“The apple doesn’t far from the tree”
I am to a large extent my Dad Alton Martin of a determined mind, of focus, of a very tough love,
And of some intellect, knowledge, wisdom, prudence
Like Dad I am relatively low-input, -throughput, -output
My flaws & frailties have been very similar to Dad’s
Loving family and friends and all peoples (sometimes loving too much)
But when they cross the line … to hell with them!
(Nevertheless, always continuing to love them and accept them
When they try to come back across the line
Even if temporarily)
Stubborn, cold; an infidel of infidelities
But loving (and sometimes extremely sensitive in a very heartfelt way)
(Yes, I am more manipulative, have taken more risks, and have become more “worldly” and global,
Still … in many ways, I am very much Alton Martin)
…………………
But there is also the VENEER of Mom St. Louise Martin over me
(I do LOOK MORE LIKE her side)
Oftentimes I have a SEMBLANCE of her quiet, calm, loving, soothing “That’s water under the bridge!”
An APPARENT ATTITUDE of keep on keeping on a-living and humbly fighting a soft fight for good, no matter what!!!
…………………….
Dad & Mom (and the village of Devine, Texas) gave me an ethos of frugality, minimalism and can-do
And empathy for peoples of all colors, ethnicities, sexual persuasions, etc.
(But especially the poor, disenfranchised, suppressed & oppressed have-nots)
They initiated my entry into a process of continually learning in ecological community
Real skeptical scientifically-based learning
I propose that the foundation provided me
Was sort of 1950s Texas gringo-campesino
After leaving our diversified hog-farm in a small south central Texas village in 1964
I floundered, mostly in a Land Grant institution, from petroleum engineering
(influenced by the ridiculous technological race to the moon & the crazy, out-of-hand post-WW II neoliberal, fossil energy technological-fix mindset)
To a major in history to one in animal science
(And there were also important influences of Vatican II, civil-rights and ecological movements of the 1960s & 70s
And of course the Aggie Cadet Corps, the Vietnam War, and the threat of being drafted into the Army
I then joined Naval Air and became an officer and a gentleman
Served by desperate-to-survive Filipinos)
It was studing and practicing agricultural entomology where I finally found a place
Which led me to applied ecology and then Positively Ethical Applied Community Ecology
Or PEACEmaking
There I began to realize my vison, goal, and a process of planning … and replanning after action
(And at about the same time as really getting into ecological research,
In Quihi, Texas I danced into the loving wonder who became my wife
A fellow rural Medina Countian who loves music of, not identical, but quite similar values}
Ever since then, I have been fighting, perhaps quixotically but with some success, and mostly keeping my head above the water, for PEACE
Some of my more concrete, tangible SALVATIONS in my life have been through organizations like three land Grant institutions TAMU, UF, UGA),
Group sports (especially handball, 5 & 10-K competitive runs, & tennis), Our Divine Saviour Catholic Church-Tifton, GA, Our Lady of Guadalupe-Seguin CCD, Jim Hightower’s & Susan DeMarcos’ TDA!!!, Mitchell Lake Wetlands Society, Ogallala Commons, Kids On the Land, Historically-Black & Hispanic-Serving St. Philips College, the Guadalupe County Democratic Club, Siempre Sustainable Network and community gardens,
The Seguin ISD Whole Child Initiatives, Dos Pueblos Tipitapa-Nicaragua/NYC Sister City Project, an Episcopalian Veterinarian Services (Latin America) Group, Generations Indigenous Ways, the Seguin Outdoor Learning Center
As well as the important influences of some amazing friends & family of compassion, empathy, energy, organizing abilties, and savvy
Currently I am testing the waters of Veterans For Peace,
Because I believe anti-War/anti-militarism efforts, and attempts at pacifism must be my last efforts of some focus
And perhaps MY FINAL SALVATION!??!
pbm
7 S’s / VV->^^
