that the piper be appropriately paid? Am I wrong in asking the silent majority to wake to reality and demand, not only the stop, but the beginning of repair of damages done by generations of intentional international abuse and exceedingly overuse of our natural resources? I think not.
Take care, ‘cause we care.
barrie@barriehopkins.ca
519-843-4544