Thanks Jake,
It's not easy for me to know or understand that humans exemplify one of the
many wonders of biodiversity in this world (moon, mars, any
land/water/mineral mass existent and within our reach -- wherever we happen
to dig as a species). I have an innocent, honest, and odd curious tendency to
count us all a bitter pill we cram down the planet's throat. I reserve the
right as a human to say that 'there are exceptions' among our species.
I am not one of them. I wouldn't know where to begin to be an exception to
our species (let alone my what? race? gender? sexual preference? religion?
financial worth? what? education? location? what?), I do so appreciate it
when I 'feel' a sense of exception in others of my species, as I've thought
and continue to think of many on this list.
Within and among ourselves, 'we are the epitome of diversity.' Thank you for
saying this. It may only be in our human minds, it may only be a simple
matter of importance to simple human reality.
The only dividing lines I've ever seen in us are those that we create,
support, or defend. I often wonder if there is comparable diversity in other
living species. I know (sense, recognize, realize) that we as a species can
never begin to understand, not until we shed ourselves of our own
inner-species discrimination. /donna
Jake A Paisain wrote:
> Being a freak amongst the "normals" can seem very isolating, but really,
> we're all freaks, some of us are just more aware of it than others...
>
> i agree that celebrating diversity is really important to the ecofem ethic
> and to the notion of sustainability. So. Are we ready to accept and love
> the meat-eaters and the christians for who they are too, or do they not
> count in the diversity spectrum? Humanity is really the epitome of
> diversity. I suppose that each and every cow or pig or duck or tiger or
> lion or bear is unique in some way, but can the diversity within those
> species, amongst individuals mind you, even compare to the uniqueness that
> we as human individuals are able to exemplify? Just one positive note
> about who we are as humans.
>
> I think we need to start having a little more pride in ourselves as a
> species (and as individuals) if we're going to get along with each other
> well enough to do anything about this mess we're in ecologically. That,
> of course, requires that we honor and respect each other for and maybe
> even BECAUSE of our differences. Of course, this sounds really preachy,
> and that's not what I'm trying to get across because finding enough love
> of self to actually feel pride is a rare occurrence for this isolated
> queer-lovin' pagan ecofeminist montana boy...
>
> Vive la difference!
>
> jp
