A Mission/Ethos. Despite no free will in the dice rolls over space & time from ca. 14 billion years ago & before, and the existential threats “seeming to come to ‘fruition’ for humanity,” “… we still must attempt to help realize quality life/equity for all biota. (“Seek profound, holistic realization of the Golden Rule while abiding by the Second Law of Thermodynamics & the Precautionary Principle” … or “Within limits there are not limits.”)
A Simple Succinct List of Major Needs for Self & Humanity. 1. Ecological literacy 2. Deweaponization & demilitarization 3. Degrowth 4. Quasi-matriarchal agrarianism 5. Equity
Steps Along the Way of One Insignificant Life. Born with genes & epigenetics of compassion and passion. … Instilled with the importance of a campesino-like agrarianism. … Recognition of need for inclusion. Vatican II. … Experiencing other cultures/learning Spanish from the Peñas at 6 years of age (experiencing the richness & strength of diversity. … … Awards in the senior year of high school. Significant increasing of self-esteem. … Ultimate importance of biology & ecology from Dr. Joe Shaffner et al., Texas A&M U. & other Land Grant U’s. … Marrying a best friend & love. … Importance of understanding and utitilizing energetics from Dr. David Pimentel. … Getting a doctorate (“sub-journeys” & roadmarks along the way). … “Go ahead and do what your experiences & ethos tell you to do (toward equity for all humanity & biota) … and don’t worry about it too much!” paraphrased from examples/bate papo of agroecologist, Dr. Miguel Angel Altieri. … The (moral & ethical) politics of Jim Hightower.
Component Stories of the Umbrella Story. Plant knowledge from the 6-8 yr-old Peña kids. The beautiful Mexican Carmelite Nuns. Crew leaders Tony Cruz & Salome Gallegos. Bare-butt whipping from Dad in front of friends. Fresh black-eyed peas in 409 Big Red from Devine to the cannery in Brownsville. Mrs. Allen and the Boer Wars. The Cottonseed Hull accident. Aldicarb poisoning. Sugar Land Prison Farm. Killing Three of My Dad’s Large Young Boers. Inez Perez & Jerry Levias. Bob Gibson & the Astros. 1968, Randy Mattson, Gun Control, & the Affluent Society. My Loops, spins, Immelmanns, etc. Las aguas prietas de imperialismo. Quid pro quo monies to scientists with Land Grant Universities from transnational corporations. Pinho. Roberto Strang. Senator Tati Santiesteban & Judges James Nowlin & Filemon Vela & Renea Hicks. Keith’s organic pickup trucks. Hidden (or not-so-hidden) pesticide spills, etc. Kazik and the Ukraine. Hilario. Lots of puñ…ing with various organizations trying to do a little good locally and internationally … but thinking it is necessary to get more intimately involved with the San Antonio Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, Veterans For Peace, Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, and Stan Cox in his (their) efforts at Degrowth, PEACE, and True sustainable ecological community.
(All of this was of course informed by many other (reading & university, etc.) experiences, or learning experiences, and all are connected toward “7 Ss / VV->^^” and “in Solidarity toward Degrowth/Sustainable Ecological ‘Communitarianism'”)
pbm
