humans are NOT the only species that matter

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PRACTICE AHIMSA IN A CULTURE THAT BELIEVES ONLY HUMAND MATTER

Although you can no longer be put to death for not conforming to the status quo you may be ridiculed abused and treated with contempt.

It used to worry me that I didn’t fit in: but I couldn’t even pretend to believe as everyone else apparently did.

When I was younger women had no rights nor status and children were to be “seen and not heard”.

Men were expected to be promiscuous and women were expected to be virgins.

And when (in high school) I commented on the double standards and said

“So how is that supposed to work”?

I was told by my peers that that was the way thing were meant to be.

I was involved with women’s lib and we were ridiculed and abused by other women.

Gays were put in mental institutions until 1955 even after this was stopped they were still considered deviant.

People whose skin wasn’t white were considered the lowest of the low.

Because I treated indigenous Australians with respect I was abused and labelled a “gin” lover

(gin didn’t refer to a drink 😛  )

I recycled in the 1970s and was ridiculed for this.

I was in animal liberation and a vegetarian (sadly not vegan)

I was ridiculed and abused for this.

As a child when I refused to eat meat my mother would serve up the same meal for breakfast lunch and tea until I ate it:

Accompanied by a belting for not eating what I was given:

And threatened with being put in a mental institution which could have been done in those days.

Even this century I have been ridiculed for being vegan.

But I am also encouraged by the fact that many of the younger generation care about other life forms.

Many people have told me to get rid of the trees on my property because they are a fire hazard.

I haven’t seen any trees walking around with a cigarette lighter, lighting fires.

When I lived in the suburbs the man in the house behind me asked me to remove two huge pink gums:

When I asked why he said “The leaves are falling on my lawn”

A neighbour a few years ago told me to concrete my drive way:

said it wasn’t good for my car the way it was.

When I politely refused she said:

“I am only trying to help you”

I sometimes question whether humans are indigenous to this planet.

Other life forms will not reproduce if there is not enough food for their offspring.

Other lifeforms communicate = they just don’t talk:

And  I wonder if there isn’t some collective consciousness connecting all life on this planet (excepting for humans)

I HOPE PEOPLE TAKE NOTICE OF DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND