From: cortese@skid.ps.uci.edu (Janis Maria Cortese)
Subject: Re: Who cares
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 21 Jul 92 23:41:59 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.100930.41773@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> kumagic@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (Stephen R. Figgins) writes:
>In article <l6m0ngINNq0j@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM>, tmhoff@oogoody.Corp.Sun.COM (Todd Hoff) writes:
>> 
>> I second and third and infinity this. 
>> 
>> Here's a list of things I didn't do, don't support, yet still get blamed for 
>> because of my race and gender:
>> 

[Jeff's list of "It ain't my mess so I'm not cleaning it up" deleted]

>
>I think we are all a little guity of this one to some extent of
>another.  I have driven a car, ran air-conditioning, left lights on,
>eaten meat, etc.   All things which directly or indirectly destroy the
>environment. 

A friend of mine has a nice philosophy about this (and she is VERY
learned about environmental issues -- she also gets off her ass with her
wonderful hubbie and DOES something about it).  She says that she is
trying her best to SAVE more than she takes away.  She drives a car, but
carpools.  She drives her car, but up to the Mono Lake committee meeting
place-thang.  She eats some processed food but will eat not meat
products (she's working on giving up eggs; it's a sacrifice 'cause she
LOVES them).

Her attitude of "save more than you use" is a nice one.  I can't do her
position justice here, though. 

>> 10. Elect Bush. I didn't do it.
>> 11. Burn the witches. I didn't do it.
>> 
>> There's a lot more I didn't do, but I'll stop here.

Again I say, so then since it isn't your mess, you have no
responsibility to clean it up.  Wonderful ethics. 

>Instead of complaining about getting this rap.  Why don't you do
>something about the problems that are presented.  Or is that not your
>problem either? 

Again, it isn't his mess, so why should he give a damn about cleaning it
up?

Krusty the Clown says, "Don't blame me -- *I* didn't do it!"  SO does
Jeff.

>For ourselves, for our friends, lovers, families, and children, we
>need to find ways to break out of this oppression, not just say "Hey,
>it wasn't me."  Our silence is assent.  Our silence is complicity.
>

Thank you, dear.  NONE of us made this mess.  I wasn't one of the old
guard priestesses that stood by and watched the temples get knocked into
the ground either.  BUt, I am living RIGHT NOW with the aftereffects of
that decision.  Am I HAPPY about that?  Fuck, no!  I resent like you
wouldn't believe the fact that, even though I didn't initiate all the
crap that made the world as it is, I now have to deal with it.

However, I *am* dealing with it.

I didn't pollute the oceans.  But, I conserve water.  I didn't strip
mine our land.  But, I recycle so we don't have to do it anymore as
much.  I didn't help make the Webster decision, but I HAVE defended a
clinic (and want to do so again soon -- my ubiquitous friend Sally said
that one is opening in Torrance near where she lives, and I have every
intention of joining her when it opens).  I don't cut down trees, but I
still recycle paper.

In short, I didn't fuck the world up, either, Jeff.  BUt I'm doing what
I can to try to fix it up a little.  Why don't you do the same, instead
of bitching about how YOU didn't do it in the first place?

Blessings,
Janis
 

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