Boulder News

The Mindful Life with Waylon H. Lewis

Today’s To-Do List: 1) Gay Rights 2) Animal Welfare 3) Save the Planet

By Waylon H. Lewis, 3-30-06

This is the whole enchilada.

Each generation inherits (and strips away, and adds on) a layer (or two, or 2,000) of history (or karma) from its ancestors. We don't only inherit a working knowledge of science; inventions such as light bulbs, 2-ply recycled toilet-paper and 5-blade razors and cars and solar panels; and traditions such as tea ceremony and baseball -- but we inherit Victorian houses, family and national feuds, poetry, beer, bicycles…etc.

We also inherit prejudices. Two centuries ago, poor folk weren't allowed the vote. A century ago, womenfolk weren't allowed the vote. Then came Civil Rights. Then feminism. Next three on the list, in my sage opinion?

It ain't exactly rocket science. The targets are so big, throw a dart anywhere on the map and you'll hit 'em.

1) Queer Folk: fact is that our gay brothers and sisters aren't considered equal under the law. What was that Constitution thing? Something about all created equal? Well, if I came out of the closet tomorrow, I'd have fewer rights than I do today. Right now, gays aren't allowed to marry in 49 States. They get 'Civil Unions' in a few more -- which is great (they can visit each other in the hospital, receive tax and medical benefits of wedded couple) -- but, still, it's a bit like yesterday's leftovers. It ain't the whole enchilada.

2) Animal Kingdom: And, then, we have our animal brothers and sisters -- who represent the ultimate, perhaps, in talking funny, in looking and acting differently, and therefore in losing their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a world run by us crazy human folk—who consider our right to a resource-exhausting burger more unalienable than their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of whatever it is that animals like to pursue.

3) Mother Earth: This ain't your treehuggin' daddy's environmentalism. For all the very real doom and gloom of global warming and accelerating species extinction and rampant sprawl and gas-guzzling idiots—taking care of our Mother Earth will, I believe, become more and more mainstream as her seemingly endless reservoir of health is less and less able to sustain itself—and therefore, less and less able to sustain us. 'Cause we care about ourselves, yes we do. We may not care about poor folk or religious or racial minorities or gays or animals, but we care about No. 1.

That’s never been a problem.

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