| MAKING WAVES, March-April 2003 issue: Table of Contents |
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Choice: Current Events and the Beach |
Nothing in our national spirit and soul limits our creativity to protect and preserve what we have won for the coastal environment, while at the same time working for a safer world. |
Today's morning paper, filled with stories concerning our economy, oil dependence and issues of war and national security can make you remember that we have likely always lived in dangerous times. I have to admit that in addition to the obvious concerns, the daily news leaves me feeling vulnerable about our mission and our coastal environment. Not vulnerable because of any quality of our organization, but because of the rapid and pervasive way in which our national government is organizing around the "rolling back" of hard won environmental victories.  Driving these victories to oblivion, it seems that some parts of our culture have set up this dichotomy: economy and national security vs. all other issues. In the process, of course, coast and ocean environmental gains are tossed overboard fairly early. I wish I could tell you that this was being done with an apparent sense of sobriety and deliberation, but it appears not. The thinking, particularly related to issues around the Clean Water Act and our wetlands crisis, seems to be short sighted and not terribly creative. As we limit our choices by chiefly applying only the logic of the dichotomy, we are fast becoming disconnected from what we all truly wanta safer and healthier natural world.
I can't buy in to this "polar choices" concept. Of course national security is paramount, human life is irreplaceable, but nothing in our national spirit and soul limits our creativity to protect and preserve what we have won for the coastal environment, while at the same time working for a safer world. And if we don't advocate and act for our oceans, waves and beaches, especially in challenging times, no one will. You might ask, why would the Surfrider Foundation weigh in on this at all? Foremost because the weakening of current federal protections takes away extremely valuable tools that we use daily to protect surf breaks, work for cleaner ocean water and create opportunities to protect special places for the future. But perhaps it's not so much about the future as it is about the present. Twentieth century Zen writer R.H. Blyth once penned, "Thus we see that the all important thing is not killing or giving life, drinking or not drinking, living in the town or in the cou- try, being unlucky or lucky, winning or losing. It is how we win, how we lose, how we live or die, finally, how we choose." We thank you for choosing to preserve what we love, while at the same time engaging in the complex range of challenges your life and this new century have brought. I'd ask you to do one more thingplease pass this copy of Making Waves on to a friend who may not be a member. In the center is a membership application, help them fill it out over the morning paper one day. Sincerely,  Christopher J. Evans, Esq. Executive Director * * * |