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As citizens we're failures, just like our government
In my opinion
by Jason N. Reed | Columnist |
PUBLISHED ON 7/18/07 IN Commentary
Editor's note: Jason N. Reed is on location in the Galapagos, where he is participating in the School of Journalism and Communication's environmental writing program.
A lazy island day in the Galapagos erupted into civil unrest when hundreds of angry anglers marched in the streets. The roving mobs destroyed buildings, closed tourist avenues, and held a group of giant Galapagos tortoises hostage with the same curved fishing knives that had been sheathed because of bureaucratic fishing restrictions and maxed out quotas. The disconnect between the Ecuadorian government and the Galapagos fishermen culminated in this August 2000 breakdown when accountability by all parties disappeared.
Politicians here fall prey to festering condemnation by the people, but the government doesn't always fail the people; the unsuccessful relationship is predominately because the people fail the government. A shining example of this civil shortcoming, the fishermen's revolt was the fault of the people not the government.
Here in the Galapagos Islands, finger pointing ascribes guilt and trumps self-responsibility or moral actions. Fishermen blame conservationists, conservationists blame the local government, the local government blames the large tour operators and so on down the line until every islander is swathed in appointed shame. The Galapagos Islands are classified as oceanic islands, meaning that, like Hawaii, they have never had contact with any continent. Because of this fixed separation, the majority of endemic and native species on these islands exhibit qualities found nowhere else in the world. But humans are not one of these species, and the defects inherent in us exist far beyond these islands.
However, South American fishermen and rebels are not the only claimants to these shortcomings; Americans too fail the government everyday.
Sure, the oval office during the W. administration has not been a model example for its citizens, but these same citizens are not the epitome of ideal behavior either. With so many accusatory fingers all fastened in the direction of Washington D.C. there are no hands left to adjust the mirror so we can look into it and see where most of the blame should lay.
A lazy island day in the Galapagos erupted into civil unrest when hundreds of angry anglers marched in the streets. The roving mobs destroyed buildings, closed tourist avenues, and held a group of giant Galapagos tortoises hostage with the same curved fishing knives that had been sheathed because of bureaucratic fishing restrictions and maxed out quotas. The disconnect between the Ecuadorian government and the Galapagos fishermen culminated in this August 2000 breakdown when accountability by all parties disappeared.
Politicians here fall prey to festering condemnation by the people, but the government doesn't always fail the people; the unsuccessful relationship is predominately because the people fail the government. A shining example of this civil shortcoming, the fishermen's revolt was the fault of the people not the government.
Here in the Galapagos Islands, finger pointing ascribes guilt and trumps self-responsibility or moral actions. Fishermen blame conservationists, conservationists blame the local government, the local government blames the large tour operators and so on down the line until every islander is swathed in appointed shame. The Galapagos Islands are classified as oceanic islands, meaning that, like Hawaii, they have never had contact with any continent. Because of this fixed separation, the majority of endemic and native species on these islands exhibit qualities found nowhere else in the world. But humans are not one of these species, and the defects inherent in us exist far beyond these islands.
However, South American fishermen and rebels are not the only claimants to these shortcomings; Americans too fail the government everyday.
Sure, the oval office during the W. administration has not been a model example for its citizens, but these same citizens are not the epitome of ideal behavior either. With so many accusatory fingers all fastened in the direction of Washington D.C. there are no hands left to adjust the mirror so we can look into it and see where most of the blame should lay.
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Dorothy
dorothy
posted 7/18/07 @ 3:33 AM PST
This is why I would not OWN a sport-utility vehicle such as you described;when I had a car,it was a gas-saving,economical Toyota.But you are right,as a species we are a big fat failure. (Continued…)
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