A battle none of us can afford to lose
Today, Thursday October 8, I opened the Sydney Morning Herald and came across Elizabeth Farrelly’s superb article titled; The class struggle farmers can't afford to lose. I am writing this article because I want to not only support Elizabeth’s fine efforts to educate and increase public awareness about these very important issues, but also to say the farmers battle is indeed a battle none of us can afford to lose for the following reasons;
The reason why none of us can afford to lose this battle is that our very survival depends upon all of us understanding the important role nature plays in sustaining life on Earth, just as it is for every other nation and people to understand. By understanding, we can take decisive action unilaterally to make genuine progress addressing the environmental issues outlined. One of the most important things we can learn as human beings is the value of, and the importance of, the symbiotic relationship between human wellbeing and the wellbeing of the natural environment. We cannot maintain a healthy physical, emotional and mental disposition if the wellbeing of our natural environment is seriously compromised in any way.
Human beings like to think everything can be solved with a quick fix but it is not so. We now face the very real threat due to factors such as CSG mining and an entire range of other industrial pollutants entering the atmosphere, from which we breathe 24/7 that poor governance could potentially, cumulatively, mitigate humanity’s ability to think intelligently and feel truly well (as is our natural birthright). Not to mention the deleterious effects of climate change that we are now witnessing for the first time, at great cost to all life on Earth. People everywhere need to be pro-active about protecting our environment and the basic human right of all people to enjoy a safe, joyous and prosperous life.
Australia has clearly gone through enormous change during the last fifteen to twenty years. A great deal has been lost in the intervening years, particularly the degree to which our nations innocence, values and integrity have been undermined. Australia has not been paying attention to the silent battle for the ownership of our natural resources happening on our home turf. Our nations focus shifted to fighting wars in foreign lands and selling off our national assets. Sadly for us all, we now have to defend the rights of Australian farmers to the rights of their/our own farms whilst those in power continue to see fit to sell off everything Australia has protected and nurtured for several generations - if the price is right.
Alas, Australians unequivocally deserve to maintain ownership of our nations much-treasured natural resources. We have much work to do and ground to recover to rectify the situation. It is the least we can do as stewards and responsible guardians of life on Earth. For it is in every nations best interest to develop and take good care of the air, land, rivers and sea. Ideally, we need to work together as nations to make sure everyone on Earth feels safe, cared for, respected and protected.
