Friday, August 17, 2012

A Man-Made Shangri-La?




(Photo:  The South Pond at Central Park, New York City) 

A masterful and outstanding Op-Ed published in Golf Coast News Today and written by Mary Lou Simms.

It is rare these days to see media pieces that are 100% accurate, but this is one of them.

It is hoped that people take the necessary time to post comments of praise to both the news site and the writer. 

As previously noted, "media response" is extremely important in any justice struggle, whether to critique press reports or in this (rare) case, praise them.

Media generally goes the way of public response and perception, as is true the other way around.  

In more local news, there was a picnic yesterday at the South Pond in Central Park sponsored by (27) GooseWatch NYC .

The event was pleasant, the weather beautiful, but there were no geese at the pond.

Personally, I am finding Central Park very "empty" these days and strangely depressing without geese.

The absence of geese seems to have profound effect upon my general mood and sense of faith and optimism.

That has been true since 9-11 more than eleven years ago. 

At that traumatic time in New York and American history, I found the presence of geese and ducks in Central Park to be extremely comforting and providing a sense of tranquility, that despite the horrible and tragic events of the day, everything would ultimately be all right.

I have a much harder time achieving such sense of faith and confidence now.

On the contrary, I believe politically, economically, substantively and ethically, we are on a downward spiral with geese being somewhat symbolic of everything else.

Maybe that is just me and my general "low mood."

But, I really have to hope that some resident geese make it back to Central Park before the migratory birds arrive in late November or December.

The likely prospect of Senator Gillibrand being reelected in early November after orchestrating an all out "war" and carnage against New York City's fast disappearing urban wildlife is almost too painful to bear.  

If it be true that "no good deed goes unpunished" it seems the really diabolical deeds result in political elections.

These are the kinds of times that compel one to consider leaving New York City. -- Until one learns of events happening elsewhere around the country, like Fairhope, Alabama.

And then one realizes, (like the geese perhaps) there is really no peaceful place left to go.

"War" is all around despite the appearances of a seemingly man-made Shangri-La. -- PCA
                                                        


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