The Power of an Idea

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; this fundamental paradigm of physics has long held true for our social world. I begin this way to illustrate a point, the point that in the world of politics, the power of an idea is indeed remarkable. People do not fear vast armies, weapons, repression, etc…, no, people fear ideas. What kind of ideas are these? These ideas range from the laws of Hammurabi to democracy in today’s world; basically anything that you can think of that has happened throughout history. For these ideas to come to fruition they must have popular support and at the same time, popular resistance; otherwise, what would the point be if everyone agreed?

The country that we live in today was formed on an idea, an idea of freedom. Obviously we all know the story, but the point reigns true in this case as well. Countless lives were lost in this struggle some two-hundred years ago for an idea that is still flourishing today. Those that we see as ultimate patriots are seen in the eyes of the English as traitors, the gravest of humanity’s crimes. Yet without such branding on both sides of the coin, the significance of what exists today would have been long undermined and thrown to the realm of innate history. The events of today in Pakistan exemplify our fear of an idea, a fear of democracy.

I could sit here for days trying to explain the significance of democracy and what it means for those who fight for it today. But it would be futile, at least for those of us who reside in the western world, as I believe that it is something that we take for granted on a daily basis. Benazir Bhutto was assassinated by someone or a group that feared the idea of democracy; an idea that would undoubtedly improve the prospects for those residing in the country. This isn’t the first time in human history that the leader of a popular movement has been assassinated. But we need to remember, even though the media is “freaking out,” that sometimes the death of a leader can indeed strengthen the cause for democracy in the end.

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."- Thomas Jefferson

The Price of Our Actions?

The “big story” of Christmas had nothing to do with Christmas, but instead was centered on the San Francisco Zoo, where a 17 year old was killed by a Siberian tiger that escaped from its pen. The tiger also attacked two other individuals, but they lived to tell the tale. I’m aware of the fact that zoos have been around for quite a long time and are probably never going away, but we need to reconsider the principal behind zoos themselves. That is, are we putting too much emphasis on conservation in the wrong place, i.e. our zoos? Maybe we should start placing more effort to the actual conservation of lands where endangered and exotic creatures live so that we may view them in their natural surroundings.

When a story of an animal attack hits the national media, we all become aware that we are not atop of the food chain (save for our guns and such). In the case of the Siberian tiger, we are looking at the largest land carnivore on the planet, with the biggest of the males occasionally hitting 900+ pounds. Luckily, the cat that escaped yesterday was only in the 300 pound range, but still managed to crush the skull of the individual she killed. When dealing with that kind of power, the zoos where these creatures are housed must be on top of their respective games at all times in order to protect visitors. No one is sure what happened yesterday, but it is safe to assume that something went wrong. The obvious problem that I have deciphered from the news reports is that there were 4 of these giant cats inside of one enclosure, which would signal that there is a bit of overcrowding.

The UN reports that species on this planet are becoming extinct at 100 times the natural rate; both animals and plants. Due to this mass extinction caused by humankind, some and rightfully so have taken it upon themselves to conserve endangered species. I do not doubt these people at all, as what they do is admirable and unselfish. The conservation movement has shown some of man’s biggest successes of the 20th century (i.e. the return of wolves to Yellowstone or the removal of the bald eagle from the endangered species list). In the spirit of such successes, I believe that we can best help powerful predators and smaller animals alike by not just breeding them in captivity, but focusing more on where they come from.

Yes, habitat is being lost, but it is in the power of governments to protect these habitats. Yes, there are still those that kill endangered species for a variety of reasons, but last time I checked, humans weren’t exactly endangered (if you get my drift). In the case of the Siberian (Amur) tiger, their home range is found in eastern Siberia, just to the south of Vladivostok. The Russian government protects these creatures not with just the force of law, but the force of the gun, as anyone found to be hunting the creatures are jailed and occasionally shot. If that is what needs to be done to protect these creatures and their habitats, so be it. In a sense, I can indeed understand why it is frustrating to be a major player in the conservation movement. But at the same time, there are improvements to be made.